The Dallas Morning News reports the Biden administration is working on a proposed rule which would require carriers based in America to provide similar recourse for delayed passengers.

 

Rule Would Require Cash Compensation on Top of Food and Hotel Vouchers

During an invite-only meeting, White House leadership outlined a plan which would require airlines to provide a cash payment when flyers are displaced by a “controllable” cancellations or delays. The policymakers did not elaborate on which situations would be considered “controllable.” The current EU policy includes everything that is not due to “extraordinary circumstances,” which includes “air traffic management decisions, political instability, adverse weather conditions, and security risks.”

 

The rule is still in the beginning stages of consideration, and no number has been floated for consideration. However, those who are working on it say the new rule could be introduced as soon as January 2025.

 

“When an airline cancels a flight because of mechanical or staffing issues, the passengers should receive compensation for their troubles,” Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) told The Dallas Morning News.

 

If the idea does move to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking stage, it would be the final capstone on the Biden administration’s moves to bring passenger-friendly reforms to air travel. Over the past three years, some of their instituted or proposed initiatives include the Airline Customer Service Dashboard, refunds for cancelled flights and junk fees, and fee-free family seating.

 

“This is all part of trying to provide passengers with more assurances that, you will be OK,” special assistant to the President for economic policy told the Morning News. ““We can’t make up for the fact that you had to spend nine hours away from your family stuck in an airport or hotel — but we can make sure the airlines are held accountable when it’s something they could have prevented.”

Source: frugal travel guy