By David Wetzel New York (Knewz) — The U.S. Department of Transportation announced a proposed rule on Aug. 3 that would “significantly” strengthen protections for those seeking refunds of airline tickets. In a news release, the DOT noted that it has received many air travel service complaints from consumers with non-refundable airline tickets who did not travel because airlines canceled or altered their flights. Some also chose not to fly because of pandemic-related reasons and health concerns. “When Americans buy an airline ticket, they should get to their destination safely, reliably, and af…