TIME is money, and a new airline rule to be introduced this month is cracking down on the stressful cost of flight delays. Travelers will soon be able to get refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights and luggage. In April, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a final rule requiring airlines to provide cash refunds to passengers for "significant changes" to their flights.
The rule, part of the Biden - Harris administration's crackdown on junk fees, will go into effect on June 25. “Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said Pete Buttigieg, the U.S.
Transportation Secretary. Unexpected delays that qualify under the "significant changes" guideline include departure or arrival times that are more than three hours from the original itinerary for domestic flights or more than six hours for international flights. Additional changes that qualify for a refund are departures or arrivals from a different airport, increases in the number of connections, and instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class.
The final rule also includes protections for those with disabilities, and those who have been downgraded to a connection at a different airport or a flight on a less accessible plane are entitled to refunds. Currently, what applies as a significant change for a refund is up to each airline's discretion. Airlines will still be allowed to offer a different flight or a travel credit as co.
