It is the policy of the Department to regard as an unfair or deceptive practice or unfair method of competition the practices enumerated in paragraphs (a) through (n) of this section by a ticket agent of any size and the practice enumerated in paragraph (s) by a ticket agent that sells air transportation online and is not considered a small business under the Small Business Administration's size standards set forth in 13 CFR 121.201:
(a) Misrepresentations[1] which may induce members of the public to believe that the ticket agent is an air carrier.
(b) Using or displaying or permitting or suffering to be used or displayed the name, trade name, slogan or any abbreviation thereof, of the ticket agent, in advertisements, on or in places of business, or on aircraft in connection with the name of an air carrier with whom it does business, in such manner that it may mislead or confuse the traveling public with respect to the agency status of the ticket agent.
(c) Misrepresentations as to the quality or kind of service, type or size of aircraft, time of departure or arrival, points served, route to be flown, stops to be made, or total trip-time from point of departure to destination.
(d) Misrepresentation as to qualifications of pilots or safety record or certification of pilots, aircraft or air carriers.
(e) Misrepresentations that passengers are directly insured when they are not so insured; for example, where the only insurance in force is that protecting the air carrier in event of liability.
(f) Misrepresentations as to fares and charges for air transportation or services in connection therewith.
(g) Misrepresentation that special discounts or reductions are available, when such discounts or reductions are not specific in the lawful tariffs of the air carrier which is to perform the transportation.
(h) [Reserved]
(i) Misrepresentations that special priorities for reservations are available when such special considerations are not in fact granted to members of the public generally.
(j) Selling air transportation to persons on a reservation or charter basis for specified space, flight, or time, or representing that such definite reservation or charter is or will be available or has been arranged, without a binding commitment with an air carrier for the furnishing of such definite reservation or charter as represented or sold.
(k) Selling or issuing tickets or other documents to passengers to be exchanged or used for air transportation knowing or having reason to know or believe that such tickets or other documents will not be or cannot be legally honored by air carriers for air transportation.
(l) Failing or refusing to make proper refunds promptly when service cannot be performed as contracted or representing that such refunds are obtainable only at some other point, thus depriving persons of the immediate use of the money to arrange other transportation, or forcing them to suffer unnecessary inconveniences and delays or requiring them to accept transportation at higher cost, or under less desirable circumstances, or on less desirable aircraft than that represented at the time of sale.
(m) Misrepresentations regarding the handling, forwarding or routing of baggage or other property, or the loss or tracing thereof, or failing or refusing to honor proper claims for loss of or damage to baggage or other property.
(n) Misrepresentation as to the requirements that must be met by persons or organizations in order to qualify for charter or group fare flights.
(o)-(r) [Reserved]
(s) Failing to disclose and offer Web-based discount fares on or after June 10, 2014, to prospective passengers who contact the agent through other channels (e.g., by telephone or in the agent's place of business) and indicate they are unable to use the agent's Web site due to a disability.
[PS-21, 29 FR 1446, Jan. 29, 1964, as amended at 78 FR 67916, Nov. 12, 2013; Docket No. DOT-OST-2014-0056, 81 FR 76829, Nov. 3, 2016; Doc. No. DOT-OST-2014-0140, 84 FR 15947, Apr. 16, 2019]