airline passenger's bill of rights

11 Stories

What Is a 'Canceled' Flight? Rule Spells It Out for First Time

It's part of new federal protections for air travelers

(Newser) - Most air travelers would seem to know the definition of a "canceled" flight, but as Quartz points out, the term can get a little squishy for airlines when it comes time to issue refunds. To counter that, the Department of Transportation has spelled out for the first time what...

Airline Passengers Get Good News From the DOT

New guidelines require airlines to spell out all fees, quickly issue cash refunds for canceled flights

(Newser) - Airline passengers will soon see some relief when it comes to refunds and so-called junk fees. Per new rules set out by the Biden administration on Wednesday, airlines must now show the full price of travel when passengers are booking their trip, reports NPR . That means that airlines have to...

Canada to Treat Airline Passengers Like 'People,' Not 'Numbers'

Ban on removing passengers from overbooked flights to be put in place

(Newser) - No one who has bought a ticket for a domestic or international flight in Canada will be allowed to be removed because of overbooking under a new passenger bill of rights, the country's transportation minister announced this week. Minister Marc Garneau says the shoddy treatment of air passengers outlined...

Woman, 72: Delta Kicked Me Off Plane ... for Looking Sick

Suzanne Hays' daughter says her mother was just sleeping

(Newser) - An elderly woman says a Delta crew treated her "like I had leprosy" when they kicked her off a flight earlier this month … for looking sick. Suzanne Hays, 72, tells First Coast News she felt fine as she waited for her flight to Florida to take off on...

Airlines Fined for Stranding Flyers on Tarmac

Dunne 175K for locking passengers on delayed flight

(Newser) - Three airlines have landed $175,000 in federal fines for stranding 47 passengers in a locked plane on a Minnesota tarmac overnight. The passengers were stuck on a Continental Airlines plane—without a working toilet—after crewmembers were told that passengers couldn't disembark because security staff had left for the...

Passengers Stuck on Runway Have No Recourse
Passengers Stuck on Runway Have No Recourse
analysis
Aug 13, 2009 12:52 PM CDT

Passengers Stuck on Runway Have No Recourse

(Newser) - The passengers who spent 5.5 hours trapped inside a plane in Rochester, Minn., last weekend didn’t revolt. But if they had, they could have wound up in trouble with the law, USA Today reports. Federal aviation laws give airlines sole authority over whether passengers stay on a plane...

47 Trapped on 9-Hour 'Nightmare' Flight

(Newser) - If 9 hours on a grounded puddle-jumper with screaming babies and the scent of overly busy toilets wafting through cramped aisles sounds like your idea of a good time, then Continental Airlines had your ticket to paradise. When storms forced a Minneapolis-bound flight to divert to Rochester, Minn., on Friday,...

Canadian Airline Loses Life Vests to Save Fuel

Move saves 55 lbs. per flight for carrier that stays near shore

(Newser) - An Air Canada regional airline is removing life vests from its fleet to reduce weight and increase fuel economy, the AP reports. Citing Canada’s regulations, which do not require life vests on flights that stay within 50 miles of shore, Jazz advises passengers to use their seat cushions as...

Bumped From Your Flight? Airline Could Owe You $800

Feds double amount passengers can receive over overbooked planes

(Newser) - Passengers who get bumped off overbooked flights will be eligible for up to $800 for their inconvenience, the Los Angeles Times reports. The US Department of Transportation today doubled the amount passengers can receive, with the exact figure depending upon the ticket price and how long it takes passengers to...

Tips for Grumpy Fliers
 Tips for Grumpy Fliers 
Apr 11, 2008 12:06 PM CDT

Tips for Grumpy Fliers

There are some things passengers can do to take control of their airport fates

(Newser) - With customer complaints up 60% and operational performance at an all-time low, it's not a good time for the airline industry—or its passengers. CNN offers these tips to fractious fliers:
  1. Research, research, research: Check out airline performance at FlightStats.com or FlightAware.com before buying your ticket, book a
...

Appeals Court Strikes Down NY's Passenger 'Bill of Rights'

Federal deregulation law takes precedence

(Newser) - A New York law, known as the airline “passenger bill of rights,” was rejected today by a US appeals court, Bloomberg reports. The measure required airlines to provide food and water when their delayed plane has sat on the tarmac for more than three hours. The court said...

11 Stories