Magazine articles and canceled flights

I would look to the individual airline's contract of carriage or terms spelled out on their website. Here's an example from Alaska Air:

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/advisories/coronavirus?int=AS_HomePage_AdvisoryBR_HERO||2020_CV_AW||-prodID:Awareness&lid=HomePage_AdvisoryBR_HERO#help

"We are reducing our flight schedule by approximately 80% for the months of April and May. If your flight is affected by a schedule change or cancellation, we will move you to the next available flight.

If your new flight works for you, great! We'll see you onboard.

If your new flight schedule was changed by more than one hour, you have some options:

-Move to a different flight that better suits your schedule
-Cancel your trip and receive a credit for future travel
-Cancel your trip and receive a refund* to your original form of payment

*Please note: To qualify for a refund to your original form of payment, you must have an active reservation on the impacted flight. If you voluntarily canceled your trip and received a future travel credit before the flight cancellation, you are not eligible for a refund."

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2020-04/Enforcement%20Notice%20Final%20April%203%202020_0.pdf
See footnote for CRF citation. 76FR23110-01

https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/refunds

When the airline is at fault:

Passengers are often entitled to a refund of the ticket price and
associated fees when the airline is at fault.

Cancelled Flight – A passenger is entitled to a refund if the airline
cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the passenger
chooses not to be rebooked on a new flight on that airline. Schedule
Change/Significant Delay - A passenger is entitled to a refund if the
airline made a significant schedule change and/or significantly delays
a flight and the passenger chooses not to travel.

DOT Enforcement Notice:
https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-issues-enforcement-notice-clarifying-air-carrier-refund

Friday, April 3, 2020

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today issued an
Enforcement Notice clarifying, in the context of the 2019 Novel
Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, that U.S. and foreign
airlines remain obligated to provide a prompt refund to passengers for
flights to, within, or from the United States when the carrier cancels
the passenger’s scheduled flight or makes a significant schedule
change and the passenger chooses not to accept the alternative offered
by the carrier. The obligation of airlines to provide refunds,
including the ticket price and any optional fee charged for services a
passenger is unable to use, does not cease when the flight disruptions
are outside of the carrier’s control (e.g., a result of government
restrictions).

Seems pretty clear, based on what I've read before, what I'm reading here, and what I know about the law, that the Bloggers are right. A refund is required.

Thank you Agnes, for your curtious reply, but I have done just that, as I mentioned in the 3rd sentence above: "Reading their Conditions of Carriage, I think they can do pretty much whatever they choose to keep your money."

I find nothing there in the AA version that appears to be useful in my particular circumstances, but would be absolutely delighted if someone were to show me otherwise. In this case, finding I don't know what I'm talking about would be good news. :)

Edgar, thank you very much for the link. It was exactly what I was searching for. Thanx again.