Colorado’s attorney general requested the U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday to investigate issues that Frontier Airlines did not refund the price tag of flights canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak and made it virtually impossible for men and women to use vouchers for various other flights during the pandemic.
In a sales letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Attorney General Phil Weiser mentioned the office of his had received more than 100 complaints from Colorado and 29 various other states regarding the Denver-based very low cost carrier since March, over any other company.
Individuals said that Frontier refused to issue them a refund when flights were canceled due to the pandemic, which Weiser stated violated department laws that refunds are due even when cancellations are because of to situations beyond airlines’ management. Other people who received vouchers for use on future flights after voluntarily canceling their travel plans had been not able to redeem them. Some were rejected through the airline’s site and were not able to extend the 90-day time limit for making use of them or even were restricted to employing the vouchers on just one flight, he published. Still individuals that sought help through the airline’s customer service line had been written on hold for hours and were disconnected regularly, he said.
Weiser believed that the Department of Transportation was in the very best place to explore the complaints and said it has to issue fines of up to $2,500 per violation when adequate.
Chronic problem? DOT warns airlines? once more? to issue refunds for canceled flights right after receiving 25,000 complaints
Businesses can’t be allowed to make the most of customers during the time and should be held responsible for unfair and deceptive conduct, he mentioned in a statement.
Frontier said it’s stayed in detailed compliance with department rules as well as regulations regarding flight changes, cancellations and refunds.
Throughout the pandemic, Frontier Airlines has acted to great faith to look after our passengers fairly and compassionately, the company said in a declaration.
Claims about getting refunds from airlines surged this spring. In May, Chao requested airlines to be as considerate and flexible as you possibly can to the needs of passengers who face financial hardship.
In the department’s May air travel customer report, the most recent available, Frontier had the third-highest price of overall issues, trailing Hawaiian Airlines as well as United Airlines. The report counts just complaints from buyers that go through the problems of filing a criticism with the division, not individuals who simply grumble to an airline.