CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Good news for airline travelers. On Wednesday, the Department of Transportation rolled out new rules.
The rules will require all airlines to automatically give cash refunds to passengers for canceled or significantly delayed flights. This is instead of a voucher to use at a later time.
Here are a few examples of the upcoming changes:
- Airlines can no longer decide how long a delay must be before a refund is issued
- The rule covers a delay of more than three hours for a domestic flight
- The rule covers a delay of more than three hours for an international flight
- Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight or 15-30 hours of their international flight
- You can also get a partial cash refund for extra services that are not provided, such as WIFI, seat selection, or inflight entertainment
Airlines have six months to comply with the changes. Travelers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport told WCNC Charlotte's Austin Walker they are excited about the change.
Everyone has a story to tell and sometimes they end in a tragedy. Jasmine Moore, a traveler, walked WCNC Charlotte through her trip home with some extra chapters she didn't anticipate.
“I have severe anxiety," Moore said. "I’m in the bathroom having a panic attack and I had no way home. My flight was canceled that Sunday. They don’t have a flight to Indiana until Thursday. That's four days. They told me there was nothing they could do for me, they didn’t give me a voucher, a refund, not a voucher, an Uber, a bag of chips, nothing.”
Nathan Alexander shared his similar Grimm tale.
"My connecting flight was canceled and I had to wait two days," Alexander said. "Stuck in Charlotte. I had to find a hotel and I went to the desk, and they only gave me a $100 voucher. This is not enough money. Hotels are $500 the night of."
So while horror stories like these are common and we can't go back and rewrite an ending, the new rules could set up a better plot for the next trip.
Airlines for America, A4A, sent WCNC Charlotte the following statement in response to the change:
"Setting the record straight:
- Survey after survey shows that airline customer satisfaction is at an all-time high
- Air travel is at an all-time high
- DOT data shows that airfares are at an all-time low (adjusted for inflation)
- Nearly 90% of Americans have flown
This is all driven by robust interbrand competition which gives consumers the power of choice anytime they fly – from picking the airfare that best fits their needs to selecting the right seat and more.
Unnecessary regulatory rules issued without collaboration will lead to three things: confusion for consumers, a reduction in choice and a decline in competition which historically drives up prices. Very simply put, a one-size-fits-all approach is anti-competitive and anti-consumer.
The White House Competition Council has said that a “lack of competition drives up prices for consumers and drives down wages for workers.” We are working every day to continue offering historically low airfares and historically high wages to the 800,000 men and women who work in the U.S. airline industry. In contrast, the Administration is making air travel more expensive for all Americans, including those who can least afford any kind of increase.
Unfortunately, the FAA is short nearly 3,000 certified professional controllers. We encourage the DOT to focus on hiring and training initiatives that are desperately needed to help get qualified, trained controllers into the towers, especially amid record travel."
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.