Compensation for flight delays and cancellations (2024)

FAQs

What do airlines owe you for delays and cancellations? ›

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) airlines in the U.S. are not required to compensate passengers if a flight is delayed or canceled, it only requires compensation if you are moved or bumped from an overbooked flight.

Airlines must provide compensation for the inconvenience of flight cancellations and flight delays of 3 hours or more and if the disruption is within their control and not related to safety, and if the airline notified you of the disruption 14 days or less in advance.

You're legally entitled to get compensation if the cancellation is the airline's responsibility and both the following apply: the replacement flight delays your arrival by 2 or more hours. your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure.

If the ADR body or CAA cannot help with your claim, or you wish to pursue a different course of action, you could take your airline to court.

If your flight gets cancelled by the airline, you are entitled to receive either a full ticket refund or a new flight. If the flight is cancelled after you have already arrived at the airport, you are also entitled to care.

Delayed flights: you may be able to claim compensation if your flight arrived 3 hours or more late. Canceled flights: you may be eligible for compensation if your flight was canceled less than 14 days before it was due to depart.

In addition, every airline except Frontier is committed to complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation. Otherwise, here's what you can expect from different carriers for a "controllable cancellation," per the U.S. Department of Transportation website. Yes.

The new airline rules will require automatic cash refunds when flights are canceled or significantly changed, checked bags are significantly delayed, or extra services purchased are not provided. The refunds must be automatic, prompt, cash or original form of payment, and full amount.

These new DOT rules clearly establish what constitutes a significant delay. For a domestic flight, it's three hours. For an international flight, it's six hours. The new rules also require the airlines to tell you if you're eligible for a refund – instead of you having to jump through hoops.

How to get full refund on flight cancellation? ›

However, in case you cancel your flight reservation before 24 hours, then you're eligible to receive the refunds on time. But still, you're liable to pay a lump sum amount of cancellation and convenience fees as mentioned by the airlines.

If you find yourself arriving at your destination over 3 hours later than scheduled, it is advisable to check if you are entitled to Delta Airlines flight delay compensation, which can amount to up to $650 per person. Making a claim for Delta Airlines flight delays has been streamlined for your convenience.

When you first contact your airline, aim to set out your case clearly and concisely. Explain what happened and when, and why you feel you are entitled to receive a payment. Send your claim to the airline's customer relations department. You can escalate your complaint if you don't get the result you hoped for.

Delayed and Canceled Flights

The DOT does not require the airline to offer compensation, but it doesn't hurt to ask. With no federal compensation requirement for delayed passengers, refer to the policies of the operating airline to determine what compensation the airline will offer.

According to the DOT, airlines are not required to provide money or other compensation when flights get delayed, regardless of how late they are. However, when a “significant delay” takes place, passengers may receive refunds for seat selection fees or checked baggage fees.

Claiming Compensation for Flight Delays and Cancellations

Delayed flights: you may be able to claim compensation if your flight arrived 3 hours or more late. Canceled flights: you may be eligible for compensation if your flight was canceled less than 14 days before it was due to depart.

For trips within the U.S., if your flight is canceled for any reason—weather, mechanical problems, air traffic control, staffing issues, computer glitches, volcanic eruptions, whatever—the airline is required by federal regulation to provide a full refund.

If your flight has been delayed for 2 hours or more, you are entitled to free-of-charge meals or refreshments, depending on the duration of your wait. If your domestic flight has kept you waiting for over 6 hours, the airline must communicate a reschedule time more than 24 hours before the original scheduled departure.