Frontier Airlines, based in Denver, is returning $222 million and paying a $2.2 million civil penalty, according to the government. The Transportation Department announced that TAP Portugal would refund $126.5 million and pay a $1.1 million fine, Air India would pay $121.5 million in refunds and a $1.4 million fine, Aeromexico would pay $13.6 million and a $900,000 fine, Israel’s El Al would pay $61.9 million and a $900,000 fine, and Colombia’s Avianca would pay $76.8 million and a $750,000 fine.

Air India to take legal action and impose fine on unruly passengers, to charge Rs 5 lakh for 1 hour delay(Opens in a new browser tab)

According to Blane Workie, the assistant general counsel for the Transportation Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, there won’t be any penalties for other U.S. airlines because they responded “shortly after” the department reminded them in April 2020 of their duty to make prompt refunds.

“We have no open cases involving other U.S. carriers. On the same call as Buttigieg, Workie stated that the cases that remain are against foreign airlines. Consumer activists were unsatisfied, claiming that the main US airlines also breached refund policies, even if they took corrective action more rapidly.

On customer refunds for airlines, the Department has also suggested stronger regulations. According to the DOT, consumers can file air travel consumer complaints online. http://airconsumer.dot.gov/escomplaint/ConsumerForm.cfm or by voicemail at (202)-366-2220.