When your flight is canceled or delayed, what you are owed depends heavily on where the flight originates and why the disruption occurred. In the U.S., under rules enforced by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), you are entitled to a refund if your flight is canceled for any reason and you choose not to travel.
If the airline makes a “significant schedule change” or you are involuntarily downgraded, you’re also owed a refund of the difference. However, the DOT stresses that airlines are not required to pay you additional cash compensation simply because a flight was delayed or canceled—except in the case of being involuntarily bumped from an oversold flight.
Still, you can ask the airline for “care” — such as meals or hotel accommodations — when you’re stranded because of a cancellation or long delay. However, the carrier is only required to provide those amenities if its contract of carriage or its corporate practices commit to it.
In contrast, if your flight involves the EU Regulation 261/2004 (covering flights departing from the EU or arriving in the EU on an EU carrier) you have stronger rights:
- Suppose your flight is canceled less than 14 days before departure, or delayed by 3 hours or more upon arrival (depending on distance). In that case, you may be eligible for financial compensation of €250 to €600 (≈$270–$650) per passenger — unless the disruption was caused by “extraordinary circumstances” (weather, strike, air traffic control, etc.).
- You also have the right to reimbursement for the unused portion of your ticket (and possibly for the used portion, if the remaining trip no longer serves your original purpose) or rerouting at no extra cost.
- While you wait, the airline must offer you care — meals, refreshments, hotel or transport accommodations — if you’re delayed overnight or beyond a certain threshold.
For all passengers, regardless of region: keep your receipt for extra expenses, document how much later you got to your destination, and talk to the airline’s customer‐service desk as soon as the disruption is confirmed. If you paid via a travel agent or aggregator, they must refund you if the carrier cancels or significantly changes the schedule.
Bottom line: If you’re in the U.S., your most certain right is a refund for a canceled flight or significantly changed itinerary. If you are covered by EU law, you may also be eligible for sizable cash compensation and guaranteed care and rerouting. Knowing your rights before you fly can help you act quickly when the unexpected happens.
Over 1,000 flights were canceled on Friday because of the FAA’s 10% reduction order.
Source links:
- transportation.gov
- europa.eu
- flysas.com
- thepointsguy.com
- Theweek.com
- Flightright
- American Airlines
- European Consumer Centers
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