It’s hard to pick a side in a fight between airlines and credit card companies; neither is particularly popular these days. One thing is certain, though. A pending bill in Congress that purports to protect consumers actually has little to do with travelers. Washington should not limit the options available to ticket buyers who find themselves stranded when an airline goes belly-up.

The bill would extend for one more year a three-year-old requirement that airlines honor tickets from another airline that shuts down. The airlines may charge a nominal fee – up to $25 each way – and can make travelers fly what amounts to standby, but they must get them to their destinations.

That might sound good for consumers, but the provision really undercuts consumer choice. By putting the onus on airlines, it prevents travelers from seeking a refund through their credit card companies. Many travelers in that situation, we suspect and credit card companies fear, would rather just get their money back and book new flights rather than face the vagaries of flying standby. The bill would leave travelers only one way to proceed.

What is really going on here is that National City Corp., which processes credit card purchases for U.S. Airways, is worried that the airline will go bankrupt in the next year. National City, it turns out, only has one year left on its deal with U.S. Airways, and then can end its exposure. It’s too bad that National City might have made a bad business deal, but it is not the government’s job to protect the company from losses that might result from it, particularly at the expense of consumers.

In the meantime, air travelers should be careful whose tickets they buy. Cheap fares are tempting, but if an airline looks like it might not be in business when the day of the flight arrives, a few dollars saved upfront could end up costing much more in travel headaches.