The rights of aircraft passengers about which airlines prefer to remain silent

As disputes between airlines and passengers who use their services increase, it is extremely helpful to know your rights as a traveler. Airlines are reluctant to share policies in favor of the customers they serve, but there are many rules and regulations US Department of Transportationwhich they must follow. Edition tripsavvy listed eight rights that passengers have, but which they may not know about when something goes wrong.

Flight change privileges

US airlines operate nearly 24 flights a day. The likelihood that one of them will sell more tickets than necessary is extremely small, but such situations do occur. In this case, the company is looking for volunteers - those who agree to fly on the next flight.

Such a volunteer can request a seat in first or business class and receive other benefits such as access to a premium lounge or meal vouchers.

Flight change compensation

If you still decide to yield to the company and wait for the next flight, you are required to pay compensation in cash or by check. The amount of compensation will depend on the price of the ticket and the length of the delay. The key here is that airlines cannot provide you with vouchers that usually expire after one year.

If the airline takes you to your final destination within an hour of your original scheduled arrival time, the traveler will not receive compensation.

If the transport arrives one to two hours after the original arrival time (one to four hours on international flights), the airline must pay an amount equal to 200% of the original one-way fare, up to a maximum of $675.

If the flight arrives more than two hours later (four hours worldwide) or if the airline does not arrange any alternative travel arrangements for you, compensation is 400% of the one-way flight cost, up to a maximum of $1350.

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The amount of compensation for those who use award tickets for frequent flyers will depend on the cost of the cheapest ticket on a given flight in the same class. However, travelers can keep the original ticket and either use it on another flight or request a forced refund for it.

Airlines must refund service fees on the original flight, including seat selection and checked baggage.

Flight delay or cancellation

Compensation for a flight delay or cancellation depends on the cause and the specific airline. If there is a delay due to weather, there is little the staff can do. But if the delay is the fault of the company, compensation must be paid.

All airlines have a contract of carriage, which stipulates compensation for delays. In particular, travelers can ask for free meals, phone calls, or hotel stays. You can also change carrier.

Ticket changes or cancellations

Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations allow travelers who have booked at least seven days in advance to make changes or even cancel bookings within 24 hours without significant financial loss.

If an airline refuses to carry a passenger for any reason, the passenger may apply for a refund even if the ticket is non-refundable.

Flight changed by airline

Sometimes airlines make changes to flight schedules. If the new conditions do not suit you, you have the right to make your own adjustments. To do this, it is better to call the airline directly.

If the change is significant (for example, a significant change in time, a longer stop, or even an overnight stay), you have the right to request a refund.

Lost luggage

If the airline loses your luggage, you will be refunded depending on the type of flight. The maximum refund for US domestic flights is $3300, for international flights (as of 2019) up to $1742.

For international travel where the carrier is not from the United States, the Warsaw Convention applies, which limits liability to approximately $9,07 per pound (0,5 kg), $640 per checked baggage bag, and $400 per customer for unchecked baggage.

Most airlines will provide you with essentials such as toothpaste and other personal items. Among other things, you have the right to claim reimbursement for the cost of buying a change of clothes if you are traveling to an event.

Damaged luggage

If your luggage is damaged, contact the airline office in the baggage claim area immediately. You will need to file a report and document any problems. It will be helpful if you can provide photos of your luggage before the flight. If the airline is at fault, you can negotiate a settlement to either repair the damage or replace the bag if it cannot be repaired.

stuck in a plane

On January 16, 1999, thousands of passengers were trapped for up to 10 hours on Northwest Airlines planes, stuck after a heavy snowstorm at the Detroit (Michigan) airport. This resulted in the company paying passengers a total of $7,1 million in compensation. The incident created DOT rules on how long passengers can stay on a delayed plane.

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A similar incident occurred in 2007 with JetBlue at the JFK hub on Valentine's Day. At that time, the CEO of JetBlue announced that he would provide $30 million to rewrite procedures to eliminate flight violations and create a bill of rights for customers.

DOT rules do not allow U.S. domestic airline flights to remain on the airfield for more than three hours, but there are exceptions:

• the pilot believes that there is a security risk that prevents the aircraft from returning to the boarding gate and disembarking passengers;
• Air traffic control believes that moving the aircraft to the boarding gate would significantly disrupt the operation of the airport.

For international flights operated by US carriers, there is a rule that you must set your own limits on the duration of runway delays.

It is worth noting that when passengers are detained for more than 2 hours, they are required to be given food and water. Toilets should remain operational and medical assistance should be available when needed.