Air travelers often trust that airlines will treat them fairly, in accordance with law and regulation. In fact, problems abound. This page indexes my research on aviation consumer protection matters, including findings of impropriety as well as complaints to the US Department of Transportation. This page also includes selected significant complaints by others.
| Price advertising violations | ||||
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - February 4, 2013 | price advertising violations including mischaracterizing carrier fees as "tax" | Complaint. Answer. Edelman Reply. American Surreply. Edelman supplemental filing. American response and supplemental response. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. $60,000 penalty. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - December 12, 2013 | price advertising violations including mischaracterizing carrier fees as "tax" | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. $65,000 penalty. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Darren Martin and Robert Samstein v. American Airlines - March 1 and 11, 2014 | charges for additional "tax" when American canceled confirmed flights and proposed BA alternatives | Martin Complaint and Samstein Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | and days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. | |
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - March 20, 2017 | price advertising violations including mischaracterizing carrier fees as "tax" | Complaint. Answer. DOT request for evidentiary support and AA response. Docket and public comments. | Dismissal. | days from complaint to dismissal. days from completion of initial briefing to dismissal. days from AA filing the requested evidentiary support to dismissal. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - December 15, 2021 | mischaracterizing carrier fees as "tax" when selling vacation packages | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Pending | days since complaint was filed. days since briefing was completed. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - November 18, 2022 | mischaracterizing carrier fees as "tax" when selling Business Extra redemptions; omitting carrier fees from first fare quote; "approx" rather than exact prices | Complaint. Answer. Reply. Surreply. Docket and public comments. | Pending | days since complaint was filed. days since briefing was completed. |
| Edelman letter to DOT about Air France practices - January 14, 2012 | mischaracterizing surcharges as "tax" | Letter complaint in relevant part (at heading "Air France: labeling carrier-imposed surcharge as 'tax'"). | Consent order. $85,000 penalty. | days betwen complaint submission and consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. British Airways - February 4, 2013 | price advertising violations including a "fuel surcharge" in excess of cost of fuel | Complaint. Answer. Edelman Reply. British Airways Surreply. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. British Airways - January 13, 2015 | failing to honor first fare quote for award travel on US Airways | Complaint. Video evidence 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. $40,000 penalty. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. Cathay Pacific - February 4, 2013 | mischaracterizing surcharges as "tax" | Complaint. Answer and Oneworld answers to questions. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. Air Europa - December 16, 2013 | mischaracterizing surcharges as "tax" | Complaint. Answer. Edelman Reply. Air Europa Motion to Strike. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. $100,000 penalty. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman and Jason Steele v. Delta Airlines - January 6, 2015 | mischaracterizing surcharges as "tax" | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. | days complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. Middle East Airlines - December 16, 2013 | mischaracterizing surcharges as "tax" | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. $10,000 penalty. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. Sri Lankan Airlines - December 23, 2014 | mischaracterizing surcharges as "tax" | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. $20,000 penalty. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. Tarom - December 16, 2013 | mischaracterizing surcharges as "tax" | Complaint. Answer and supplemental submission. Docket and public comments. | Dismissal. | days from complaint to dismissal. days from completion of briefing to dismissal. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. Virgin Atlantic - September 10, 2014 | mischaracterizing surcharges as "tax" | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Consent order. $30,000 penalty. | days from complaint to consent order. days from completion of briefing to consent order. |
| Index of research about price advertising violations, including 13 different airlines that falsely charged "tax" that was actually just airline fees. The most detailed factual reporting and analysis appears in the screenshot, receipt, email, and call recording evidence of violations by American Airlines. | ||||
| Denied boarding and involuntary downgrade | ||||
| Mike Borsetti v. British Airways - September 22, 2014 | involuntary downgrade and errors in calculation of downgrade compensation | Complaint. Answer. Reply. Surreply. Docket and public comments. | Dismissal. | days from briefing to dismissal. days from completion of briefing to dismissal. |
| Miriam Edelman v. American Airlines - June 14, 2016 | denial of boarding due to misrepresentation of Conditions of Carriage | Complaint. Amended complaint. Second amended complaint. Answer. Joint agreement to partial settlement. Docket and public comments. | Dismissal (allowing settlement to proceed). | days from complaint to dismissal. days from completion of briefing to dismissal. |
| Passenger rights in case of schedule change | ||||
| Mike Borsetti v. American Airlines - January 4, 2017 | carrier choice of new travel after schedule change | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Dismissal. | days from complaint to dismissal. days from completion of briefing to dismissal. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - April 23, 2024 | defective delay notification email; contradictory statements from employees; carrier choice of new travel after schedule change | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | days since complaint was filed. days since briefing was completed. | days from completion of briefing to dismissal.|
| Passenger right to record | ||||
| Benjamin Edelman and Mike Borsetti petition for rulemaking - June 19, 2017 | passenger right to record | Petition for rulemaking. Docket and public comments. | days since petition was filed. | |
| Tariff, fare calculation, and passenger disclosures | ||||
| Mike Borsetti v. American Airlines - April 17, 2015 | incorrect taxes on child ticket; refusal to provide ticket or fare calculation | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | days since complaint was filed. days since briefing completed. | |
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - July 6, 2015 | omission of required baggage allowance from eticket confirmations | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Dismissal. | days from complaint to dismissal. days from completion of briefing to dismissal. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - December 8, 2015 | refusal to provide ticket or fare calculation | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Dismissal. | days from complaint to dismissal. days from completion of briefing to dismissal. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. Alaska Airlines - January 5, 2023 | omission of required baggage allowance from eticket confirmation email | Complaint. Answer. Reply. Surreply. | Pending | days since complaint was filed. days since briefing was completed. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. Southwest Airlines - January 9, 2023 | "class waiver" clause disallowing efficient centralized litigation | Complaint. Answer. | Pending | days since complaint was filed. days since briefing was completed. |
| DOT comment as to the importance of a tariff to assure accurate pricing and other consumer benefits (June 2014) | ||||
| Frequent flier program benefits and penalties | ||||
| Joel Hayes v. American Airlines - May 19, 2014 | false accusation of fictitious reservations | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Dismissal. | days from complaint to dismissal. days from complaint to dismissal. |
| Benjamin Edelman v. American Airlines - September 24, 2024 | "first checked bag fee" credit card benefit not honored | Complaint. Answer. Docket and public comments. | Pending. | days since complaint was filed. days since briefing was completed. |
Have a serious dispute about an airline practice, and want an official on-the-record response from a senior airline representative? Consider filing your own formal DOT complaint. Instructions.
Posted: June 23, 2016
Last updated: December 1, 2024
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