Attorney General William Tong led a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to strengthen consumer protections for airline passengers, criticizing a proposed rule as insufficient. The coalition called for mandatory refunds for cancellations, compensation for delays, and prohibitions on practices like upselling after cancellations, amid over 260 complaints received by Connecticut AG's office.
In-house legal teams should review customer-facing agreements with airlines, including contracts of carriage, terms of service, and refund policies. Focus on clauses governing refunds for cancellations or significant schedule changes, compensation for delays, terms for travel vouchers/credits (especially expiration), and prohibitions on post-cancellation upselling. Updates may be needed to align with potential DOT rules requiring automatic refunds, non-expiring vouchers for disease-related cancellations, and clearer definitions of 'significant change' to ensure compliance and mitigate enforcement risk.
Entity
Airlines
Also known as: Airline Industry
Industry
OtherOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2022-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-calls-for-stronger-consumer-protections-against-airline-abuses
usdot nprm final 34 ags corrected.pdf?rev=78558ab5565245ff90
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2022/usdot-nprm--final-34-ags-corrected.pdf?rev=78558ab5565245ff900efb273f0fa641&hash=F03394C8FDB0970770A1717E37BFBD8A
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of states and local governments in filing suit against NHTSA over its rule weakening fuel economy standards for new passenger cars and light trucks. The lawsuit alleges the rule violates the agency’s statutory mandate and the Administrative Procedure Act; no penalty or final remedy is reported.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a multistate coalition suing the EPA over its repeal of greenhouse gas pollution limits for power plants and separately filed a notice of intent to sue over regulation of existing gas plants. The coalition asks the court to overturn the repeal and restore the protections; the release reports no monetary penalty or final order.
$400.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a $400 million settlement with Sandoz Inc. and Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. resolving allegations that the generic drug manufacturers conspired to inflate prices, limit competition, and restrain trade. The settlement includes consumer restitution and injunctive reforms; court approval was being sought.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter opposing a DHS rule that allows certain affirmative asylum applications to be referred to removal proceedings without an asylum officer interview. The coalition argues the rule violates federal law and harms asylum seekers, including unaccompanied children; this was a policy opposition letter, not a privacy enforcement action.
Connecticut and Massachusetts co-led a coalition protest urging FERC to reject the proposed NextEra Energy-Dominion Energy merger. The coalition argued that the merger could increase market power and threaten energy affordability, reliability, and competition; the release does not report a final enforcement decision or penalty.
Connecticut officials warned residents about potential home improvement scams before an approaching nor’easter, including unlicensed contractors, high-pressure sales tactics, and demands for full payment upfront. The release provides consumer guidance on checking contractors and contract requirements; it does not announce an enforcement action or penalty against a named entity.