The US Department of Transportation has obtained from three airlines, including the German group Lufthansa, that they reimburse nearly a billion dollars to passengers for cancellations or significant changes to flights, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The ministry said in a statement on Monday that Lufthansa agreed to return $775 million and pay a penalty of $1.1 million, while its Dutch competitor KLM agreed to reimburse $113.3 million and pay $113.3 million. a penalty of $1.1 million as well.
Furthermore, South African Airways did the same to return $15.2 million and pay a penalty of $300,000.
“When a flight is canceled or significantly changed, you should not have to fight with the company to get your money refunded,” noted Pete Buttigieg, Minister of Transport, quoted in the press release.
The flight cancellation rate was below 1.2% in 2023 in the United States, the lowest level in more than a decade despite a record number of scheduled flights.
The ministry announced on April 24 that airlines in the United States were now subject to stricter regulations regarding refunds and compensation to passengers in the event of flight cancellation, modification or delay, or even lost luggage.
Not only must these refunds be automatic, but the ministry has also, among other things, precisely defined what a “significant change” is: change in arrival or departure time of more than three hours for a domestic flight and six hours for an international flight; departure or arrival at a different airport; more stopovers; demotion from the reserved class, etc.
