Group says COVID-19 protocols are wanted to reassure Individuals who’re cautious about journey in a world pandemic
Shopper Experiences says that it has delivered a petition to Division of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao with greater than 62,000 signatures, asking her to create obligatory well being and security requirements for airways and airports to stop the unfold of COVID-19.“Americans are already wary about traveling during a global pandemic and deserve to know that strict COVID-19 safety precautions will be followed if they choose to fly,” mentioned William J. McGee, aviation adviser for Shopper Experiences.“We need mandatory, enforceable health and safety rules so that every airline, airport and passenger can be held accountable to help stop the spread of this potentially deadly virus,” McGee says. “Mandatory standards will ultimately help the airlines recover from the current crisis by giving Americans more confidence that they will be safe when flying.”In a letter accompanying the petition, the group famous that Individuals encounter a various array of conflicting well being and security insurance policies at a whole bunch of US airports and each airline.Vacationers don’t know after they make a reservation, what the airline’s insurance policies on wholesome journey will likely be on the date when their flight takes off, the letter states.Whereas some airways are at the moment leaving center seats open on flights, different carriers are reserving passengers on each seat on their planes. The group has heard from vacationers involved about overcrowded flights and that masks necessities aren’t being enforced persistently.Over the previous a number of months Enterprise Traveler has reported that Delta will likely be blocking center seats till January. Southwestt simply dedicated to retaining center seats open till after Thanksgiving.American Airways and United are at the moment not retaining center seats open however informing passengers when flights are crammed and permitting cancellations. All main US airways are at the moment requiring masks each in airports and in flight to be able to fly.Within the letter, Shopper Experiences urged Secretary Chao to work with different key administration officers to determine necessities for airways, airports and vacationers to guard in opposition to the transmission of COVID-19 throughout air journey.Secretary Chao has the authority to make COVID-19 security protocols obligatory utilizing the identical emergency authority the DOT used to require airways to undertake stronger safety measures following the 9/11 terrorist assaults, the group says.Shopper Experiences additionally reiterated its name for Secretary Chao to make sure airways deal with passengers pretty by offering cash refunds for flights disrupted by the pandemic. The letter notes {that a} report 55,000 Individuals filed complaints with the DOT within the first 4 months of the disaster after being denied refunds for canceled flights.Shopper Experiences
