A huge win for airline travelers this week comes in the form of a new law that was just announced by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Wednesday, April 24th, which will require airlines to provide proper refunds for delayed or canceled flights.
The cash refunds in question will automatically be granted to passengers who experience significantly delayed or canceled flights.
How to know if you qualify for a refund on your flight
Another win for America’s frequent flyers, the definition of a “significant delay” is no longer being determined by the airlines themselves.
Now, the upcoming law from the Department of Transportation defines it as a 3+ hour delay for domestic flights and a 6+ hour delay for international flights.
Refunds will also cover tickets purchased via third parties, such as travel agents or specialized websites, so even if you haven’t purchased your ticket directly through the airlines, you are still entitled to compensation for a flight that has been canceled or significantly altered.
According to the DOT, all passengers will now be legally entitled to a refund if, at first, they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits as compensation.
Additionally, the refunds will include paid services that were not granted during the flight, such as Wif-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment, so if you opted for any of these services and did not receive them, these new rules require that you be properly refunded.
How to get your refund for a delayed or canceled flight
The Department of Transportation’s new rules dictate that all airlines must issue a refund within seven days using the same payment method used to purchase the tickets (cash, credit card, or miles) unless otherwise agreed upon by the passenger, which means that refunds in the form of vouchers or airline credit will be illegal unless the passenger intentionally opts for it over the refund.
Likewise, refunds must be given for any bags that have been lost and are not delivered within 12 hours of arrival at your destination.
As the new laws are just now being implemented, airlines have six months to comply, which means that it may not be immediately available or clear for certain airlines how to receive your cash refunds at this time.
However, you can always approach an airline official at the gate and inform them of your intent to claim a cash refund as it is now your legal right as a flyer in the United States.
When do these new airline laws take effect?
The Department of Transportation stated that all airlines operating in the United States will have six months to comply with the new rules, which means that they will be in full effect before the end of the year!