Federal airline rules still let carriers ask for fare upfront

By June Watanabe

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 23, 2013

~~<p>Question: There was a U.S. Department of Transportation rule as of January 2012 that airlines cannot charge for airfare if you book at least two weeks in advance and cancel within 24 hours. They have to give you a confirmation number, but you don’t have to pay for 24 hours. But Hawaiian Airlines and Delta Airlines are still asking for payment upfront. Do all the airlines know about this new rule?</p>
<p>Answer: Some airlines require payment upfront, while some may just keep your reservation “on hold” until confirmed within 24 hours, but either way, they would all be conforming to the new DOT requirement.</p>
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Question: There was a U.S. Department of Transportation rule as of January 2012 that airlines cannot charge for airfare if you book at least two weeks in advance and cancel within 24 hours. They have to give you a confirmation number, but you don’t have to pay for 24 hours. But Hawaiian Airlines and Delta Airlines are still asking for payment upfront. Do all the airlines know about this new rule?

Answer: Some airlines require payment upfront, while some may just keep your reservation “on hold” until confirmed within 24 hours, but either way, they would all be conforming to the new DOT requirement. Login for more...