
Airline passenger rights: Things to know when flights are canceled, delayed ► Can I get a refund if my flight is canceled?Īirlines are required by the DOT to offer a refund when they cancel a flight. Spirit's is 54 pages.Ī display board showing mostly canceled flights at Denver International Airport on March 13, 2021. Others, like hotel and meal vouchers and expense reimbursement, are up to individual airline policies spelled out in dozens of pages of legalese known as a contract of carriage. Some rules, like those covering refunds for cancellations and significant flight delays by the airline, are dictated by the U.S. There is a disconnect between what passengers think they are owed and what airlines owe them when flights plans go haywire thanks to a patchwork of federal regulations and airline policies. ►Come explore with us: Subscribe to our Travel newsletter ►'There's always some amount of uncertainty or risk': How travel insurance could protect your next trip The biggest gripes: lack of meal vouchers or hotel accommodations, a runaround for refunds and no compensation for expenses caused by a lost vacation day or workday. What's a stranded traveler to do? Know your rights and alternatives and persistently pursue them, including taking airlines to task on social media.Īirlines are assailed with complaints on social media every time there is a spike in flight cancellations and delays, and every time, too many passengers are left bewildered, unsatisfied or even fuming at airlines' responses. Add in wintry weather, and it's easy for travel plans to go awry.

The in-flight showings of "Elf'' and "Home Alone'' are a nice touch during a flight, and the "Love Actually"-like reunions at airports are always sweet to watch.īut ask most travelers to describe flying during the holidays and they paint a picture more stressful than joyous: snaking lines at check-in, security and even at Starbucks a scramble for chairs and power outlets at the gate and annoying passengers who won't keep their masks on or watch movies without headphones.Īnd then there's the ultimate stressor: flight delays or cancellations, a common occurrence in this year of airline meltdowns.
