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Flight cancellations, delays may persist: Airline refund, compensation policies to know

The McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus in January 2017.
The McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus in January 2017.

Thousands of flight cancellations and delays this weekend raised the ire of flyers, who complained on social media about waiting on hold or in lines for hours to get flights rescheduled and being stranded for days.

The airlines cited bad weather in Florida and other issues, including a labor dispute and a "technology issue" at airports nationwide.

The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport said Monday bookings seemed to be up over the weekend, and the Wayne County Airport Authority, which manages and operates Detroit Metro Airport, "there may have been customers at the airport overnight."

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Worldwide, groups are now warning that an increase in Easter travel as coronavirus-related fears subside could overwhelm airports, and airlines in the United States are not required to compensate passengers.

"When planning a trip, passengers should keep in mind that airlines do not guarantee their schedules," the U.S. Department of Transportation said. "Some problems, like bad weather, air traffic delays, and mechanical issues, are hard to predict and often beyond the airlines’ control."

Compensation is required by U.S. law only when certain passengers are bumped from a flight that is oversold, the transportation department said. Passengers flying between or within foreign countries may be protected by the laws of another nation.

FlightAware, a website that tracks flights, said there were major disruptions this past weekend at multiple Florida airports, including in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Orlando, as well as problems at Baltimore, New York, and other airports nationwide.

More than 3,500 U.S. flights were canceled and thousands more were delayed.

JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Spirit, and American Airlines were most affected, according to FlightAware, with JetBlue and Spirit canceling one-third of Sunday’s scheduled flights.

The spate of cancellations arrived as air travel is rebounding from the pandemic, with strong demand for spring break flights. Southwest Airlines cited "weather and airspace congestion," as well as a "technology issue."

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Alaska Airlines said weekend flight cancellations that began Friday affected more than 37,000 customers. The airline declined to say why it canceled flights, but mentioned contract negotiations with its pilots.

Here are some tips from the transportation department:

Is compensation required?

Each airline has its own policies about what it will do for delayed passengers. If your flight is experiencing a long delay, ask airline staff whether they will pay for meals or a hotel room. Some airlines offer these amenities to passengers, others do not provide any amenities to stranded passengers.

How long is the delay?

Airlines, however, are required to provide passengers with information about a change in the status of the flight if the flight is scheduled to depart within seven days. Airlines are required to give these status updates 30 minutes — or sooner — after the airline becomes aware of a status change.

The flight status information must, at a minimum, be provided on the airline's website.

What is a creeping delay?

It is sometimes difficult for an airline to estimate how long a delay will be during its early stages. When a flight delay unexpectedly becomes longer and longer, this is called a creeping delay. Unexpected developments can cause a delay to be longer than anticipated. Weather that was supposed to improve can instead become worse. A mechanical problem can turn out to be more complex than the airline originally thought.

Can I switch to another flight?

If your flight is delayed, you can try to arrange another flight on your airline. It is sometimes easier to make such arrangements by calling the airline, through the airline’s website or mobile application or via social media. Check, however, whether the airline will charge you a fee or a higher fare for changing your reservation.

If you find a flight with an available seat on another airline, you can ask the first airline to transfer your ticket to the alternative airline. However, federal regulations do not require airlines to put you on another airline’s flight or reimburse you if you purchase a ticket on another airline. Changing flights and airlines are more difficult with checked bags.

Am I entitled to a refund?

In situations with a significant delay, you may be entitled to a refund, including a refund for all optional fees associated with the purchase of your ticket, such as baggage fees, and seat upgrades.

What if my flight is canceled?

Most airlines will rebook you for free on their next flight to your destination as long as the flight has available seats. If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation, even for non-refundable tickets. You are also entitled to a refund for any bag fee that you paid, and any extras you may have purchased, such as a seat assignment.

If the airline offers you a voucher for future travel instead of a refund, you should ask the airline about any restrictions that may apply, such as blackout and expiration dates, advanced booking requirements, and limits on the number of seats.

What about a hotel room?

Airlines are not required to provide passengers with money or other compensation for costs that fall outside of the canceled airline ticket and fees tied directly to the airline ticket when flights are canceled.

They also are not required to reimburse for expenses or lost wages if it cancels a flight and you are forced to miss your cruise, honeymoon, wedding, concert, or other activity, including work.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Flight cancellations could persist: Airline refund, travel policies