Congress is considering bipartisan legislation, the ACPAC Modernization Act (H.R. 5663), that would give ticket agents a formal voice in the Department of Transportation’s consumer protection advisory committee.
The bill adds a “ticket agent” representative to the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC), which currently includes only an airline, an airport, a state or local official, and a consumer advocate. Despite ticket agents’ key role in helping travelers find, compare, and manage flight bookings, they’ve been excluded from ACPAC since it was created in 2012.
Adding ticket agent representation will ensure DOT receives balanced, expert input on refunds, transparency, and technology issues affecting more than 800 million air travelers each year.
Background
Ticket agents, including Online Travel Agencies, metasearch engines, Global Distribution Systems, and Travel Management Companies, facilitate nearly 40% of all airline ticket sales in the U.S. They help travelers compare fares, understand fees, and secure refunds when flights are disrupted.
Yet, when Congress established ACPAC under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, ticket agents were left out. That omission limits ACPAC’s ability to provide comprehensive advice to the DOT on key issues like refund delays, fee transparency, and digital booking tools.
The ACPAC Modernization Act (H.R. 5663), introduced by Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), fixes that. By adding a permanent “ticket agent” seat, it ensures that travelers’ online experiences are represented alongside airlines, airports, and consumers.
This simple, bipartisan fix will:
Congress is considering bipartisan legislation, the Flight Refund Fairness Act (H.R. 5556), to close a gap in refund rules that has delayed travelers’ refunds and unfairly burdened ticket agents.
Today, ticket agents are legally required by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue prompt refunds to passengers for canceled or significantly delayed flights. Yet airlines face no parallel deadline to return the customers’ funds to ticket agents. This imbalance leaves agents responsible for refunding customers before receiving reimbursement from the airlines, creating delays and unnecessary financial strain.
The Flight Refund Fairness Act, introduced by Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) with bipartisan co-sponsors, would fix this by requiring airlines to reimburse ticket agents within the same timelines that apply to consumer refunds.
Background
Under DOT rules, when a flight is canceled, significantly delayed, or materially changed, passengers are entitled to a prompt refund. Ticket agents, including Online Travel Agencies, Global Distribution Systems, metasearch engines, and Travel Management Companies, play a central role in ensuring those refunds reach consumers quickly.
However, existing regulations impose firm refund deadlines on ticket agents but not on airlines. Agents must refund travelers within seven business days for credit card purchases or within 20 days for other forms of payment, yet airlines face no corresponding requirement to return those funds to agents. As a result, agents are often required to issue refunds before receiving reimbursement from the airlines, creating an uneven financial and operational burden.
The Flight Refund Fairness Act would correct this imbalance by establishing reciprocal refund timelines for airlines and agents, ensuring both are accountable under the same clear standards.
The Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act of 2025 (S.1218) is a bipartisan bill that would provide targeted federal support to help cities and surrounding areas manage the sharp increase in travel activity expected during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Travel Tech supports this bill because global events of this scale create extraordinary pressures on travel flows, affecting airport operations, ground transportation, and the overall traveler experience. S.1218 provides much-needed assistance to ensure host cities can keep travelers and residents
moving safely and efficiently.
S.1218, led by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), would help support U.S. cities preparing to welcome millions of domestic and international travelers during two of the world’s most high-profile sporting events. Eligible host cities include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle.
These events will significantly increase travel demand across regions, spiking activity at airports, hotels, stadiums, fan zones, and key transit corridors. Without federal assistance, local officials will face major challenges coordinating travel flows, managing visitor volumes, and minimizing congestion across multiple modes of transportation.
S.1218 will help ensure:
Travel Tech believes this bill is essential to keeping travelers, and the travel economy, moving during these global events.
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