Three travel agencies fined for code-share violations
The U.S. Department of Transportation last week fined three travel agencies and one airline for practices that misled or cheated consumers.
Before taking off for the long holiday weekend it cited Liberty Travel, STA Travel and AAA Mid-Atlantic for not disclosing the use of code-sharing flights to consumers.
Then on Friday it cited United Airlines for failing to pay refunds promptly and for inaccurately reporting the lost baggage, overbooking, and injuries to pets it was carrying.
DOT said that while airlines are required to process refunds within seven days, United between March and May of 2012 failed to process 9,000 refund requests in a timely manner.
As far as the travel agencies, DOT’s Aviation Enforcement Office made a number of telephone calls during January and February of 2013 asking about booking certain flights.
The agency said its agents were not told that the flights were not operated by the carrier whose designator code appeared, but rather were code-share arrangements operated by a different airline.
It fined Liberty Travel $100,000, and the other two travel agencies $40,000.
DOT on May 23 fined JTB USA $60,000 for similar code-share violations.
Cheryl
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025