Snow and ice storms shut down a good amount of air travel in the South last week. We know that many of you missed flights, or were subject to excessive delays, so we here at Texan Insurance thought that now would be a good time to make sure that you know your flight rights.
Customer Service Plans
Delays happen every day, but do you know what to do, or what you are entitled to, should the wait become extreme?
Federal regulations require that all domestic airlines and foreign carriers flying into the US file a “Customer Service Plan” that describes the airline’s promises in the event of a long line of circumstances. That includes delays, cancelations and diversion events.
There is no specific compensation required when an airline fails to meet its commitment; however, if your flight is cancelled for any reason, you are entitled to a full refund (even on non-refundable tickets) for your fare.
It is also important to note that the amount of time a delay is deemed “excessive” varies from carrier to carrier. Some airlines may transfer you to another carrier, but most will just offer you a seat on the next available flight.
Bumping
Getting involuntarily bumped from a flight is never a pleasant experience. Unfortunately though, it is something we are seeing become more and more common as airlines continue to overbook flights.
Now, overbooking isn’t illegal, but it is a pain. If your carrier cannot get you to your domestic destination within one to two hours of your scheduled arrival time, then you are due compensation of 200% of the one-way fare up to $650. Anything over two hours results in compensation of 400% of the fare up to $1300.
Should the airline choose to book you with a separate carrier they will be responsible for any expenses assessed by the new airline.
Happy Travels!