What airline passengers should know about their rights to get refunds

New user protection rules will soon entitle hose passengers to automatic refunds erstwhile flights are canceled aliases importantly delayed, while besides requiring airlines to reveal junk fees upfront.

In total, nan caller rules could prevention travelers $500 cardinal annually, Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday, describing nan regulations arsenic "the biggest description of rider authorities successful nan department's history."

The caller rules return purpose astatine immoderate of nan astir common complaints against airlines, specified arsenic delays and difficulties getting refunds. Airlines will besides person to disclose each imaginable fees, specified arsenic added costs for spot selection, erstwhile advertizing a fare.

The regulations are apt to effect successful October, officials said. Here's what to cognize astir nan caller rules and what they mean for you.

You'll get an automatic refund for delayed aliases canceled flights

The first rule mandates that airlines must promptly refund customers erstwhile flights are meaningfully disrupted aliases delayed. Airlines will person to refund not only nan magnitude of summons prices, but government-imposed taxes and fees arsenic good arsenic airline-imposed fees.

In theory, passengers are already entitled to specified refunds, but successful believe they don't alway person them, Buttigieg noted. He said nan caller norm benefits infrequent fliers successful particular, who whitethorn beryllium little acquainted pinch their rights. 

This norm will prevention customers nan hassle of dealing pinch a chatbot aliases completing a cumbersome claims process to person refunds they're entitled to anyhow erstwhile flights don't return disconnected arsenic scheduled.

Airlines often connection customers compensation successful nan shape of vouchers aliases miles pinch values that are little than nan flight's original cost. And passengers often must prosecute pinch customer work agents aliases chatbots to unafraid refunds, which tin lead them to springiness up connected nan process altogether, according to Buttigieg.

How agelong of a hold will suffice for a refund? 

The caller norm defines what constitutes a "significantly changed" flight: a hold of astatine slightest 3 hours for a home flight, and astatine slightest six hours for an world flight. That was antecedently near to nan discretion of nan airline. 

The norm says passengers will get automatic refunds successful those cases arsenic agelong arsenic they don't judge replacement proscription aliases recreation credits offered by nan airline.  

Passengers will besides beryllium entitled to refunds for different important formation changes, according to nan Department of Transportation. 

These changes see flights whose departure aliases presence airports change, that adhd connections aliases downgrade passengers to a different level of service. If a formation requires a rider pinch a disablement to make a relationship astatine an airdrome aliases connected a formation that is little accommodating, that besides qualifies for a refund.

How agelong will it return to get a refund?

Airlines will person 7 days to automatically refund passengers who purchased their tickets pinch a in installments card, and 20 almanac days for different costs methods, nan Transportation Department said.

"No much defaulting to vouchers aliases credits erstwhile consumers whitethorn not moreover recognize they're entitled to cash," Buttigieg said. 

Can I get a refund for delayed bags? 

Yes, checked container delays are besides covered by nan caller rule. 

When bags aren't delivered wrong 12 hours of a home flight's presence astatine its gate, passengers will get a refund for their checked container fee. On world flights, bags that don't get wrong 15 to 30 hours, depending connected a flight's length, are covered by nan rule. 

What different refunds will beryllium available? 

The first norm besides requires airlines to refund services that customers paid for but past didn't person connected nan flight, specified arsenic wifi, spot action aliases in-flight entertainment, nan Transportation Department said.

For instance, if passengers bargain wifi entree but it doesn't activity property, they are entitled to a refund for nan service.

What is happening pinch astonishment fees? 

Transportation officials besides announced a second rule connected Wednesday that targets "junk" aliases astonishment fees, which are charges that aren't typically disclosed to a user up of purchase. 

Under nan rule, airlines must disclose each fees nan first clip that airfare is advertised connected an airline's site. Hyperlinks don't count, according to nan agency.

The norm is designed to protect consumers against confusion caused by "drip pricing" by requiring airlines to disclose really overmuch these further fees will costs up front. That includes amounts airlines complaint consumers to cheque bags, transportation connected bags, prime seats, and alteration aliases cancel flights.

The norm is designed to thief make it easier for passengers to estimate nan afloat costs of flying truthful they tin make an informed purchase.

Are seats guaranteed if I bargain a ticket?

Under nan 2nd rule, airlines will besides person to make clear to customers that if they bargain a ticket, they're guaranteed a spot — moreover if they don't fork complete further money to take wherever connected nan level that spot is located. 

How will I cognize I'm seeing nan existent formation price?

Under nan 2nd rule, airlines are barred from advertizing artificially debased prices that don't facet successful mandatory fees. 

The Transportation Department said this will extremity "discount bait-and-switch tactics" that dangle deceptive discounts to person travelers to bargain tickets.

What do airlines opportunity astir nan caller rules?

Airlines for America, a waste and acquisition group for ample U.S. carriers, noted that refund complaints to nan Transportation Department person fallen sharply since mid-2020. 

A spokesperson for nan group said airlines "offer a scope of options — including afloat refundable fares — to summation accessibility to aerial recreation and to thief customers make summons selections that champion fresh their needs."

The group said nan 11 largest U.S. airlines issued $43 cardinal successful customer refunds from 2020 done 2023.

While Buttigieg said airlines aren't "enthusiastic" astir being held to a higher standard, he believes nan caller rules will build rider assurance successful companies and yet use nan manufacture arsenic a whole.

Buttigieg besides said he hopes nan caller rules will push carriers to amended nan user experience. For example, if an hose knows it will automatically beryllium customers refunds for canceled flights, it mightiness put much successful precise scheduling, and yet trim nan number of cancellations overall. 

—With reporting by nan Associated Press.