This week heralds a major win for airline passengers as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg unveiled a new law on Wednesday, April 24th. This legislation requires airlines to provide proper refunds for delayed or canceled flights.
Travelers facing significant flight delays or cancellations will receive the cash refunds automatically.
How do I know if I qualify for a refund on my flight?
Another victory for frequent flyers in the United States: airlines will no longer determine what constitutes a “significant delay.” Instead, the upcoming Department of Transportation law defines it as a delay surpassing 3 hours for domestic flights and 6 hours for international flights.
Refunds will be applicable to tickets purchased through third-party channels such as travel agents or specialized websites. This ensures that even if you didn’t buy your ticket directly from the airline, you’re still entitled to compensation for flight cancellations or substantial alterations.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), all passengers will now be entitled to a refund if they opt out of alternative travel arrangements or travel credits offered as compensation.
Moreover, the refunds will cover paid services that were not delivered during the flight, such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or in-flight entertainment. Consequently, if you paid for any of these services and did not receive them, these new regulations mandate that you should receive appropriate refunds.
How do I get a refund for a delayed or canceled flight?
The Department of Transportation’s latest regulations require airlines to issue refunds within seven days, using the original payment method utilized for ticket purchase (cash, credit card, or miles), unless otherwise agreed upon by the passenger. This means that providing refunds in the form of vouchers or airline credit will be banned unless specifically requested by the passenger instead of a cash refund.
Likewise, refunds must be given for any lost baggage that fails to arrive within 12 hours of reaching the destination.
Under the newly implemented laws, airlines have a six-month period to achieve compliance. As a result, it may not be immediately clear or available for some airlines how to facilitate cash refunds at this time.
However, you can always speak to an airline representative at the gate and indicate your desire to seek a cash refund, as it is now your legal right as a traveler in the United States.
When do these new airline laws take effect?
According to the Department of Transportation, all airlines operating within the United States will be given a six-month period to adhere to the new regulations, indicating that they will be fully implemented before the year’s end!