Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar told Cheddar on Tuesday that Americans need cash from canceled flights to provide immediate relief, but airline executives have not responded to the call.
In a letter to 11 major airlines, nine Democratic senators, including Klobuchar, wrote "we believe your company has a moral responsibility to provide real refunds, not travel vouchers, to consumers, and to support State Department efforts to repatriate any American citizens trying to come home."
"We're waiting to hear back from them," Sen. Klobuchar said. "Obviously many of them have canceled fees and other things. Or they have proposed to give customers the ability to use it to buy another ticket in the future."
But with Congressional help, those senators think money should go back into the pockets of customers.
Klobuchar said "we think it is much more important to get the cash to the customer knowing that they're going to fly again when this is over" than to provide credits for travelers.
Last week, Congress passed a $2.2 trillion stimulus package that includes $25 billion in cash grants and $25 billion in loans to the airlines.
Her Democratic colleague Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote on Twitter "the airline industry got $25 billion to keep workers on payroll — but they're not the only ones hurting for money right now."
American Airlines said in a response that the "comprehensive travel waivers we've put in place are designed to meet the full range of our customers' needs."
Propublica national reporter Peter Elkind shares details on his investigation into how scammers stole over $1 billion using Walmart's gift cards and financial services, and how consumers can protect themselves.
Ed Siddell, CEO and Chief Investment Advisor at EGIS financial explains why election years tend to cause bull markets, the latest inflation data, and why he’s concerned about the ‘debt bubble.’
Archer Aviation founder and CEO Adam Goldstein shares big news about the aerospace company's new partnership with NASA and why they want to make your trip to the airport just five minutes long.
iFit CEO Kevin Duffy shares how the company is bringing artificial intelligence-powered workouts to consumers, plus other fitness trends to be on the lookout for in 2024.
Macy’s is rejecting a $5.8 billion takeover offer from investment firms Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital Management, saying they didn’t provide a viable financing plan. The firms offered $21 per share for the stock they don’t already own.
Sports Illustrated's employee union said in a statement that the layoffs would be a significant number and possibly all, of the NewsGuild workers represented.
