Current Events in May 2019

The Justice Department’s antitrust division has recommended filing a lawsuit to block the $26.5 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, Reuters reported Wednesday. The publication notes that Justice Department officials do not appear to believe that the merger will be in the best interest of consumers.

“T-Mobile has a reputation for aggressively seeking to cut prices and improve service to woo customers away from market leaders Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc, and staff may want to preserve that dynamic,” Reuters said, citing sources familiar with the matter.

In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that the companies had apparently been told by Justice Department staff that the merger is not likely to be approved as currently structured. The Department reportedly expressed concern that the deal would negatively affect competition in the industry. It also challenged the companies’ arguments that the merger would drive down costs.

News of the DOJ’s skepticism about the proposed merger comes just a few days after the head of the FCC said he supports it on the basis that combining the two telecom companies will speed up the deployment of 5G and help close “the digital divide in rural America.”

Arguments against the merger

The Justice Department is expected to make a final decision on the merger in about a month, sources told Reuters.

While Sprint and T-Mobile contend that joining forces will create jobs, lower prices for consumers, and lead to better 5G service, lawmakers and labor groups have argued otherwise.

“T-Mobile and Sprint have led the way in offering wireless products and service options that are more appealing to lower-income consumers, including no contract plans, prepaid and no credit check plans, and unlimited, text, voice, and data plans,” eight Democratic senators said in a statement last year.

In August, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) opposed the merger, arguing that over 28,000 jobs would be lost if the companies are cleared to merge.

Chase has teamed up with Visa to help new New York transit riders get through the turnstiles and onto trains a little faster.

Commuters who have a Chase contactless Visa card will be able to get through the turnstile simply by tapping the card on the terminal, rather than waiting in line to purchase a transit card. Currently, riders scan their transit cards on the terminal in order to board a bus or train.

Visa says the new system will be more efficient. It says its survey shows more than two-thirds of transit riders have missed a train while waiting in line to purchase a transit card.

About 83 percent of people surveyed said they have had trouble getting their transit card to work at the turnstile. About two-thirds have left or forgotten funds on a transit card, at an average of $35.10 lost.

With the new system, customers will be able to tap their Chase Visa contactless cards or mobile device at the turnstile to ride the subway or bus.

Exceeds digital wallet use

Some 20 million Chase cardholders have Visa contactless credit cards, with the introduction of contactless debit cards scheduled for this summer. That will also include debit cards for Chase Secure Banking customers, a low-cost bank account that opens Chase accounts to even more New Yorkers and public transit riders.

"Customers have been quick to adopt tap to pay and we've already seen it exceeding digital wallet use for customers who have contactless cards," said Abeer Bhatia, president of Card Marketing, Pricing and Innovation at Chase. "Now they will be able to tap to pay for their daily transit needs, and experience how quick and easy it is to check out thanks to contactless cards."

The new system goes into effect in New York City on May 31, allowing transit riders to tap their cards to pay and ride at subway stations along the 4/5/6 lines between the Grand Central-42ndSt. station and the Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center station, and on all Staten Island buses. Over time, Visa and Chase say all city subway lines and bus routes will accept contactless payments.

New York’s MTA is the first municipal transit agency to adopt contactless payments using Visa's global transit framework, allowing riders to use any Visa credential – whether it be a Visa contactless card, mobile device, or wearable – to pay a fare and board a means of public transportation.

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 12,438 model year 2019 Velosters.

In certain side impact crashes, the driver's door latch housing and locking cable can become damaged, allowing the driver's side door to open, resulting in occupant ejection or increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side door latch assembly and lower channel free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin June 14, 2019.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 183.

Arctic Cat of Thief River Falls, Minn., is recalling about 1,700 Havoc recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs).

The upper front suspension arms can fail, posing a crash hazard.

The firm has received six reports of front suspension arm failures. No crashes or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves all model year 2018 and 2019 Textron Havoc recreational off-highway vehicles manufactured by Arctic Cat.

The two-seat vehicles come in four color combinations: charcoal metallic/bronze, green/black, red/black or white/black.

The vehicles have Textron Off Road printed on each side of the hood and Havoc on each side of the rear cargo box.

The ROVs, manufactured in the U.S., were sold at Textron Off Road and Arctic Cat dealers nationwide from January 2018, through April 2019, for between $13,800 and $17,000.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled vehicles and contact Arctic Cat to schedule a free repair. Arctic Cat is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact Arctic Cat at (800) 279-6851 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday or online at https://arcticcatoffroad.txtsv.com/ and click on “Product Safety Recall Information” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Coolhaus is recalling its Dairy Free Horchata Frozen Dessert Sandwiches that may contain milk, an allergen not declared on the label.

One consumer grievance has been reported to date.

The Coolhaus Dairy Free Horchata Sandwich was distributed in grocery stores nationally.

The recalled product, UPC #0085191600365, is sold in a 5.8-oz., single serve package with a “Best By” date of 06182020, 08012020, 08252020, 10082020 or 10262020.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (310) 853-8995 ext. 702 or visit online at cool.haus.

Volvo Cars of N.A., is recalling 34,006 model year 2016 XC90s.

Exposure to heat and humidity may cause the engine coolant bleeder hose to crack, resulting in a coolant leak.

If the coolant leak goes unnoticed, coolant may accumulate in the catalytic converter heat shield insulation and catch fire when the vehicle is stationary, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine side coolant bleeder hose free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin June 14, 2019.

Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R29936.

Memorial Day weekend will be here before you know it, and if you’re hitting the highways or the skyways, you won’t be alone. The American Automobile Association (AAA) expects trip-takers will have a near record-breaking 43 million others traveling right beside them, elbowing for space.

With gas prices continuing to drop, the majority of holiday travelers will stick to driving. While driving may seem like less of a hassle than air travel, travel delays are expected to be three times longer than the average rush hour. In other words, as a AAA spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs: “Pack your patience.”

“Our advice to drivers is to avoid the morning and evening commuting times or plan alternate routes,” said Trevor Reed, transportation analyst, INRIX. INRIX also suggests that travelers living in a major metropolis, such as New York City or Washington, D.C., get an extra head start because the added congestion could double or even triple the normal rush hour traffic.

Here’s a list of those metros, the worst days and hours to travel from those areas, and the predicted delay:

Up, up, and away?

AAA projects a 4.8 percent -- or 3.2 million people -- increase in Americans choosing to fly over Memorial Day weekend.

With reduction in security officers at airports, and more families traveling than single persons, the process of getting through the airport and onto the plane is going to be at a snail’s pace.

Statistics from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and compiled by The Washington Post pegged the airports with the longest delays over this holiday weekend.

The Top 10 are:

1. New York (JFK) — average delays of 62.6 minutes

2. New York (LGA) — 61.5 minutes

3. Philadelphia (PHL) — 56.7 minutes

4. Washington, D.C. (IAD) — 54 minutes

5. Fort Lauderdale (FLL) — 53.5 minutes

6. Cincinnati (CVG) — 52.1 minutes

7. Denver (DEN) — 51.8 minutes

8. Washington, D.C. (DCA) — 51.6 minutes

9. Baltimore (BWI) — 51.5 minutes

10. Austin (AUS) — 51.2 minutes

On the flip side, the airports with the shortest average delays are:

1. Seattle (SEA) — average delays of 31.7 minutes

2. Portland (PDX) — 32.8 minutes

3. Oakland (OAK) — 33 minutes

4. Atlanta (ATL) — 33.1 minutes

5. Pittsburgh (PIT) — 34.7 minutes

If you’re renting a car at the airport, your patience will get tested even further.

Hertz reported that the busiest airport pick-up locations for travelers renting a car this Memorial Day are predicted to be Orlando (MCO), Los Angeles (LAX), Denver (DEN), Las Vegas (LAS), and San Francisco (SFO). Friday, May 24, is expected to be the busiest day for rental pick-ups.

An investigative report by an independent health organization claims the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) facilitated a cover-up of 50,000 incident reports about an implantable heart device.

Kaiser Health News reports the FDA allowed Medtronic to secretly log about 50,000 malfunction reports about the Sprint Fidelis, a device consisting of wires and a defibrillator to shock the heart back into a regular rhythm. In recent years, doctors have found the device was giving out random bolts of electricity but sometimes failed to do so during a cardiac emergency.

The device was recalled 12 years ago, but by then more than 268,000 people had the device implanted in their chests. Many have chosen not to have the device removed since it would require potentially risky surgery to remove it.

When a medical device fails, a report of that failure is supposed to be recorded in an FDA database that is accessible to the public. The Kaiser report maintains that the agency secretly established an “alternative summary reporting” database that was not open to the public.

50,000 ‘secret’ reports alleged

The report claims there is a huge number of secret reports in the database but specifically points to 50,000 that it said applied to the heart device made by Medtronic.

Kaiser interviewed six leading cardiologists who said they weren’t aware the FDA had granted Medtronic the exemption for the Sprint Fidelis.

“Amazing. Really amazing,” said Dr. Robert Hauser, the Minnesota cardiologist whose research first brought the high rate of Sprint Fidelis failures to light. “It’s not in the best interest of the patients who have these devices.”

Reporting requirements

A consumer, or their doctor, may report problems with a medical device while a company making a device is required to report the issue to a special, public FDA database. But there is a loophole: you don’t have to make it public if you have an FDA exemption.

Medtronic, meanwhile, says its Independent Physician Quality Panel has been reviewing data on the device since 2007 and that the information has been periodically reported to physicians.

“Patient safety is our top priority,” Medtronic spokesman Jeffrey Trauring told Kaiser Health News.

Trauring went on to say the company operates the “most comprehensive [defibrillator] lead surveillance program in the industry.” He also said the company has provided updates to doctors with “the most reliable data.”

Qualcomm, which last month settled its long-running patent royalty dispute with Apple, has now been accused of engaging in anti-competitive tactics.

On Tuesday, U.S. Judge Lucy H. Koh filed her ruling on the Federal Trade Commission’s 2017 antitrust suit against Qualcomm and concluded that the company violated antitrust laws and charged “unreasonably high” royalties for its patents.

“Qualcomm’s licensing practices have strangled competition” in parts of the chip market and subsequently harmed “rivals, OEMs, and end consumers,” she said. “With practices that result in exclusivity and eliminate opportunities to compete for OEM business, Qualcomm undermines rivals in every facet.”

Koh ordered Qualcomm to renegotiate licensing agreements at reasonable prices and submit to monitoring for seven years to ensure fair competition.

Qualcomm plans to appeal

Qualcomm issued a statement saying it disagrees with the ruling and intends to appeal.

“We strongly disagree with the judge’s conclusions, her interpretation of the facts and her application of the law,” said Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm.

Qualcomm’s shares fell 13 percent in response to the ruling, according to CNBC.

Comcast is developing an in-home health monitoring device targeted towards at-risk individuals, including seniors and people with disabilities, CNBC reported. The device has been in the works for more than a year now, and the company is aiming to start doing pilot tests later this year.

“The device will monitor people’s basic health metrics using ambient sensors, with a focus on whether someone is making frequent trips to the bathroom or spending more time than usual in bed,” CNBC said. “Comcast is also building tools for detecting falls, which are common and potentially fatal for seniors.”

The motion-detecting device could be released commercially in 2020, sources told CNBC. The pricing hasn’t yet been confirmed.

Personality traits

Comcast’s upcoming device will have personality traits, similar to Amazon’s Alexa. However, it won’t be marketed as an assistant tool. While it won’t be able to perform web searches, the device will be able to make emergency phone calls if a user is experiencing a health event.

The telecommunications giant has also been in talks with hospitals to explore using the device to reduce patient readmissions.

The company joins other tech giants that are currently developing tools to help older consumers live independently for as long as possible. Apple has added fall detection and heart tracking features to its smartwatch, Google has expressed an interest in having its Nest and Google Home devices used in senior living facilities, and Amazon recently gave Alexa the ability to handle certain patient health information.

Worrying about cholesterol levels may not be at the forefront of young consumers’ minds, but according to a new study, it might be something worth consideration.

Researchers found that half of children and teens between the ages of six and 19 are struggling with their cholesterol levels, while a quarter of the same age group has critically high cholesterol levels.

“High cholesterol in childhood is one of the key risk factors for developing heart disease later in life,” said Dr. Marma Perak. “Although we see favorable trends in all measures of cholesterol in children and adolescents over the years, we still need to work harder to ensure that many more kids have healthy cholesterol levels.”

Knowing the numbers

The researchers were inspired by recent findings that revealed children’s and teens’ cholesterol levels had improved between 1999 and 2016, and they wanted an in-depth look at young people’s health.

They decided to monitor children between the ages of six and 19 years old to determine if their cholesterol levels were cause for concern.

To have cholesterol levels in a healthy range, the researchers broke down recommended totals:

• “Good” cholesterol: greater than 45 mg/dL

• “Bad” cholesterol:less than 110 mg/dL

• Total cholesterol: under 170 mg/dL.

In looking at the children involved in the study, just half of them were in the healthy cholesterol range, and a quarter had cholesterol levels that were considered high risk.

While high cholesterol levels for adults typically lead to prescription medications to help bring the numbers down, that is typically not the case with children, who are resilient enough to lower the numbers by incorporating healthier habits into their day-to-day routines.

“If a child is found to have borderline-high or high levels of cholesterol, we can usually improve those levels through lifestyle changes, such as healthier diet and increased physical activity,” said Dr. Perak. “Children are rarely placed on cholesterol-lowering medications like statins.”

Cholesterol levels can affect children into their adulthood. High levels can lead to other health concerns, so the researchers are pleased that many children are on the right path.

“Although more efforts are needed, the fact that cholesterol levels are moving in the right direction warrants some optimism about the future cardiovascular health of our population since cholesterol is such an important driver of cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Perak.

Obesity is cause for concern

The researchers noted that cholesterol levels among children haven’t been startling despite the rise in obesity across the country, and several recent studies have explored how obesity can affect more than just children’s weight.

One study found that children who experience obesity early in life can be affected cognitively down the road, affecting children’s memory and reasoning skills in their first two years of life and knocking down their IQ.

Schoolwide nutrition programs have been found to be effective in helping fight obesity, as children were not only served healthier meals at school, but were provided with the necessary information on how to stay healthy outside of school.

This summer, Urban Outfitters Inc. will launch a clothing rental service for its customers, the Wall Street Journal reported. The service -- called Nuuly -- will operate as a “separate entity” from the company, which also owns Anthropologie and Free People.

Shoppers who use Nuuly will be able to rent six items from the retailer for a fixed price of $88 a month. Once the month is over, customers ship the items back to the retailer in a reusable bag affixed with a prepaid postage label.

After sending back a box of clothes, customers can choose to borrow six new items for the following month. Items are laundered and inspected before being mailed to the next borrower.

Option to buy

Those who use the service also have the option of purchasing an item they want to keep from any month’s box.

“We certainly don’t think the customers are just going to stop purchasing,” David Hayne, Urban Outfitters' chief digital officer told The Journal. “Purchases make sense for things you know you’re going to use often; rental makes sense for things you would like to try.”

Hayne said in the report that he expects Nuuly to garner 50,000 subscribers within a year of its launch and to generate $50 million in annual revenue.

Urban Outfitters joins other retailers that have started renting out their clothes, piggybacking off the success of the Rent the Runway business. Earlier this year, it was reported that American Eagle was testing a clothing rental service and Ann Taylor also recently introduced a clothing rental service available for a flat monthly fee of $64.95.

Consumers’ credit behavior has improved in the decade since the start of the financial crisis, according to Experian’s annual State of Credit Report.

Researchers at the credit reporting agency circled back to compare 2018 to 2008, when the credit crisis reached a crescendo with the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Last year, consumers’ credit scores were not quite as high as they were at the start of the economic downturn, but  2018 marked the largest year-over-year increase in scores since 2008, with an average VantageScore of 680.

That suggests consumers are using credit more responsibly. The report shows consumers had about the same number of credit card accounts in 2018 as 2008, but the average balance was smaller.

Consumers had an average credit card balance of $7,101 in 2008. By last year, it had dropped to $6,506. At 18 percent interest, that saved the average consumer $107 a year.

Positive effects of the recovery

“We’re continuing to see the positive effects of economic recovery, through improved credit scores and lower delinquency rates,” said Michele Raneri, vice president of analytics and business development at Experian. “Since the recession, responsible credit card behaviors and lower debt among younger consumers are driving an upward trend in average credit scores across the nation.”

Something else may be contributing to consumers’ better credit management. Since the housing market crash a decade ago, lenders have been more responsible in screening credit applicants, which the report shows reduced consumers’ mortgage delinquency rate.

“Believe it or not, lenders didn't have to assess their customers' ability to repay in 2008,” NerdWallet home expert Holden Lewis told ConsumerAffairs. “Since then, regulations have been put in place requiring lenders to make sure consumers can actually afford their loans, which undoubtedly has helped consumers avoid foreclosures.”

At the same time, the Experian report shows consumers, on average, are carrying slightly more debt than a decade ago. The average non-mortgage debt has increased $1,175 in the last 10 years, while the average mortgage has gone from $191,357 to $208,180.

Demographic trends

The Experian researchers also noted some identifiable trends among different age groups. Consumers 72 and older got hit hard by the financial crisis and saw the biggest drop in their credit scores, even though they still have the highest average scores among all age groups.

Baby boomers have the most credit cardsb while GenXers have the highest credit card balances. Millennials experienced the second-largest jump in average credit scores since 2008, increasing 15 points to 644 from 629.

Millennial consumers also reduced their credit card balances from $5,583 in 2008 to $4,593 in 2018.

The spring homebuying season remains tepid as sales of existing homes fell again in April, following March’s decline.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports April sales were 0.4 percent lower than March. March existing home sales were down 4.9 percent from February, as buyers showed a preference for new homes.

Home sellers expecting the spring homebuying season to pick up have been disappointed so far. But Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says economic factors are still working in both buyers’ and sellers’ favor.

"First, we are seeing historically low mortgage rates combined with a pent-up demand to buy, so buyers will look to take advantage of these conditions," Yun said. "Also, job creation is improving, causing wage growth to align with home price growth, which helps affordability and will help spur more home sales."

Freddie Mac reports the average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage dipped to 4.14 percent in April from 4.27 percent in March. The average commitment rate for all of 2018 was 4.54 percent.

Home prices still going up

The slowdown in home sales that began in mid-2018 has also coincided with monthly home price increases that are beginning to put some entry-level homes out of reach for many first-time buyers. In April, the median price of all types of existing homes was $267,300, up 3.6 percent from April 2018. The median home price has now increased for 86 straight months.

Housing experts say housing inventory has been a big driver of prices ever since the pool of available homes began to decline sharply following a pick-up in sales five years ago. Lately, that trend has reversed, with inventory at the end of April increasing to 1.83 million from 1.67 million in March.

Unsold inventory is at a 4.2-month supply at the current sales pace, up from 3.8 months in March and up from 4.0 months in April 2018. Housing economists suggest a six month supply is ideal to maintain a balanced housing market.

More choices

"We see that the inventory totals have steadily improved, and will provide more choices for those looking to buy a home," Yun said.

Even so, sellers appear to be in a strong position despite the slowdown in home sales. Not only are prices still rising in most markets, but homes are selling more quickly. In April, properties stayed on the market for an average of 24 days before getting a contract, 12 fewer days than the month before.

But Yun cautions homeowners who plan to sell not to overplay their hand. He says being realistic about current market conditions and pricing the property accordingly will help homes sell at a faster pace.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 43,221 model year 2015-2017 Yaris vehicles.

The wire harnesses for the side airbag sensors located within the front doors may crack and corrode, possibly causing the non-deployment or improper deployment of the front seat side airbags and the curtain shield airbags.

Failure of airbags to deploy in the event of a crash can increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wire harness assembly in the front doors as necessary free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin June 10, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K1F/K0F.

BMW of North America is recalling 15,455 model year 2016-2017 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, MINI Hardtop 4 Door Cooper, Mini Hardtop 4 Door Cooper S, MINI Cooper Clubman, & Cooper S Clubman, model year 2017 Rolls-Royce Ghost, and model year 2016 528i vehicles.

The vehicle-sensitive locking mechanism of the seat belt Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) for the driver's seat may not lock as designed.

In the event of a crash where heavy braking is applied, the ELR may activate when the occupant is more forward in the seat, possibly increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt assembly, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin July 2, 2019.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at (800) 525-7417.

Summer is looking more and more like a motherlode for the airline industry. Airlines for America (A4A), an industry trade organization, sees a record-setting 257.4 million air travelers on the horizon between June 1 and August 31, 2019 -- up more than three percent from 2018’s summer season record.

To make sure they can meet the demand, A4A reports that airlines are adding 111,000 seats per day. As to whether fares will follow that demand, A4A predicts prices will stay low, contrary to some industry watchers who think airfares will go up.

“With airlines offering low fares and reinvesting billions of dollars in their product, there’s never been a better time to fly. This summer, U.S. airlines expect travelers to take to the skies in record numbers,” said A4A Vice President and Chief Economist John Heimlich.

“Air travel is the nation’s safest form of transportation, and it is now more affordable than ever before. U.S. carriers are making airline flights more and more accessible, so it’s no surprise that more and more Americans are flying.”

Regarding affordability, Heimlich points to the fact that inflation-adjusted airfares continue to decline, with the average domestic fare dropping to $350, including those pesky government-imposed fees and taxes. That $350 price tag is the lowest average inflation-adjusted fare since the Bureau of Transportation Statistics began tabulating fares in 1995.

Airports looking for a larger piece of the travel pie

While airlines are playing nice with the consumer’s wallet, airports are not. Some airports are angling for a tax increase on anyone who boards a plane, even going as far as asking Congress for help in upping the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), the airport tax that passengers pay every time they buy a ticket.

It’s not like airports are hurting. A4A reports that airport revenues have skyrocketed to $30 billion a year, with nearly $7 billion of that coming directly out of the traveler’s pocket.

The proposed airport tax is a thorny subject. Airlines say the $7.5 billion that airports are already sitting on is more than enough. If the PFC is doubled, a family of four will have to cough up an additional $144 for a roundtrip, one-stop domestic flight.

“Airports are flush with cash,” said A4A Senior Vice President for Legislative and Regulatory Policy Sharon Pinkerton. “They are reporting record revenues and airport construction is booming. Passengers don’t want a tax hike and airports don’t need one.”

On the other hand, airports could say that they invest some of that gravy back into consumer-centered upgrades. As an example, Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) just announced that it’s investing $3.0 to $3.5 billion on improvements, including a new 24-gate terminal for American Airlines.

Travelers could see longer lines at security checkpoints

To accommodate President Trump’s added focus on immigration, Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBPOs) are being moved from U.S. airports to the southern border. If that keeps up, the domino effect could create long lines and wait times for fliers. It could also potentially dampen the spirit of both leisure and business travelers, which, in turn, could take a bite out of the airline industry’s revenue stream.

If A4A could get its wish, both the Trump Administration and Congress would work cooperatively on finding a way to address security concerns on the southern border without negatively impacting air transportation -- especially during a travel season as big as summer is.

A4A reminds travelers that starting October 1, 2020, everyone who goes through a screening checkpoint has to show a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another form of acceptable identification, such as a valid U.S. passport. At present, there are six states -- Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Oregon, New Jersey, and Maine -- that haven’t met that requirement.

For more information, UpgradedPoints has developed a guide on everything a flier needs to know regarding REAL IDs.

In a report on Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it has confirmed an additional 41 measles cases in the U.S. The new total brings the number of cases up to 880 in 24 states, the largest number of measles cases in this country since 1994.

The CDC said the rate at which cases of measles are being diagnosed appears to be slowing, but it needs more time to see whether the trend will continue before it can determine that to be true.

All but 11 of the 41 new cases reported were concentrated in New York, the location of two other large measles outbreaks since the fall. Twenty-one new cases were confirmed in New York City, and nine were confirmed in Rockland County.

Vaccine hesitancy

Health experts have attributed the return of measles, which was believed to have been entirely eliminated from the U.S. in 2000, to the increase in parents who choose not to vaccinate their children.

"We'd previously eliminated this disease not just in the US but in the entire Western Hemisphere, and it appears that now we've profoundly and sadly turned back the clock,” Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and an adviser to the CDC on vaccines, told CNN.

Officials say that in some cases parents refuse to vaccinate their children based on false information, such as the belief that vaccines cause autism.

Lawmakers in several states, including Maine and Connecticut, are working to limit the reasons parents can opt of vaccinating their children, NBC News reports. Earlier this month, Gov. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) signed a bill prohibiting parents from citing personal or philosophical exemptions for measles vaccines for children.

The disease is preventable with a vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella (or “MMR). The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine for children. The first should be given at 12 to 15 months and the second when the child is 4 to 6 years old. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles, and one dose provides about 93 percent protection.