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
$500K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced settlements with SunRun, Inc., Elevate Solar Solutions, and two salespeople over allegations of deceptive solar sales, including impersonating consumers and locking homeowners into long-term contracts without consent. SunRun must pay $300,000 and provide consumer relief; Elevate and the salespeople face a stated $200,000 penalty, with $100,000 suspended subject to ongoing compliance.
$8.0M
Connecticut announced an $8 million settlement with Mylan over allegations that it used agreements to delay generic EpiPen competitors and took other actions that inflated prices. Mylan also agreed to provide 10,000 free EpiPens; the release states that Mylan denies wrongdoing.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief challenging DHS’s policy and practice of conducting warrantless civil immigration arrests. The press release describes a court challenge, not a privacy enforcement action or monetary penalty.
$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.