Which makes me return to the thorny subject of United Airlines.

After the government bailed out airlines with around $58 billion of taxpayer money, there was something warming about receiving an email from United Airlines' CEO Oscar Munoz.

Too often, it seems large companies stand first in line to collect free government money without even a nod toward whose money it really is.

You see, at the time Munoz sent this email, United was refusing to refund passengers for flights the airline canceled, unless the airline no longer flew to that destination. It was offering only travel vouchers or rebooking.

After all, some of these passengers may suddenly need that refund money desperately.

Moreover, many believe United should refund that money by law.

Yet here was United saying "thanks for the free money, but we're still keeping the money you gave us for flights we canceled, just to boost our cash reserves."?

A week after the Munoz email, the Department of Transportation declared that yes, airlines should be offering refunds for flights they cancel?

Eligible travelers on domestic flights - and now customers with international tickets - can request a refund on United.com or may call our contact centers if their flights have been severely adjusted or service to their destination suspended either due to government mandates or United schedule reductions related to COVID-19.