The Department of Transportation’s latest initiative won’t get you more compensation or re-routing for delayed or canceled flights, but it will make it easier to know what you’re entitled to.
DOT is putting up a new consumer dashboard on its website, starting September 2, that will be a consumer-friendly tool to find what policies the airline that disappointed you is following. All airlines are required to file their customer service and compensation plans with the department, but up to now, the thick files have been of little use to passengers with no way to navigate through them.
While the new plan doesn’t expand any rights, Transportation Secretary Buttegieg, who has been pressing the airlines for better operational performance with a hint of possible regulation is applying a similar tactic here, urging the airlines to at least offer meal vouchers for delays of over three hours and hotel vouchers for delays that go overnight. It’s only fair, he suggested, and also suggested it might be an area for future official action.
