New rules are coming for air travelers.
Starting Oct. 19, it will get more difficult for passengers to receive compensation if their flight is delayed. A new Department of Transportation rule changes what counts as being within an airline’s control.
The DOT will remove 10 events that cause flight disruptions from that category, as outlined in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The rule, published in the Federal Register on Sept. 3, changes how airlines report the causes of flight cancellations and delays.
“These 10 specific types of flight disruptions will now be tracked in a brand-new reporting category to ensure government delay data accurately reflects what airlines can and cannot control,” the agency said in a statement to USA TODAY.
Currently, issues related to maintenance, crew scheduling or aircraft cleaning are treated as being under the carrier’s control. The reclassification means those incidents will no longer be reported in the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ on-time performance data, and it could reduce when flyers qualify for airline vouchers or refunds.
Which Disruptions Are Being Excluded?
Below are the 10 air travel events that will no longer be deemed within a carrier’s control:
- Aircraft cleaning necessitated by the death of a passenger
- Aircraft damage caused by extreme weather, foreign object debris or sabotage
- A baggage or cargo loading delay caused by an outage of a bag system not controlled by a carrier or its contractor
- Cybersecurity attacks, provided that the air carrier complies with applicable cybersecurity regulations
- An unexpected shutdown or system failure of government systems that directly affects an airline’s ability to conduct flights safely
- Overheated brakes due to a safety incident resulting in the use of emergency procedures
- Unscheduled maintenance, including maintenance in response to an airworthiness directive, that cannot be deferred or must be addressed before a flight
- An emergency requiring medical attention through no fault of the carrier
- The removal of an unruly passenger
- An airport closure caused by volcanic ash, wind or wind shear
What Will the Rule Mean for Travelers?
The change reduces the airline’s accountability and transparency, critics say. DOT policy states that passengers are entitled to compensation when a delay is caused by something within the airline’s control and creates a long enough inconvenience during travel. Each major U.S. carrier shares what it provides through the Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard.
If a flight is delayed because of one of the listed events, a traveler may no longer be eligible for compensation from the airline. That could mean losing access to assistance such as meals, hotel stays or refunds, depending on the carrier’s policies and the circumstances.
The change could also take away some decision-making power from travelers choosing which carrier to fly with. Aviation expert William J. McGee said consumers use on-time performance information when making those choices.
The DOT cited “benefits and cost savings” from the rule, saying the number of delays and cancellations for which airlines provide amenities and compensation is expected to decrease. Consumer advocates argue that the change favors airlines at passengers’ expense.
Reporting by Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
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