They don't even remotely pretend to be working for the average, working Joe and Jane out here in America. They don't make any attempt of any kind to try to appear they're working for the middle- and/or lower- and working classes. I give you this article from none other than Rupert Murdoch's own very Right-Wing, business-friendly Wall Street Journal.
Airlines want to nix a host of rules that attempt to keep them from mistreating customers. The Transportation Department is considering it.
The DOT has asked airlines to suggest changes or cuts to regulations, part of a broad initiative from President Trump, once an owner of a small airline, to reduce government red tape. It comes as DOT fines against airlines fell by half last year.
The rules matter because DOT is just about the only protection consumers have in U.S. air travel. If the airlines get what they want, the government would weaken the tarmac delay rule, which imposes hefty fines for stranding passengers on planes for long periods, and eliminate a requirement that they show the full price of a ticket when people shop.
Carriers also have asked DOT to scrap the 24-hour grace period for a full refund when buying a ticket—you would pay a change fee even if you realized right away you booked the wrong date or made a mistake in the passenger name. They want to eliminate a rule that requires them to honor tickets sold for “mistake fares,” and they are asking for flexibility from a requirement they provide “prompt” wheelchair service. They argue the term “prompt” is ambiguous and complain that providing wheelchair service at zero charge costs the industry $300 million annually and exceeds benefits.
They also want their own booking systems to be free from the DOT ban on display bias so they don’t have to disclose to consumers they exclude competitors’ flights, and they want to drop requirements to show on-time and cancellation data with flights.
This is just the beginning of the article:
The DOT has asked airlines to suggest changes or cuts to regulations, part of a broad initiative from President Trump, once an owner of a small airline, to reduce government red tape. It comes as DOT fines against airlines fell by half last year.
The rules matter because DOT is just about the only protection consumers have in U.S. air travel. If the airlines get what they want, the government would weaken the tarmac delay rule, which imposes hefty fines for stranding passengers on planes for long periods, and eliminate a requirement that they show the full price of a ticket when people shop.
Carriers also have asked DOT to scrap the 24-hour grace period for a full refund when buying a ticket—you would pay a change fee even if you realized right away you booked the wrong date or made a mistake in the passenger name. They want to eliminate a rule that requires them to honor tickets sold for “mistake fares,” and they are asking for flexibility from a requirement they provide “prompt” wheelchair service. They argue the term “prompt” is ambiguous and complain that providing wheelchair service at zero charge costs the industry $300 million annually and exceeds benefits.
They also want their own booking systems to be free from the DOT ban on display bias so they don’t have to disclose to consumers they exclude competitors’ flights, and they want to drop requirements to show on-time and cancellation data with flights.
It's insane.
It's obscene.
What little protections we have, that we've been able to gain, as customers and passengers on airlines and these people are working to take them away. They're actually asking the airlines what rules they don't like and what they want to have done away with.
This guy and his henchmen and women are working, fighting for the already-wealthy and corporations, folks, not you and I, not, again, the middle class.
They just recently handed out huge, deficit-creating tax credits and deductions to and for the, again, already wealthy and corporations. Then they have Betsy DeVos working for the same wealthy people in our schools, against the working schlubs like you and I. And then there's Scott Pruitt at the EPA, eviscerating our clean air and water and soil rules.
Here's further proof, today, from The New York Times:
Here's further proof, today, from The New York Times:
Not only are they doing it, they're all but throwing public parties to celebrate it all.
Why anyone but the wealthy votes Republican is beyond me.
Meanwhile, we've seen lots of predictions and projections of just where, exactly, his and the Republicans tax package will take us. They already are.
Trump's America will be saddled with debt –
like his bankrupted hotels
God help us, America.
Not that we deserve it.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment