Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest travel periods in the United States, but storms, Arctic air flows, as well as rainfall and thunderstorms, can create major obstacles for transportation, even leading to flight delays or cancellations at airports. So, under what circumstances can you get a refund from an airline? The general standards set by the U.S. Department of Transportation this year can provide you with a clear answer.
After snowfall in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, a snowstorm swept through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, with several more inches of snow expected before Thanksgiving. The snowstorm is then forecasted to move through the Midwest and into the Northeast.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, roads in the state were closed on Wednesday (November 27th) as crews worked to clear snow from major roadways. The Federal Aviation Administration stated that flights departing from Denver and Salt Lake City International Airports were “spraying de-icing fluid to remove snow and ice.” There have been no reports of major airport delays so far.
AccuWeather meteorologists predict that late Wednesday and on Thanksgiving Day, most areas along Interstate 95 will experience showers and thunderstorms, affecting cities such as Philadelphia, Washington D.C., New York City, and Boston. Rain is also expected in the Southeast, including northern Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
Communities across the Great Lakes region may encounter severe weather, with several feet of snowfall and blizzard conditions expected. Some areas in western New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Ohio could see snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour, with the heaviest snow bands reducing visibility to near zero, posing danger and prompting weather officials and local authorities to issue warnings.
Wednesday morning saw roads across Colorado, including in the Denver and Boulder metropolitan areas, forced to close due to snowfall, disrupting travel for Thanksgiving holiday travelers.
Before this year’s holiday travel season kicks off, the Department of Transportation has enacted new rules requiring airlines to automatically refund passengers for flight cancellations or significant delays.
The new automatic refund rules, first established by the Department of Transportation in April this year, set a universal standard for when passengers on round-trip domestic or U.S. international flights should be entitled to refunds.
Here’s what you need to know:
Passengers are entitled to a refund if the following situations occur:
1. Flight cancellation without the airline rebooking the passenger on another flight or the passenger not accepting other compensations, such as vouchers.
2. Flight cancellation and the passenger refuses the airline’s rebooking proposal or alternative compensation.
3. Significant flight changes occur, and the passenger does not accept the revised itinerary or rebooking offers.
According to the Department of Transportation’s regulations, “significant changes” refer to domestic flights delayed over 3 hours or international flights delayed over 6 hours.
The new regulations also state that if there are other major changes to a passenger’s itinerary – for example, if you are supposed to fly to one airport but the airline changes it to another or similar circumstances – the passenger will be entitled to a refund.
Refund regulations also cover instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class or the flight is changed to an aircraft that is not as convenient or accommodating for passengers with disabilities.
Under the Department of Transportation’s new rules, if a passenger’s luggage is severely delayed, the passenger is entitled to a refund of the baggage fee. For example, if a passenger on a domestic flight does not receive checked baggage within 12 hours of arrival and files a mishandled baggage report, they can obtain a refund for the checked baggage fee. For international flights, if the passenger does not receive their luggage within 15 to 30 hours of the flight’s arrival, they have the right to a refund.
If a passenger purchases a service from the airline, such as Wi-Fi or seat selection, but ultimately does not receive those services, the passenger can receive a refund.
The Department of Transportation emphasizes that refunds will be automatic under the new regulations, stating that “airlines must issue refunds automatically, without passengers having to specifically request them or overcome various obstacles.”
(NOTE: This article draws information from reports by USA Today and Fox News.)