Last December I wrote about a hopeful change in airline passengers’ rights in the United States. Unfortunately, since that time, the proposal has been squashed.
Domestically, there remains no requirement for airlines to provide compensation (or duty-of-care amenities) to passengers after a flight delay or cancellation.
The Department of Transportation only requires an airline to do one of two things during an extended flight delay or cancellation: Move the passenger to the next available flight on their own fleet. Depending on availability, this replacement flight could be hours or even days later. Or, refund the passenger’s ticket, so that they can find their own alternative transportation.
That’s the entire scope of required action by your airline if you experience a long flight delay or cancellation domestically. However, many U.S.-based airlines have independently agreed to guarantee their passengers basic duty-of-care benefits like food vouchers and hotels.
Before you set off on your holiday travels, make sure to check what your airline has agreed to do if you experience a delayed or canceled flight–and how to access those benefits. Typically, your airline’s contract of carriage, which will contain that information, can be found in the footer of its website.
