INDIANAPOLIS — Airlines canceled more than 3,500 U.S. flights this weekend and delayed thousands more, citing weather in Florida and other issues. But what kind of recourse do you have if this happens to you?
Delays and cancellations happen, but refunds and reimbursement depend on the circumstance, according to the Department of Transportation.
FlightAware, a website that tracks flights, noted major disruptions over the weekend at several Florida airports, including in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando, as well as Baltimore, New York and other airports around the country. JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Spirit and American Airlines were most affected, according to FlightAware, with JetBlue and Spirit canceling one-third of Sunday's scheduled flights.
If your flight is canceled altogether, you can get your money back. If your flight is significantly delayed, you can also get your money back. However, it's a little murky because the law doesn't define "significant." That's determined by the carrier.
Most carriers' timeframes are between two and four hours.
- American Airlines: 4 hours
- Delta Airlines: 2 hours
- JetBlue: 2 hours
- Spirit: 2 hours
Others like Allegiant, Frontier, and United Airlines do not define significant change. Southwest Airlines also does not appear to define significant change with a certain number of hours.
But those policies only go so far if you're stranded out of state.
Airlines will usually do their best to get you on another flight, but it might not be right away. And, if it's late at night, airlines could put you up in a hotel. However, that's not required.
They may say "no" to weather delays but "OK" if their plane is having mechanical issues. Just ask and double-check their contract of carriage or their terms and conditions. A travel insurance policy might also cover hotel and food.
The DOT says passengers can file a complaint if they think an airline is being unfair.