A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a new Biden administration rule that would require airlines to disclose surcharges at the time of purchase.
The three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals On Monday order This ruling: [the Department of Transportation’s] The commission granted the airline association’s request to suspend the rules and noted that it would also expedite petitions for review.
A coalition of major airlines sued the Biden administration in May over the Department of Transportation’s crackdown on unfair fees for air travel, including charges for checked and carry-on bags and for changing or canceling reservations.
Industry group Airlines for America filed the lawsuit alongside Delta, American, United, JetBlue, Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines, arguing the new rules would “confuse” customers and “complicate” the purchasing process.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg blasted the lawsuit, saying he was “speechless” when it was filed.
“We have issued rules requiring airlines to inform you of the fees they will charge you before you buy a ticket,” Buttigieg said.Post to social platform X “Now the airline lobby is suing us, claiming that having a right to that information would create ‘confusion’. I’m at a loss for words now.”
The department further strengthened the rules in a statement to The Hill on Tuesday, emphasizing that airlines can still comply with the rules “voluntarily” even with a court order.
“The Department of Transportation will continue to defend rules that protect consumers from surprise fees that can make air travel unexpectedly expensive,” the department said. “Nothing in the court’s decision prevents airlines from voluntarily complying with common-sense rules that simply require airlines to provide customers with adequate information when purchasing a ticket.”
The Hill has reached out to Airlines for America for comment.
