Summer is ‘high season’ for flight delays. What travelers need to know

The summer season is in full swing and often brings more delays and cancellations.

But travelers may be out of luck when it comes to compensation for such disruptions, depending on the root cause and the airline’s specific policies, experts say.

“Generally speaking, airlines in the U.S. are not really required to pay you anything at any time,” said Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at AirHelp, which helps fliers claim compensation for delayed or canceled flights.

Mid-June to late August is typically the “high season” for flight disruptions, Napoli said.

“This summer will see more planes in the air, frequent bad weather and increased use of the nation’s airspace,” a Federal Aviation Administration report said. web page on summer trips.

According to FAA data through July 21, bad weather has accounted for 66% of total minutes of flight delays so far. In 2023, the share was about 72% in that time frame.

Such data is believed to include the global IT outage on July 19, which grounded thousands of flights.

“Volume” caused another 15% of delays this year, the FAA said.

Summer generally brings “increased numbers of passengers and flights,” with school cancellations and “millions of Americans” on vacation, Hayley Berg, chief economist at Hopper, wrote in a recent release. analysis of travel disruptions.

According to the FAA, 8 of the 10 busiest travel days of 2024 were in June, July and August facts from Sunday.

There is generally one overarching obligation for airlines regarding passenger compensation: Carriers are owed a refund of the ticket price and fees if they cancel a flight or make a “significant change” to the flight – regardless of the reason, according to the US Department of State. Transport.

Consumers are only entitled to a refund if they choose not to accept an alternative option from the airline, such as rebooking on another flight, the DOT said.

This obligation applies even to those who have purchased non-refundable tickets.

One important caveat: The DOT does not currently define what constitutes a “significant” change. That determination is based on factors such as the length of the delay, the flight and specific circumstances, the agency said.

Starting Oct. 28, airlines will have to “immediately” and automatically issue refunds to customers, following a recently issued Biden administration rule, which also defines a “significant” change as a three-hour delay for domestic flights and six hours for international flights. to flee.

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More generally, airline compensation policies for delays and cancellations vary.

A transportation department dashboard outlines the promises of major airlines to customers in case of cancellations or delays longer than three hours.

Airlines are “obligated to adhere to these commitments,” the agency said.

For example, all airlines undertake to rebook passengers with the same airline for free and to offer a free meal if the cancellation leads to a waiting time of at least three hours for a new flight. Most offer hotel accommodation for overnight stays. But none offer cash compensation for a delay of three or more hours.

Importantly, this compensation policy only applies to ‘controllable’ delays and cancellations, i.e. delays and cancellations attributable to airline operations. The same obligations may not apply to situations beyond their control, such as bad weather.

For example, the wave of delays and cancellations caused by last month’s global IT outage was considered a ‘manageable’ event. A botched technical update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike affected Microsoft services used by several airlines.

Passengers flying abroad may have more rights depending on international rules, experts say.

Passengers flying to and from Europe usually have this too more rights to compensation as a result of European Union law, AirHelp said.

Experts recommend a number of ways to minimize the chance of a flight disruption and better deal with delays or cancellations if they occur:

• Book the first flight of the day. According to Berg, flights departing after 9 a.m. are twice as likely to be delayed than flights scheduled between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
• Avoid connecting flights to reduce the chance of a disruption. This will not always be possible depending on factors such as ticket costs, airport and destination. If you do have a connection, make sure you have enough time for a layover, Napoli said. Travelers should allow at least a layover of at least 45 minutes for domestic flights and 90 minutes for international travel, Berg said.
• Build in a buffer day. Leave “wiggle room” at your destination so you don’t miss “big” events or plans in case of delays or cancellations, Berg said.
• Fly on days that are less busy. Traveling on weekdays such as Tuesday or Wednesday usually involves less air traffic, Napoli said. Travelers may be less likely to experience certain types of delays and have more available seats if they need to rebook. Tickets are usually cheaper on these days as well.
• Pack smart. Those with a carry-on or personal item should pack strategically in the event of a delay or cancellation, Napoli said. For example, it might make sense to have a change of clothes, snacks, electronics, valuables and a toothbrush on hand if your checked bag isn’t available, he said.
• Multitask while you wait. In case of delay or cancellation: use your time wisely, experts say. “Stand in line to speak to an airline representative while calling the customer support center,” Berg said. This way you maximize the chance of speaking to a representative more quickly if multiple passengers are trying to get through at the same time.