Many travelers are now learning this the hard way in the wake of the Christmas week meltdown for Southwest Airlines Co., which saw the carrier cancel nearly 16,000 flights.
Southwest has promised refunds to passengers on canceled or significantly delayed flights between December 24 and January 2, but the airline is also reimbursing additional expenses, including the cost of hotel stays or car rentals. 25,000 frequent-flyer points were also given away in a move by Southwest executives to win back passengers.
“Airline passengers have very few rights,” said Paul Hudson, president of Flyers Rights, a consumer advocacy organization. Getting the remuneration that passengers feel they deserve can come down to persistence and communicating extensively with the airline over an extended period of time.
Here’s what travelers need to know about their rights on domestic flights in the US and how to get reimbursed.
My flight was cancelled. Can I get a refund?
According to Department of Transportation regulations, airline customers are entitled to a refund if a flight is canceled or “significantly delayed” for any reason and they choose not to travel. This policy extends to non-refundable tickets. Whether passengers are entitled to a refund for the delayed flight on a case to case basis.
While airlines are required to provide refunds in these circumstances when requested, they are not prevented from offering other forms of redress in the first place. Carriers often offer a passenger the opportunity to rebook on another flight or a voucher or credit that can be used for future travel.
In these situations, customers would have to speak with an airline representative and request an “involuntary refund,” Mr. Hudson said. Not all customer-service workers will be familiar with the phrase, he cautioned, but he described it as “magic.” words” to use to get a refund quickly.
Due to flight delay, I had to stay in a hotel. Am I entitled to reimbursement?
No additional compensation is required by DOT other than refund of airfare and other charges. Even so, most airlines have policies on what they will cover.
If an aircraft has a technical problem or the flight is not properly staffed, the airline’s compensation policy will usually kick in. If a delay or cancellation is due to weather, travelers may be out of luck getting help.
The DOT maintains a dashboard that outlines what is covered under customer-service policies at the 10 largest domestic airlines in the US in cases where the cancellation or delay was within the carrier’s control. A DOT spokeswoman said in an email that each of these major airlines has put these policies in writing, making commitments that can be enforced.
My checked luggage has gone missing. What do I owe the airline?
If checked bags are delayed, lost or damaged, the airline is liable and must reimburse the passenger. For domestic flights, airlines are only required to cover up to $3,800.
In addition to being required to reimburse passengers for the value of lost or damaged items, the carrier must also compensate people for incidental expenses such as purchasing replacement clothing or medications. Airlines cannot set arbitrary daily limits for those expenses, according to the DOT, although they may require a receipt or other proof for lost valuables.
I cannot rebook with my airline. Do they require me to book on another airline?
Before the airline industry was regulated in the US in the 1970s, carriers were required to rebook passengers with other airlines where flights were canceled or delayed. “Now, it’s strictly voluntary,” Mr. Hudson said.
Some carriers have formal relationships with other airlines that allow them to rebook reservations at no additional cost, while others may purchase tickets from competitors for stranded passengers. Southwest said it bought tickets on other airlines during its downturn, and Spirit did the same during the 2021 downturn.
I was bumped from my flight by my airline. Is it allowed?
Airlines have come under criticism in recent years for overselling flights and then overselling passengers. Practice is allowed, as long as you haven’t boarded the plane. If you have already boarded, the airline may remove you from the flight for safety, security or health reasons.
If a passenger is involuntarily bumped, the carrier must provide a written statement of the flier’s rights and how the company decides who is bumped. They may be granted a refund, but they are not guaranteed additional compensation.
To be eligible for compensation, a passenger must have a confirmed reservation, checked in on time and arrived at the departure gate on time, the DOT states on its website.
If all of those conditions apply – and the airline cannot rebook the passenger on a flight that gets them to their destination within one hour of their originally scheduled arrival – compensation is calculated as the price of the original ticket, the length of the delay and whether the flight is domestic or international. Compensation ranges from $775 for a short delay to no more than $1,550 for a long delay.