Your rights as a traveler
The dismissal of hundreds of FAA employees could lead to an uptick in flight delays and cancellations. And the fear is that it could increase the risk of accidents. So it's important to know your rights as a passenger in these situations.
The Department of Transportation says, "Airlines are required to adhere to the promises that they make in their customer service plan, including commitments to care for customers in the event of controllable delays or cancellations."
It also says that if an airline cancels your flight or makes a significant change to its departure time, you're entitled to a refund should you choose not to get rebooked. This holds true even if you purchased a non-refundable ticket. But from there, the compensation you're entitled to depends on the airline you've booked with and the situation at hand.
Delta, for example, will give you a free hotel room if you're affected by an overnight cancellation. And you're entitled to a meal voucher for a delay of three hours or more. Your best bet is to consult this dashboard from the Department of Transportation, which covers the policies of 10 major U.S. airlines, to see what rights you have in the event of a cancellation or delay.
That said, as a passenger, you can always ask an airline to go above and beyond its typical policy. For example, if a flight delay causes you to miss an event that you paid for, you may be able to convince the airline to reimburse you for your tickets.
You should also know that you may be able to sue an airline if you sustain an injury during a flight due to their negligence. But for that, you'll generally need to consult an attorney. And compensation is awarded on a case-by-case basis.
Earlier in February, a Delta flight turned upside following a turbulent landing in Toronto. Two passengers have since sued the airline for negligence and are seeking compensation for their injuries — both physical and emotional.
Delta has already offered $30,000 in compensation to passengers on that flight, saying the money "has no strings attached and does not affect rights." Whether some individual passengers get more will depend on how their lawsuits shake out.
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