DOT Delays Airline Disclosure Rules

Airline passengers are going to have to wait a little longer to learn who’s really running their flight and whether they’ll have to change planes en route.

The U.S. Department of Transportation in March issued rules requiring airlines to disclose that information beginning last week. But now the DOT has postponed the start time until at least Aug. 25 after tour operators and airlines complained they need more time to reprogram computer software.

Under the rules, airlines would have to tell customers, before they buy tickets, whether the flight requires a plane change and who will be operating the flight. The latter rule is aimed at code-sharing, the practice in which an airline sells tickets that include travel on a partner airline. The DOT is accepting public comment on its action until July 30 via fax at (202) 493-2251 and on the Internet at https://dms.dot.gov (search for keywords “code-sharing” and “change-of-gauge”).