In December 2024, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a regulation whereby airlines would be required to pay passengers cash compensation in the event that flights are delayed or canceled, just as we see in the European Union and United Kingdom.
Given how late in the Biden administration this was proposed, it couldn’t actually be made law before the leadership change, as there was first a public commenting period, which put us into the Trump administration. A couple of months ago, the Trump administration made it clear that it didn’t plan to move forward with this proposal, and that has now been finalized. I don’t think this outcome should come as much of a surprise.
This involved airlines being required to pay passengers cash compensation, rebook them for free on the next available flight, and cover meals, overnight lodging, and related transportation expenses, when a disruption is airline caused, such as a mechanical issue or an IT airline system breakdown.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
