Receiving compensation for flight delays The following are some examples of how to get started: cancellations in the US has long been a major pain point for travelers—especially those accustomed to the legal protections granted to airline passengers in Europe and Canada.
Under Biden’s administration, the Department of Transportation made it a priority. The DOT has now officially abandoned a federal program that would have eased the financial burden for passengers of long flight delays in the US.
The plan was first introduced in 2023 during the Biden administration proposed a new rule This would require US Airlines to compensate passengers for flight cancellations or delays of three hours or longer due to problems within their control. On September 5, Trump’s DOT officially scrapped The proposal.
If the proposed regulation was implemented, affected passengers would have received between $200 to $775 as extra monetary compensation in case of flight disruptions due to problems like airline short-staffingMechanical problems with aircraft or the increasingly common computer system meltdown. The law would also require the airlines to cover any extra costs incurred by passengers during disruptions. This includes meals, hotel rooms, and additional transportation.
These compensation policies are not uncommon in other countries, particularly in Europe. EU 261 regulation All airlines operating in the European Union are required to pay similar compensation to passengers who arrive late, as well as covering additional costs.
Many US airlines offer meals, hotel rooms, and transportation to travelers on a voluntary base during long delays or cancellations. Without the proposed rule, airlines can stop providing these services at any time. In fact several US carriers started covering those additional expenses after the Biden government urged them to In 2022,
Buttigieg claimed that the DOT, which proposed the rule and was responsible for its creation, is “starting” to undermine the protections provided by the Biden administration. Buttigieg: “We only learned last week they were eliminating a rule we implemented to compensate you in the case of extreme delays.” said on X. “They filed documents showing they might get rid or weaken some other rules.”
What impact will it have on travelers?
Brett Snyder is the president of a travel assistance company. He says that for now, US travellers won’t notice any immediate changes due to the proposal scrapped. Cranky Concierge. Airline passengers are “never compensated” [with cash payments] Snyder says that this is a way to maintain the status quo. Condé Nast Traveler. In theory, if the previous plan had been implemented, people would have received compensation for delays. However, it is possible that ticket prices may have increased to cover these costs.
If your flight is canceledUS airlines will still be required to give you automatic cash refunds in the event that you do not accept a voucher for a flight or decide to rebook on another flight. This policy remains unchanged and is a federal law.
