Gov't announces new steps to protect airline consumers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Saying they want to boost competition in the airline industry, Obama administration officials issued new regulations Tuesday aimed at providing passengers with more information to compare the performance of air carriers and the cost of flights.

The Department of Transportation also said it was proposing that airlines be required to refund fees when checked bags are "substantially delayed." The government already requires airlines to refund fees for bags that are lost, but the proposal would go a step further by including delayed bags. Transportation officials said they haven't yet defined what constitutes a substantial delay.

Congress directed the department in an aviation bill passed over the summer to require airlines to refund checked bag fees to passengers whose luggage is delayed 12 hours or more for domestic flights or 15 hours or more for overseas flights. However, the department has some flexibility in how it ultimately writes the regulation.

The department also issued several final rules aimed at giving passengers better information when they purchase tickets and for judging the performance of air carriers.

One of the new rules would force airlines to report flight delays for all the planes that fly under their banner.

Major carriers haven't been including flights operated by their regional airline partners in their performance reports to the government.