Stranded airline passengers can now get compensated, DOT says

The Department of Transportation announced plans to launch a new rulemaking that will require airlines to compensate stranded passengers. 

Compensation comes in the form of meals, hotels, and rebooking when the airlines are responsible for stranding passengers. 

“When an airline causes a flight cancellation or delay, passengers should not foot the bill,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This rule would, for the first time in U.S. history, propose to require airlines to compensate passengers and cover expenses such as meals, hotels, and rebooking in cases where the airline has caused a cancellation or significant delay.”  

 The prerequisites:

• Cash compensation when cancellation or delay results in passenger waiting 3 hours or more from the scheduled departure time;
• Travel credit/voucher when cancellation or delay results in passenger waiting for 3 hours or more for scheduled departure time; and
• Frequent flyer miles when cancellation or delay results in passenger waiting for 3 hours or more for a flight from the scheduled departure time.