The U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday announced it would initiate a rulemaking process designed to require airlines to compensate passengers for flight cancellations and delays caused by carriers. The proposed rule would require “airlines to provide compensation and cover expenses for amenities such as meals, hotels, and rebooking when airlines are responsible for stranding passengers.” The rule would propose, in addition to passenger compensation, “a meal or meal voucher, overnight accommodations, ground transportation to and from the hotel, and rebooking for controllable delays or cancellations.” Once formally proposed, airlines and the public will have an opportunity to comment on the plan.
