Airlines must now give automatic refunds on delayed and canceled flights

 Airlines have now been told they must give automatic refunds under a new Department of Transportation rule that went into effect this week. 

Flyers are now guaranteed their money back should a flight be delayed or cancelled, and you won’t need to file any paperwork. 

The Department of Transportation’s Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, said on Wednesday that the new regulation is an attempt to incentivize airlines to minimize disruptions, delays or cancellations. 

‘When an airline knows that all – instead of just a few passengers on a canceled flight – are likely to actually get their money back, it gives them a different set of reasons to put in the investment and the realistic scheduling that makes those cancellations less likely to happen to begin with, ‘ he said as the new regulation was announced. 

With the new regulation also comes a strict definition for what constitutes as a ‘significant change’, which used to vary from one airline to another. 

Under the new law, a ‘significant change’ will be defined as any change to a flight that includes a three-hour or longer delay for domestic flights, and at least a six-hour delay on international flights. 

It also includes automatic refunds for any changes to a flight’s departure or arrival airport or if a connection is added. 

An automatic refund will also be issued if a passenger is downgraded to a lower class of service or to a plane that is less accommodating to a passenger with disabilities.