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As COVID-era restrictions ease and airlines with limited staff welcome travelers, unforeseen flight accidents can often lead to financial compensation – with DailyMail.com now revealing exactly how to claim your money.
The new comes days after an Australian-American political pundit who was “sandwiched” between two overweight passengers on an American Airlines flight last week claimed a $150 voucher for her troubles, following a complaint with flight attendants.
That said, issues such as delays, cancellations and lost luggage — common as airlines struggle to retain employees on their return to pre-pandemic operations — can yield vouchers and even real green, if you know who to ask. .
Canceled flights
For example, in the event of a cancellation, be sure to decline a voucher as federal law entitles you to a full cash refund.
Unlike the European Union, the United States has no rules protecting passengers if their flight is cancelled. However, if you fly to another place in Europe, you can earn a voucher of up to $700 on top of your refunded ticket.
If there were multiple stops on the flight, you would get a refund for the legs you still had to fly.
A cancellation voucher is still possible in the United States, but would not be guaranteed and will likely be significantly less than the above amount.
Please note that if the voucher is worth more than the flight you buy, most airlines will not let you use the remaining balance as they would with a gift card.
delays
You are also entitled to a refund for ‘significant’ changes or delays to your original flight schedule, meaning that you should also decline a voucher if you need to get cash in hand.
What constitutes a significant delay is often determined on a case-by-case basis and varies from airline to airline, but a good rule of thumb is two hours or more.
The EU, meanwhile, has clearer compensation guidelines when it comes to delays, ranging from €250 for flights delayed by less than three hours and up to €600 for flights between EU and non-EU airports originating in Europe.
That means if your flight home to the US is delayed, you are still entitled to a voucher.
These rules also apply to many European islands in the Caribbean, such as Bermuda, Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Damaged luggage
In the event that you arrive at your destination and find your luggage damaged, the airline will usually transfer the full cost of the contents to a flier – sometimes with a voucher on top.
Be wary, though — if the contents of your suitcase exceed $3,500, you may need to convince the airline to compensate you further, as the Department of Transportation has set that amount as a limit on its maximum liability.
Airlines can compensate more on a case-by-case basis at their discretion.
Delayed Baggage
When your baggage is delayed, airlines will attempt to reunite you with your baggage as soon as it arrives — and will settle you on between $25 and $50 a day until such a reunion occurs.
However, these companies may also owe you up to $3,500 in liability for a US domestic trip if you can prove to them that you needed the contents of the lost luggage for an event such as a wedding or business trip before it could be delivered. .
As long as you have receipts to prove the relative worth of what was in the bag — and an explanation of why it was needed immediately — you’re entitled to a cash refund even after the bag is returned to you.
In the event that it needs to be delivered to you after you have left the airport, the airline may also offer a travel voucher that you can use for travel on the same airline – but that is not guaranteed.
Lost luggage
As with the previous two cases, in the event that an airline loses your luggage and it cannot be found, you are entitled to: up to $3,500 in cash.
For international flights, the Montreal Convention states that an airline can give up to $1,600 – although airlines are free to offer more.
To get this compensation, you usually have to file a claim with the airline, which can take several weeks and even months to resolve.
Companies require receipts for any kind of refund – as well as a statement of any fees you paid the airline to carry your luggage, which you will then also get back.
Overbooked flights
If you board alone and find yourself without a seat because the flight has sold more tickets than there are seats, staff members will first ask if a Good Samaritan will voluntarily give up his seat on the plane.
In the likely event that does not occur, you would probably involuntarily knocked off the flight and removed completely arbitrarily.
If this is the case, the airline may offer you a voucher, but not accept it. Because this is solely the fault of the airline, you are entitled to a cash refund under federal law.
Conversely, if you are a thoughtful traveler who doesn’t mind getting off a flight, the airline will offer you a travel voucher and also put you on the next available flight to your destination.
You can also request to be placed on a ‘bump list’ upon reaching your departure gate. A bump list is a tab of confirmed passengers on a flight who will not be allowed to board or will be asked to disembark in the event that a flight is oversold.