Flight Refund Fairness Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Flight Refund Fairness Act tightens the timing rule for flight refunds handled through ticket agents. It amends 49 U.S.C. 42305(e), which governs refunds for cancelled, significantly delayed, or significantly changed flights. Air carriers and foreign air carriers remain part of the refund chain, but the bill specifies that when a ticket agent receives transferred refund funds from the carrier, the ticket agent must provide the refund to the individual within seven days. The bill also updates the existing language about refund alternatives so the timing rule applies within the current consumer-refund framework.
Who Benefits and How
Airline passengers owed refunds benefit because ticket agents must send the money within seven days after receiving carrier-transferred funds. Travel agency customers benefit from a clearer refund deadline when tickets were purchased through an intermediary. Consumer aviation advocates benefit from a specific statutory clock for ticket-agent refund handling. Credit card and payment users benefit when delayed refunds move through agents faster after the carrier transfers funds.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Ticket agents must process covered refunds within seven days after receiving funds from an air carrier or foreign air carrier. Air carriers must coordinate refund transfers so ticket agents can meet the statutory deadline. Department of Transportation aviation consumer protection staff must enforce the revised refund timing rule. Online travel agencies must update refund workflows, notices, and payment operations for covered disruptions.
Key Provisions
- Requires ticket agents to refund individuals within seven days after receiving funds from a carrier.
- Amends the refund rule for cancelled, significantly delayed, or significantly changed flights.
- Provides a clearer deadline within the existing airline refund and refund-alternative framework.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Requires ticket agents to provide refunds for cancelled, significantly delayed, or significantly changed flights within seven days after receiving refund funds transferred by the air carrier or foreign air carrier.
Key Policy Areas
Aviation, Consumer Protection, Transportation
Primary Purpose
Requires ticket agents to provide refunds for cancelled, significantly delayed, or significantly changed flights within seven days after receiving refund funds transferred by the air carrier or foreign air carrier.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- Airline passengers owed refunds
- Travel agency customers
- Consumer aviation advocates
- Credit card payment users
Identified Costs
- Ticket agents
- Air carriers
- Department of Transportation aviation staff
- Online travel agencies
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Ms. Salazar (for herself, Mr. Alford, Ms. Titus, Mr. Webster …
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology