(RepublicanView.org) – A number of major airlines are suing the Biden administration over its rules regarding fees.
The airlines are being represented by Airlines for America, an industry lobbying group. It includes complaints from some of the nation’s most prolific airlines. The suit was filed against Biden’s federal Department of Transportation with Louisiana’s US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on May 10.
The rule, which was finalized in April, forces airlines to include information regarding service fees next to the charges. The rule’s aim is to help customers avoid fees that are either unexpected or pointless.
However, the airline lobbying group raised concerns about the potential to confuse customers over the full scope of charges and what they’re actually paying. They’re also accusing the federal government of overstepping its legal authority in the marketplace by regulating it so closely. A draft of the lawsuit also called the rule “an abuse of discretion,” but that was removed from the final suit.
However, the USDOT said that it will stand firm in pushing the legislation on airlines regardless of the concerns they raise. It also argued that passengers will save more when purchasing airline tickets. According to the agency’s estimates, the move could save passengers around $543 million annually. It specifically pointed out customers who arrive at the airport without checking the airline’s policies for carry-on and checked luggage, forcing them to pay an extra fee for making the last-minute change.
The USDOT also accused some airlines of using “bait-and-switch” tactics to get more money from discounted fares. However, the lobbying group called the law “a bad solution in search of a problem.”
The group of airlines includes Delta, joined by United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines. Southwest Airlines, which supported the new law, is not participating in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is not fighting a new requirement that airlines give passengers a refund if their flight is canceled and they opt out of another one.
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