U.S. to Eliminate Rules Requiring Compensation for Flight Delays
The Donald Trump administration announced it will withdraw rules pushed by the Biden administration that require airlines to compensate passengers for delays and cancellations not related to weather conditions.
The measure was published this Thursday in a regulatory document from the Department of Transportation (DOT), confirming the intention to revoke the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking submitted in December 2024.
What the Biden Plan Proposed
The scheme proposed by the Biden White House would have required airlines to pay a minimum of $200 to passengers for domestic delays of at least three hours.
For delays between six and under nine hours, compensation would have ranged from $375 to $525.
In cases of nine hours or more, the amounts increased to $750 and up to $775.
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Additionally, the plan included free rebooking on other flights—a measure presented as a significant advancement for travelers affected by disruptions caused by airline computer system failures.
Arguments from the Trump Administration
The DOT stated in the regulatory filing that withdrawing these rules is “consistent with the priorities of the Department and the administration.”
Thus, the Trump administration argues that the compensation rules were excessive, did not address core passenger issues, and overstepped the actual authority of the regulatory agency.
Airlines’ Reaction
The decision was welcomed by Airlines for America, the group representing major airlines.
In a statement, the association said: “We are encouraged that the Department of Transportation is reviewing unnecessary and burdensome regulations that exceed its authority and do not address important issues for our customers.”
With the withdrawal, airlines avoid a scheme of multimillion-dollar penalties, while passengers lose the possibility of automatic compensation for non-weather-related disruptions.
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