Your flight has been canceled or delayed: what to do and how to get compensation

In your opinion, airlines should compensate you for any inconvenience caused by flight delays or cancellations. But before you request compensation, you need to ask two key questions. The answers to these questions will determine whether you receive compensation. In what cases are passengers entitled to compensation and what is the amount? USA Today.

So, two main questions: Why was the flight canceled or delayed? If the latter, how long will the delay last?

Next, it's worth checking the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Airline Customer Service Dashboard to find out what airlines are promising to passengers affected by "controlled" cancellations or delays. These are situations within the airline's control, such as technical issues, staff shortages, or delays in aircraft cleaning or refueling.

Your rights are much more limited if the cause is beyond the airline's control, such as bad weather, grounded flights, or recent flight curtailments during the shutdown.

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What is the Flight Cancellations and Delays Dashboard?

DOT panel Flight Cancellations and Delays is a publicly available online tool that shows what U.S. airlines have committed to providing to passengers in the event of flight cancellations or delays due to reasons within their control. The tool is intuitive. A green checkmark or red cross indicates which airlines guarantee services such as free rebookings, meal or hotel vouchers, transfers, or other support measures.

The panel became operational on September 1, 2022, in response to widespread flight disruptions and passenger complaints.

What are my rights if the airline cancels my flight?

DOT regulations require the airline to offer you a refund if your flight is canceled for any reason, regardless of the ticket type, if you change your mind about flying.

If you decide to continue your trip, you can rebook on the same flight without penalty.

Additional compensation if the cancellation was within the airline's control

Some airlines (Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, United) may rebook you onto a partner airline's flight for free.

Almost all major airlines provide free hotel accommodation and roundtrip transportation for overnight flight cancellations.

Additionally, all major airlines provide a meal or meal credit if you have to wait more than 3 hours for your next flight.

Additional information can be found on the DOT dashboard. Airlines not listed on the dashboard publish their customer service commitments on their websites.

Am I entitled to compensation if my flight is delayed?

The answer depends on the circumstances and the airline.

If the delay was due to a reason beyond the airline's control, you are not entitled to anything.

If the delay is within the airline's control but is not considered significant (usually less than 3 hours), you may also not be entitled to compensation.

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Compensation is provided for significant delays within the airline's control and is typically similar to what is offered for controlled flight cancellations. This is not monetary compensation. Typically, compensation for the inconvenience is provided in the form of hotel vouchers, meals, and transfers, or a refund if you decide not to fly.

It's important to remember that even if you're not officially entitled to anything, airline customer service representatives may, at their discretion, provide meal vouchers, bonus miles, or other compensation for your inconvenience. So don't hesitate to politely inquire about this.

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