The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced new aviation rules designed to protect airline passengers from costly fees and delays. Under the new federal laws, flyers who are forced onto a significantly delayed plane domestically for at least three hours or internationally for six will be entitled to an automatic cash refund if they do not accept alternative compensation offered by carriers. However, it is unclear whether all types of delay will fall under these rules.
Commercial pilot Kathleen Bangs has expressed doubts that the weather policy would change in light of the new rule announcement made earlier this week. She stated: “In other words, when there’s major impacts like we saw with COVID-19 or when there’s severe and dangerous weather – when we’ve seen blizzards and ice storms – which shuts down airports, when there are security issues; the airlines aren’t on the hook.”
The DOT stated that new passenger protection measures will come into force six months after they appear in the Federal Register. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg explained that while many passengers experience difficulties securing refunds following cancellations and delays, the existing system was intended to ensure these people receive cash compensation when flights are called off or delayed substantially. However, airlines had reportedly objected strongly against proposals made last year concerning changes to their flight-delay rules as well as penalties imposed by passengers if carriers did not honour refund requests for cancelled services.
The DOT’s new consumer protections include prompt cash compensation worth $7 per passenger in air miles, vouchers or credits after seven working days (20 calendar days) have passed following a payment via card or any other non-cash forms of transport being provided instead – an upgrade on current measures where some carriers may only offer alternative flights to affected passengers.
Buttigieg also stated that the new rules would help ensure all, rather than just a few passengers whose flight has been cancelled receive refunds from their airline as this will encourage operators to invest more in realistic scheduling and minimise cancellations moving forward – which could have an overall positive effect on passenger service.
Passengers are encouraged by DOT officials to check the Airline Cancellation and Delay dashboard for information about compensation offered by airlines following delays or cancelations, with some examples provided such as all major US carriers providing food vouchers if delayed flights lead to waits of three hours before new planes can be found.
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