US Drops Biden Plan To Require Passenger Compensation For Delayed Flights

President Donald Trump's administration said on Friday it was formally withdrawing a plan by his predecessor to require airlines to pay passengers cash compensation when U.S. flight disruptions are caused by carriers.

In December 2024, the U.S. Transportation Department under then-President Joe Biden sought public comment on writing rules to require airlines to pay $200 to $300 for domestic delays of at least three hours and up to $775 for longer delays.

In September, USDOT first disclosed it planned to withdraw the proposal. On Friday, USDOT said the rules would result in "unnecessary regulatory burdens" in explaining why it would not go forward. Last month, a group of 18 Democratic senators urged the Trump administration not to drop the compensation plan.

"This is a common-sense proposal: when an airline’s mistake imposes unanticipated costs on families, the airline should try to remedy the situation by providing accommodations to consumers and helping cover their costs," said the letter signed by Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal, Maria Cantwell, Ed Markey and others.

Airlines in the U.S. must refund passengers for canceled flights, but are not required to compensate customers for delays. The European Union, Canada, Brazil and Britain all have airline delay compensation rules. No large U.S. airline currently guarantees cash compensation for significant flight disruption.

USDOT said Friday in abandoning the compensation plan that it would "allow airlines to compete on the services and compensation that they provide to passengers rather than imposing new minimum requirements for these services and compensation through regulation, which would impose significant costs on airlines."

USDOT also announced in September it was considering rescinding Biden regulations requiring airlines and ticket agents to disclose service fees alongside airfares. It also plans to reduce regulatory burdens on airlines and ticket agents by writing new rules detailing the definition of a flight cancellation that entitles consumers to ticket refunds, as well as revisiting rules on ticket pricing and advertising.

Airlines have pushed the Trump administration to go further and praised the action to rescind the Biden plan.

https://www.reuters.com/authors/david-shepardson/

This Tool Will Tell You Exactly How Much An Airline Owes You When Your Flight Is Canceled Or Delayed

An interactive website from the Department of Transportation helps empower travelers who face flight disruptions, so they don’t miss out on refunds they’re owed.

What you receive as compensation for a canceled flight depends on the airline. A handy tool makes the details easy to find. Photo by Shutterstock

If you’ve ever been stranded at the gate with a canceled flight and an apologetic agent, wondering if you’re entitled to more than vague promises that the airline will “make it right,” there’s a tool that can help—and fast.

In September 2022, following a summer of sweeping travel-related chaos, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) launched a website to better arm travelers with information about what they’re owed for flight cancellations and delays. Though there have been many changes across the government since the newest administration has taken office, this interactive dashboard, known as the Aviation Consumer Protection website, remains. It offers travelers a little transparency—and frankly, accountability—around how airlines handle delays and cancellations.

Here’s how to figure out what airlines owe you for delayed or canceled flights, in 20 seconds or less.

How the Aviation Consumer Protection website works

The Airline Customer Service Dashboard is available on the Department of Transportation website—though you can reach it fastest by going to FlightRights.gov, where you’ll automatically be redirected. Once there, scroll down until you see Flight Delays & Cancellations and click the icon.

The tool is meant to help travelers find easy-to-read, comparative information on what kind of refunds or compensation their airline owes them when there is a cancellation or delay, per a letter former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sent to the 10 largest U.S. airlines in mid-August 2022, before the rollout of the dashboard.

The dashboard compares all the major domestic airlines’ policies on various issues, including which airlines offer meals for delays of more than three hours and which offer to rebook flights on the same or different airlines at no additional charge. As of the time of reporting, all 10 airlines offer meal vouchers when a cancellation results in passengers waiting for three or more hours, and all airlines will rebook passengers on the same airline at no additional cost. Only Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, and United will rebook on a partner airline; Allegiant, Frontier, Southwest, and Spirit will not.

Of all the airlines, Alaska and Hawaiian offer the most generous commitments. Each grants complimentary hotel accommodations for passengers affected by an overnight cancellation, transportation to and from that hotel, and a travel voucher and/or frequent flyer miles when a cancellation results in a passenger waiting three or more hours from the scheduled departure time. For its part, Frontier offers the least—just a meal voucher and a rebooking on the same airline.

It’s worth noting that the dashboard only focuses on what it calls “controllable” cancellations or delays—meaning those caused by mechanical issues, staffing shortages, or delays in cleaning, fueling, or baggage handling. Delays or cancellations caused by weather or security concerns do not count. Still, with this information, you can be fully armed with the facts as you converse with an airline agent. No more settling for $10 to use on overpriced granola bars at an airport Hudson Book when you’re entitled to a hotel room.Why was the Aviation Consumer Protection website created? The dashboard was only recently introduced in the U.S., while in Europe, air passenger protections have been in place for years. Under EU regulations, travelers are often entitled to standardized compensation for delays, cancellations, or denied boarding—benefits that go well beyond what most U.S. airlines are currently required to offer. While the DOT’s dashboard didn’t create new legal obligations, it is a significant shift toward transparency in a country where passenger rights have long been less defined.

Why was the Aviation Consumer Protection website created?

The dashboard was only recently introduced in the U.S., while in Europe, air passenger protections have been in place for years. Under EU regulations, travelers are often entitled to standardized compensation for delays, cancellations, or denied boarding—benefits that go well beyond what most U.S. airlines are currently required to offer. While the DOT’s dashboard didn’t create new legal obligations, it is a significant shift toward transparency in a country where passenger rights have long been less defined.

The dashboard was part of an extended pressure campaign from Buttigieg, who, during his tenure in the Biden administration, publicly challenged the major carriers to improve service and transparency—particularly after a summer marred by cancellations and flight delays.

Buttigieg called the level of disruption Americans experienced that summer of 2022 “unacceptable.” He cited data for the first half of the year, noting that 24 percent of flights originating in the United States had been delayed and another 3.2 percent had been canceled. For context, during the entirety of 2022, 20.46 percent of flights were delayed by at least 15 minutes, a number that increased to 20.48 percent in 2024, according to the most recent Bureau of Transportation statistics. Canceled flights, however, dropped from 2.69 percent in 2022 to 1.36 percent in 2024, almost the lowest number in a decade, which, at the time, the DOT attributed to increased attention from regulatory bodies and a stronger emphasis on airline accountability.

The new tool, Buttigieg said in a statement in 2022, would help travelers “easily understand their rights, compare airline practices, and make informed decisions.”

Current DOT rules require domestic airlines to offer customers refunds for canceled flights. However, what customers are owed for delayed flights hasn’t always been easy to discern, even though the information is federally required to be a part of airlines’ Customer Service Plans.

“When passengers do experience cancellations and delays, they deserve clear and transparent information on the services that your airline will provide, to address the expenses and inconveniences resulting from these disruptions,” Buttigieg said.

At a minimum, the DOT asks that airlines provide meal vouchers for delays of more than three hours and lodging for passengers who have to wait overnight at an airport because of disruptions within a carrier’s control.

“Regardless of the cause of the delays or cancellations, the Department expects airlines to provide timely and responsive customer service during and after periods of flight disruptions,” Buttigieg said.

https://www.afar.com/authors/bailey-berg

US Hits JetBlue With $2 Million Penalty Over Chronic Flight Delays

The U.S. Transportation Department imposed a $2 million penalty on JetBlue Airways for operating four chronically delayed flights on domestic routes - the first time it has imposed such a fine on an airline for the prohibited scheduling practice.

USDOT said on Friday that as part of a consent agreement with the airline, JetBlue will pay a $1 million fine and the remainder will go to compensate customers affected by its chronic delays or any future disruptions within the next year.

As part of the settlement, JetBlue has agreed to provide vouchers worth a minimum of $75 for passengers for future flight cancellations or delays of three hours or more caused by the airline within the next year.

"Today's action puts the airline industry on notice that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

JetBlue, which did not admit liability, said in a statement it appreciates "how important it is to our customers to arrive to their destinations on-time and work very hard to operate our flights as scheduled."

It criticized USDOT for a persistent lack of adequate air traffic control staffing. "We believe accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the U.S. government, which operates our nation’s air traffic control system," the airline said.

USDOT said at various points in 2022 and 2023 JetBlue operated chronically delayed flights between New York and Raleigh-Durham, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando along with a flight between Fort Lauderdale and Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

"Regardless of the cause of the delay (carrier, weather, national airspace, security) for any specific flight, JetBlue had adequate time to act to avoid the chronic delays," USDOT said.

The airline said it spent tens of millions of dollars to address issues with air traffic control especially in the U.S. Northeast corridor to as much as reasonably possible prevent any chronic delays and made significant improvements last year in cutting travel disruptions.

https://www.reuters.com/authors/david-shepardson/

Travelore News: House Signs Off On FAA Bill That Addresses Aircraft Safety And The Refund Rights Of Passengers

Congress gave final approval Wednesday to a $105 billion bill designed to increase the number of air traffic controllers, add more safety inspectors at aircraft factories, and require airlines to automatically pay refunds to travelers whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed.

The House passed the measure to reauthorize Federal Aviation Administration programs by a 387-26 margin and sent it to President Joe Biden. The Senate passed the measure last week.

Supporters called the provisions of the legislation a key step in improving aviation safety after a number of close calls between planes at U.S. airports in the last two years.

“This bill recognizes while our aviation system is safe, we have to continue raising the bar for safety,” said Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., chairman of the House Transportation Committee, which produced the first version of the legislation 10 months ago.

The Republicans and Democrats who lead the key aviation committees in the House and Senate negotiated over the bill’s final shape last month, then fought off amendments that might have slowed the measure’s passage.

One of the most contentious issues turned out to be the addition of 10 long-haul flights a day to and from Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C. Lawmakers from Virginia and Maryland tried to kill the provision.

Rep. Donald Beyer, D-Va., said the extra flights would “aggravate dangerous conditions” and cause more flight delays at the busy airport across the Potomac River from the nation’s capital. But lawmakers from Western states, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, fought for the flights, as did Delta Air Lines.

The final version of the law authorizing FAA and National Transportation Safety Board programs for the next five years checked in at more than 1,000 pages. Congress has been critical of the FAA since it approved Boeing 737 Max jets that were involved in two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.The bill’s major provisions include directing the FAA to hire more air traffic controllers and safety inspectors, to increase the use of collision-avoidance technology at airports and to improve access for passengers with disabilities.

It also bans airlines from charging fees to let families sit together and requires them to issue automatic refunds when flights are canceled or delayed for several hours.

Airlines are suing the Biden administration to block a new Transportation Department rule on the automatic refunds, and inclusion of the provision in law could help the administration’s legal case. Graves said the issue could lead to higher fares or result in refunds to travelers who would prefer being booked on another flight, but it didn’t prevent him from supporting the bill.
BY DAVID KOENIG

AirHelp Finds United States Airlines Wrongfully Reject More Than 25% Of Their Passengers' Compensation Claims

AirHelp, the world's leading air passenger rights company, released the results of a new study¹ showing that United States airlines wrongfully reject more than 25% of compensation claims, indicating that more than one in five travelers are being denied up to $700 they are owed by Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines following flight disruptions.

Each year, more and more travelers flying out of the U.S. are eligible to claim compensation under European law EC 261 which covers travelers on European flights. AirHelp found more than 25% of valid claims filed against U.S. airlines for disrupted flights in 2016, 2017 and 2018 were turned away on wrongful grounds by airlines trying to avoid their obligation to travelers.

The travel experience is continuously getting worse due to overtourism. In the U.S., 407,000 travelers are eligible to claim compensation under EC 261 following flight delays and cancellations experienced last year, up from 370,000 the previous year. During the first three months of 2019, more than 75,000 passengers experienced disruptions due to the fault of the airlines that have made them eligible for compensation.

This trend is a small part of the larger issue of airlines mistreating passengers. In a survey of travelers, AirHelp found 75% of U.S. travelers feel uninformed about their air passenger rights, and less than 25% of travelers who were on a disrupted flight actually file a claim, despite airlines being required by law to inform passengers of their rights.

How the U.S. Airlines Stack Up

Of the U.S. airlines, Delta Air Lines wrongfully rejects the most claims at a rate of one in three. United Airlines wrongfully rejects nearly one in four claims, and American Airlines rejects one in every five. According to AirHelp Score, an annual ranking of global airlines and airports, U.S. airlines' unsurprisingly perform poorly, with each major carrier earning less than seven out of 10 for quality of service.

The most popular U.S. airlines ranked on wrongfully rejected claims rate

United States ranking	Global ranking for wrongfully rejected claims rate	Airline	Wrongfully rejected claim rate
1	32	Delta Air Lines	32%
2	42	United Airlines	23%
3	44	American Airlines	22%

Data from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018

"The bleak picture in the U.S. is just the tip of the iceberg. The volume of legitimate passenger claims being wrongfully rejected by airlines is appalling. Flight delays and cancellations are increasingly heaping chaos on passengers, and travelers are forced to fight airlines for compensation they're rightfully owed," says Henrik Zillmer, CEO of AirHelp. "It's all very well for airlines to say they will compensate passengers who make their claim directly. The reality is that thousands of passengers are continuing to face an impossible struggle to claim the money they're entitled to. If they are embroiled in a legal battle with an airline, passengers may face costs to hire a lawyer to push through their claim, which can make fighting for compensation virtually impossible."

U.S. Passenger Rights

U.S. passengers are protected under EC 261 for flights to the EU on an EU airline, and any flight departing from the EU. Cancelled flights, delays of more than three hours, and incidents of denied boarding are covered under EC 261, as long as the disruption was not caused by extraordinary circumstances such as weather, sabotage or political unrest. Eligible passengers may be entitled to financial compensation of up to $700 per person, and can file claims up to three years after the incident occurs.

Travelers have fewer protections on domestic U.S. flights, but can claim up to $1,350 in compensation for denied boarding due to overbooking, depending on the value of the ticket fare and ultimate delay in arrival to their final destination

Passengers can check their eligibility at the airport or on-the-go, and make a claim in a matter of minutes on www.airhelp.com/en.

About AirHelp

AirHelp is the world's largest organization specializing in air passenger rights, helping travellers get compensation for delayed or cancelled flights and in instances of denied boarding. The company also takes legal and political action to support the growth and enforcement of air passenger rights worldwide. AirHelp has aided more than 10 million people, is available in 30 countries and has more than 600 employees.

¹AirHelp analysed hundreds of thousands of its own claims submitted to the 46 biggest airlines globally from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018.

*Unless otherwise stated, all data is provided by SurveyMonkey. 2,062 respondents participated in this survey, which took place in February 2018. The results are representative of air travelers (ages 18 and older) in the United States.

United Airlines Is Making These 10 Customer-Service Policy Changes

Ben Mutzabaugh , USA TODAY

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United Airlines is making 10 changes to ensure they they “always put the customer first”. Josh King has the story (@abridgetoland). Buzz60

United Airlines on Thursday revealed its "Review and Action Report" recapping the April 9 incident aboard United Express Flight 3411. The report, which was promised by United CEO Oscar Munoz in the days following the incident, includes both a review of what led up to the incident and recommendations "to prevent a terrible event like this from happening again."

Included in the report are 10 new or updated customer service policies meant to prevent episodes like the one that occurred on Flight 3411. Here are those changes, in United's words, as spelled out in the company's Flight 3411 "Review and Action Report."

MAIN STORY: United pledges new protections for fliers in wake of passenger-dragging incident

1. United will limit use of law enforcement to safety and security issues only.

United will not ask law enforcement officers to remove customers from flights unless it is a matter of safety and security. United implemented this policy on April 12.

2. United will not require customers seated on the plane to give up their seat involuntarily unless safety or security is at risk.

United implemented this policy on April 27.

3. United will increase customer compensation incentives for voluntary denied boarding up to $10,000.

United policy will be revised to increase the compensation levels up to $10,000 per customers willing to volunteer to take a later flight. This will go into effect on April 28.

4. United will establish a customer solutions team to provide agents with creative solutions

United will create a team to proactively identify and provide gate agents with creative solutions such as using nearby airports, other airlines or ground transportation to get customers and crews to their final destinations. United expects the team to be operational by June. Examples include:

- Suggest flights to close-by airports and then provide transportation to the customer's preferred destination.

- If a customer's travel includes a connecting flight, provide options that would eliminate the connection and still get the customer to the destination.

- Offer ground transportation where practical.

5. United will ensure crews are booked onto a flight at least 60 minutes prior to departure

Unless there are open seats, all crew members traveling for work on our aircraft must be booked at least 60 minutes before departure. This policy was implemented on April 14.

TODAY IN THE SKY: United: Too early to say if bookings hurt by passenger-dragging incident

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The fleet and hubs of United Airlines

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A United Airlines Boeing 787-8 taxies for departure at Denver International Airport in July 2013.  Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, special for USA TODAY

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The fleet and hubs of United Airlines

6. United will provide employees with additional annual training.

United will provide annual training for frontline employees to enhance their skills on an ongoing basis that will equip them to handle the most difficult of situations. This training will begin in August.

7. United will create an automated system for soliciting volunteers to change travel plans.

Later this year, United will introduce a new automated check-in process, both at the airport and via United app, that will gauge a customer's interest in giving up his or her seat on overbooked flights in exchange for compensation. If selected, that customer will receive the requested compensation and be booked on a later United flight.

8. United will reduce the amount of overbooking.

United has evaluated its overbooking policy. As a result, adjustments have been made to reduce overbookings on flights that historically have experienced lower volunteer rates, particularly flights on smaller aircraft and the last flight of the day to a particular destination.

9. United will empower employees to resolve customer service issues in the moment.

Rolling out later this year, United will launch a new "in the moment" app for our employees to handle customer issues. This will enable flight attendants (by July) and gate agents (later this year) to compensate customers proactively (with mileage, credit for future flights or other forms of compensation) when a disservice occurs.

10. United will eliminate the red tape on permanently lost bags.

United will adopt a new no-questions-asked policy on permanently lost bags. In these instances, United will pay a customer $1,500 for the value of the bag and its contents. For claims or reimbursement over $1,500, additional documentation may be required. This process is expected to be in place in June.