Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel applauded the new rules protecting airline passengers who are now eligible for increased compensation when bumped from flights, from $650 up to $1,300 depending on when the airline gets them to their destination.  

Rep. Engel said, “These new rules, which went into effect Tuesday (8/23), will assure that passengers are treated better by domestic and international airlines. Now, passengers are subject to the whim of airline convenience, leading to waiting on the tarmac or being bumped from flights when airlines overbook.”

Passengers now can get up to $400 if the airline can get them to their destination within a short period of time (within one to two hours of their originally scheduled arrival time for domestic flights), or up to $800 if they are delayed for a lengthy time. Inflation adjustments will be made to the new compensation limits every two years.

Also, under new rules issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, international flights delayed on U.S. airport tarmacs more than four hours must allow passengers to deplane, with exceptions allowed for safety, security or air traffic control-related reasons. A three-hour rule already exists for domestic flights.

Airlines must also refund any baggage fee if the bag is lost. Airlines already have to compensate passengers for lost, damaged or delayed baggage. The airlines must post changes in baggage fees on their websites for three months and prominently disclose all fees for optional aviation services on their websites.

The Department of Transportation’s new rule also expands the existing ban on lengthy tarmac delays to cover the international flights of foreign airlines at U.S. airports, and establishes a strict four-hour time limit on tarmac delays for all international flights at U.S. airports.  It also extends the three-hour tarmac delay limit for domestic flights, currently in place only at large-hub and medium-hub airports, to flights at all airports as well.

Carriers must also ensure that passengers stuck on the tarmac are provided adequate food and water after two hours, as well as working lavatories and any necessary medical treatment.

“These rules are long overdue for airline passengers,” said Rep. Engel.”

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