Major US Airlines to bring legal action against US Department of Transportation

Several major US airlines intend to bring legal action against the US Department of Transportation over a new ""Junk Fee"" law. The law, which began discussions following its reveal by the FTC in 2023, revealed its final rules last month, which would require airlines to show additional fees for checked bags and cancellations upfront, which the Transportation Department told The Washington Post would "" save people more than $500 million a year"". The rule requires airlines to inform consumers that seats are guaranteed and that they are not required to pay extra. Airlines must provide the following notice: ""A seat is included in your fare. You are not required to purchase a seat assignment to travel"". A lobbying group, Airlines for America, with support from Delta, United, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, filed a suit against the DOT in the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana late on Friday, according to a copy of the suit seen by Reuters. The airlines argue in a statement published on May 13 that they go to ""great lengths"" to keep customers informed of fees, and that the DOT is looking to ""attempt to regulate private business operations in a thriving marketplace is beyond its authority"". No legal action is being planned by the airlines in regard to a separate rule finalised last month by DOT that would require automatic cash refunds for cancelled flights when passengers choose not to take a new flight. Southwest Airlines, which expressed support for parts of the USDOT proposal, did not join the lawsuit.