2024 Was the Year of Airline Regulations. In 2025, Many Could Be Scrapped.
Skift Take
The Most Important Story: 2024
These are the headlines that drove the conversation in the travel industry in 2024 and will continue to dominate in the new year. See all storiesWhile much of the airline industry hopped on the premium boom in 2024, it was also a big year in Washington.
Clamping down on consumer practices in the airline industry was a cornerstone of the Biden administration — many regulations and crucial court decisions came in 2024. A federal judge struck down the merger between JetBlue and Spirit Airlines. Just months later, Spirit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
But the Department of Transportation approved the Alaska-Hawaiian merger, contingent on several consumer protections.
Senators held hearings with airline executives, expressing frustration with a lack of transparency on pricing “junk fees.”
Some of these initiatives won the praise of consumers but the consternation of airline executives. When asked about his thoughts on President-elect Donald Trump, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said his stance on regulations could be “a breath of fresh air.”
And now as Trump is set to take office once again, it’s unclear how long some of these Biden era regulations will last.
Automatic Refunds and Junk FeesOne of the more controversial regulations put forth by the Biden administration this year was related to junk fees and automatic refunds.
The DOT issued a rule in March that would require airlines to issue automatic refunds in the event a flight is significantly delayed or canceled and if a customer
