Tired Of Flight Delays In The US? You May Get Compensated By Airlines For Delays Of Three Hours Or More

(MENAFN- Live Mint) If you've flown domestic in the US in the last four years, you've likely faced at least one or two
flight delays or cancellations-or worse,
complete system outages-and found yourself footing the bill, without recourse from the airlines.

But there's potential relief
on the horizon: The Biden Administration is
working full steam ahead on a proposed rule that would require US airlines to provide compensation to passengers for controllable cancellations or delays of three hours or more. It may be
issued as early as January 2025 and is expected to be a game changer for US passengers and the US aviation industry.

“This is not radical-we are late to the game on this as a country,” says Michael Negron, special assistant to the President for economic policy at the White House, speaking at an invitation-only meeting in Washington
on Sept. 10.

This proposed compensation scheme would mean US airlines would have to pay a set cash payment amount to each passenger on a disrupted flight, in addition to compensation for meals and lodging. The exact details and amounts are still being worked out.

A similar
scheme has been in existence in the European Union for the past 20 years, which is applicable to US airlines when they operate internationally. EU rules
require
airlines to compensate travelers between $275 to $660 for controllable cancellations and extended delays, depending on the flight distance.

“When an airline cancels a flight because of mechanical or staffing issues, the passengers should receive compensation for their troubles,” says Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.), who serves on the US
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science
and Transportation.

Delay compensation rules
are already in place in other countries such as
Canada, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Brazil and China,
and
Australia is set to pass one this year, says Tomasz Pawliszyn, Chief Executive Officer
at European consumer rights group AirHelp, who has been advising the US government. If airlines were to choose to pass on the cost of these potential passenger refunds to the ticket price, it would amount to less than €1
or $1 per ticket, he adds.

Passenger complaints against US airlines have quadrupled in the last four years, reaching a record in 2023 with just more than 61,000 filed.“The complaints in 2023 increased by 29% even though passenger volume increased by only 11%-that reflects how ticked off people are when they feel like things don't go well,” says Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director at US Public Interest Research Group.

Of those complaints, 35% were for flight issues, 20% related to refunds, and 16% related to baggage. Although, she adds, overall cancellations have improved so far this year as have on-time rates.

Major US airlines have disparate rules when it comes how they handle delays. All 10 of them will rebook you on the same airline when your flight is disrupted or canceled and provide meals. Nine out of 10 will provide hotels and ground transportation, while just six will rebook you on another airline, and just three in 10 will provide a voucher. Currently none pay cash for any kind of cancellation or delay.

The Biden Administration's ultimate goal is to incentivize the airlines to provide better service. In Europe, flights have a higher on-time rate, which Negron says indicates there may be a strong correlation with the fact that the European airlines are required to compensate travelers. Last year just 1% to 2% of all travelers were compensated due to disruptions, AirHelp
data confirms.

“Where there's a clear standard, that is good for the industry and that is good for consumers because everybody understands what's required,” Negron says.“That information can lead to improved services.”

This latest
discussion on air travel delay compensation comes on the heels of a slew of regulations under the Biden Administration that have aimed to protect travelers and hold US airlines more accountable. There's the clarification of travelers' rights on FlightRights, a proposed rule to
improve air access for passengers with disabilities, the recent rule requiring airlines to provide automatic and prompt refund to passengers in the original form of payment, affirmed in the FAA Reauthorization Act, and the proposed rulemaking to impose a ban on family seating fees.

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