The Trump Administration has officially shut down a plan established by former President Joe Biden, which required airlines to compensate passengers for delayed or canceled flights. The move, according to Hollywood Unlocked, marks another significant shift in how the administration handles airline and passenger rights. The plan would have guaranteed passengers’ hotel stays, meals, and even alternative flight options when carriers caused significant delays or cancellations. Now, all of that is off the table.
The Trump Administration’s Move
According to the Associated Press, the plan was first proposed back in December during Biden’s final weeks in office. If approved, the rule would’ve brought U.S. airline policies closer to Europe’s consumer protections. Instead, Trump’s Transportation Department scrapped it. Officials explained they removed the proposed rule to “be consistent with its administrative priorities.” Airlines for America co-signed the decision, calling the plan “unnecessary and burdensome,” claiming it didn’t really solve passenger issues.
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What The Rule Could Have Done For Passengers
The Biden-era rule wasn’t just small change. It stated compensation could’ve started at $200 when flights were canceled or delayed due to mechanical issues or computer outages. For longer delays—nine hours or more—travelers could’ve received up to $775. Passengers would’ve also had the right to free rebooking on the next available flight, even if that meant hopping on a rival airline. Essentially, this was about providing everyday people with more protection when airlines made mistakes.
Why Airlines Didn’t Want This Rule
Carriers were not feeling it. Airlines argued that forcing them to pay such compensation would increase their operating costs. Translation: ticket prices for customers would go up too. That’s the spin they ran with, but for a lot of passengers, the proposed rule felt like overdue protection. After all, folks are tired of sitting in airports for hours on end with no help when flights get grounded
The Bigger Picture
This move highlights a key difference between how Europe and the U.S. treat airline passengers. In Europe, travelers already receive financial compensation for delays and cancellations. However, in the U.S., consumers are still left to fight airlines directly, with very little guaranteed assistance.