New Federal Rules Force Airlines to Pay Up for Delayed Bags

The U.S. Department of Transportation implemented new regulations in late October requiring airlines to provide refunds for delayed baggage and unused services, establishing uniform passenger protection policies ahead of the holiday travel season.

The regulations create uniform standards across all airlines for refund eligibility, replacing individual carrier policies that previously caused confusion among travelers. Airlines must now promptly notify passengers of their right to refunds and process them within seven days, depending on the payment method used.

Under the new rules, passengers receive automatic refunds for checked baggage fees if their luggage arrives more than 12 hours late on domestic flights or between 15 to 30 hours for international flights, based on flight duration. Travelers must submit a mishandled baggage report to initiate the refund process.

The rules also require refunds for paid services airlines fail to provide, including Wi-Fi access, seat selection, and in-flight entertainment. Airlines must process these refunds when such services are unavailable during flights.

Flight changes now have specific refund criteria. Airlines must provide full refunds for domestic flights delayed by three or more hours and international flights delayed by six or more hours. Additional refund qualifications include changes to departure or arrival airports, increases in connecting flights, and switches to aircraft with reduced accessibility features.

The Department of Transportation continues developing passenger protections, with a proposed rule under consideration that would prohibit airlines from charging fees for seating children aged 13 and under next to accompanying adults. The proposal would require airlines to seat children next to their parents at no additional cost when nearby seats are available within 48 hours of travel.