Anyone who has been traveling knows that air travel is no longer sexy.
Travelers used to dress up in their Sunday Best, airlines used to serve snacks or food in ALL classes (for free!), delays, cancellations, and rude airline employees were all rarely-seen phenomena, there was no need for TSA or ‘pat-downs’, and getting on a plane to go somewhere was exciting.
Those days are gone forever.
Despite the new protections — and while we’re thankfully past the pandemic-related mandates such as proof of vaccination — these days we still must contend with airline staffing shortages, overbooked flights, and ill-behaving travelers venting their rage. You can count yourself super-lucky if the person in the row behind you doesn’t stick their bare feet on your armrest, or allow their child to continually kick the back of your seat while whining incessantly.
And THAT’s assuming your flight takes off at all, let alone on time. Add in long lines at the security checkpoints, ticket counters and boarding areas, overpriced airport and airline food, insufficient seating at many gates, flight delays and cancellations, lost baggage — and a host of many other complaints — and it’s a wonder we still travel at all.
Sigh. Unfortunately there isn’t much anyone can do about many of those problems, but what a lot of travelers DON’T know is that in the case of flight cancellations, delays, lost baggage, and seat-bumping, there IS some protection afforded by new rules imposed on the airlines by the Department of Transportation, at least for US airlines and domestic flights (international flights and European airlines have their own regulations imposed by the Association of European Airlines (AEA), which are similar in nature but may differ – if you’re on an international flight or European airline, please research those regulations, some resources are listed below).
These regulations spell out exactly what an airline can — and cannot — do without compensating you for your cost, time, or inconvenience. While researching this topic, I found an excellent article on the subject, well worth your time to read. It’s written by Alan Henry, one of the classiest geeks I know (aside from moi, of course!). Alan does a great job of summarizing and explaining what your rights are.
The Air Travel Rights You Aren’t Aware of (and How to Get Them)
If you’ve ever sat in a plane on the tarmac only to have the flight canceled, been bumped just before boarding, or landed at your destination only to be told your luggage will arrive sometime in the next 12 hours, you know how air travel can suck. In all of those cases, the airline owes you for your trouble. Sometimes it’s good customer service, and other times it’s the law. Here are some of the legal rights you may not know you have, and how to go about filing your claims or getting what’s due to you if you’ve been wronged. [Continue Reading …]
If you’re traveling within the EU or to/from the EU on a European-based air carrier, check out ClaimFlights, a site that can help you calculate compensation (and even file the claim on your behalf for a 25% fee) if your flight is delayed or canceled, or the airline loses your luggage.
The Fine Print – The Senate overwhelmingly passed the “Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization” bill which includes several consumer protections. Airlines now have to refund your checked bag fees if your luggage is lost or is delayed 12 hours or more for domestic flights or 15 hours or more for international flights. And airlines will also be required to ensure that children 13 years of age or younger are seated next to an adult or older child traveling with them, although Southwest Airlines successfully lobbied to allow discretion to exempt airlines that don’t offer assigned seating but do provide adjacent seating for families through other means. Be sure to thank your Senator next time you sit next to them on a flight.
Don’t Miss:
Airline ‘Junk’ Fees Banned. Get Cash Back
The Best All-Inclusive Loyalty Programs
