Travel
US Justice Department Highlights National Stalking Awareness Month; One in Three Women and One in Six Men Experience Stalking in Their Lifetimes
“The Justice Department is committed to using all its tools to address stalking,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Survivors need justice and safety, and communities require resources to respond and prevent this crime. OVW’s grantees play a critical role, providing essential services and justice solutions in their communities.” With the prolific misuse of the Internet and other forms of technology as weapons against stalking victims, today’s Strategies Showcase further emphasizes the White House’s priority to eradicate technology-facilitated violence. Last June, President Biden established the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse, an interagency effort to increase prevention, response and protection measures for survivors. more »
GAO (U.S. Government Accountability Office): Passengers with Disabilities; Barriers to Accessible Air Travel Remain
Based on GAO's review of regulations and information obtained from officials with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), GAO found that DOT has taken steps to implement the relevant accessibility-related provisions of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. For example, DOT now requires the largest U.S. airlines to report the number of wheelchairs and scooters that were transported and damaged. DOT is addressing several other provisions in the initial rulemaking processes. DOT has also taken steps to address other longstanding accessibility issues not required under the 2018 Act, but important to passengers with disabilities. In March 2022, DOT issued a proposed rule to address accessible lavatories that would apply to aircraft deliveries, to begin in 20 years. Regarding disability-related enforcement actions, DOT has taken one since 2019. more »
A la Frank Sinatra: "Come Fly With Me", U.S. Department of Transportation Airline Customer Service Dashboard
"These ten large U.S. airlines and their regional operating partners, which operate flights for them but do not sell tickets, account for approximately 96 percent of the domestic scheduled passenger air traffic. Use the ... dashboard to learn about the amenities that the U.S. airline that you are flying on has promised to provide should there be a controllable flight cancellation or delay. You can also use the dashboard to compare amenities that the airlines commit to provide in the event of a controllable flight cancellation or delay when deciding which airline to fly." more »
The Biden-Harris Administration is Taking Action on Junk Fees that Hurt Americans’ Pocketbooks and the Economy
"Academic research and agency experience suggest the following fees and fee practices fall within this category: Mandatory fees that often hide the full price. Some sellers publish a low price and then add mandatory fees later, at the “back-end” of the buying process or when a consumer tries to terminate the service... As the research shows, by hiding the full price, this practice can lead consumers to pay more than they would otherwise, and it also makes it hard for consumers to comparison shop... An example is the “service fees” added to the cost of a ticket to a concert or sporting event. more »