If you travel by air enough, delays are inevitable. However, how airlines handle delays can vary depending on the circumstances of the delay, including the reason, city, and even the passenger’s frequent flier status.
In Europe, the question of passenger compensation for delays and cancellations is straightforward: The European Union has consumer protection laws that require airlines to compensate passengers in cash for delays within the airline’s control.
Unlike in the European Union, the United States has no standard for what airlines must provide passengers in case of a delay or cancellation. In the United States, each carrier decides how to accommodate passengers affected by what the airlines call “irregular operations,” and the Department of Transportation (DOT) oversees its efforts.
Types of Delays
The first consideration for airlines deciding whether to offer a voucher for meals or hotels will be what caused the delay. Most airlines do not provide vouchers or expense reimbursements for delays they term uncontrollable, such as those related to weather, air traffic control, or catastrophic events like earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Another uncontrollable delay cause is what’s known as force majeure, which could be like a general strike, riot, or coup that would compromise safe airline operations.Airlines have, in the past, unsuccessfully argued that some situations, like the most recent IT outages that affected many U.S. airlines, were force majeure, but regulators have largely disagreed and considered those controllable delays, which also include reasons such as crew scheduling, aircraft availability, unscheduled maintenance, and other things within an airline’s control.
When to Ask for a Voucher
U.S. carriers vary on the circumstances under which they'll issue a voucher to cover a meal or a hotel overnight stay. In a delay situation, the first place to look would be the airline’s Customer Service Commitment, which is normally posted on its website. That document typically outlines the situations under which an airline will issue a voucher.Generally speaking, a delay must be significant—several hours or more—and controllable for an airline to issue a voucher. Some, like United, will automatically send vouchers to passengers via text or through their mobile app if their reservation contains an eligible flight delay. Other times, passengers may need to inquire if a voucher applies to their situation—American’s Customer Service Commitment states that these accommodations are available “on request.”
If an agent cannot issue a voucher, it’s perfectly OK to inquire why. Agents should offer to explain the contents of the Customer Service Commitment when asked. It can also be worthwhile to check back if a delay lengthens, as a delay that started out uncontrollable (weather, for example) can sometimes snowball into other reasons (like crew accommodations).
Terminology Matters
Using the right words can save time and frustration when speaking with airline staff, either at the airport or in post-travel correspondence. Many travelers tend to use the terms reimbursement and refund interchangeably, but they mean different things in the context of air travel.A refund means returning the money you paid for the plane ticket. Airlines will typically only refund a nonrefundable ticket if the flight is delayed or canceled and they’re ultimately unable to get passengers to the destination on their ticket. Refunding a flown ticket is rare because the service the passenger paid for was provided, albeit delayed.
A reimbursement means returning the money you paid for expenses related to your delay, other than your original plane ticket. Suppose you incur expenses for meals, transportation, and lodging during a controllable delay, and the airline could not (but didn’t refuse to) issue a voucher. In that case, a reimbursement is what you’re requesting, not a refund.
