Airlines are ordered to give full refunds instead of vouchers and to stop hiding fees

Airlines are ordered to give full refunds instead of vouchers and to stop hiding fees Enlarge this image toggle caption Mario Tama/Getty Images Mario Tama/Getty Images WASHINGTON — In an effort to crack down on airlines that charge passengers steep fees to check bags and change flights, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced new regulations aimed at expanding consumer protections. "Today's announcements will require airlines to both provide passengers better information about costs before ticket purchase, and promptly provide cash refunds to passengers when they are owed — not only saving passengers time and money, but also preventing headaches," Buttigieg said. "The amount of unwanted and unneeded information forced upon passengers" by the new policy would only cause "confusion and frustration," warned Doug Mullen, the deputy general counsel at Airlines for America. Business Transportation Department cracks down on airline 'junk fees' Transportation Department cracks down on airline 'junk fees' Listen · 3:39 3:39 "I believe this is to the benefit of the sector as a whole," Buttigieg said in an interview with NPR's Morning Edition, because passengers will have "more confidence in the aviation sector."