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Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a reminder to state residents about their rights as airline passengers under the newly implemented rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), effective as of June 25th. A video detailing these regulations is available on the Michigan Attorney General’s YouTube channel. Additionally, Attorney General Nessel leads the USDOT Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee, which assesses and has advocated for enhancements in aviation consumer protections, submitting recommendations to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in January of the previous year.

“The recent IT systems outage that severely disrupted air travel underscores the need for strong passenger protections,” Nessel said. “These new DOT regulations hold airlines accountable for fair treatment and timely refunds, restoring confidence in air travel and ensuring the rights of passengers are protected. I encourage any Michigan resident who has faced issues receiving a refund after a delay or cancellation to file a complaint with my office.” 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) clarifies that passengers are entitled to refunds under the following circumstances:

1. Flight Cancellations or Major Alterations: Passengers have the right to a refund if their flight is either cancelled or undergoes significant changes which they do not wish to accept, including opting out of proposed alternate travel options or credits. For the first time, what constitutes a “significant change” has been explicitly defined. Changes that qualify include shifts in departure or arrival times exceeding three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international ones, a switch to a different airport, additional layovers, a downgrade in service class, or a change to less accessible or accommodating aircraft for disabled passengers.
2. Delayed Baggage: If a passenger’s checked baggage is delayed beyond 12 hours after a domestic flight’s arrival or between 15 to 30 hours after an international flight’s arrival, they are eligible for a refund of their baggage fee, contingent upon the filing of a mishandled baggage report.
3. Unprovided Paid Services: Refunds are also due for fees paid for services not rendered by the airline, such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment.

Airlines are mandated to issue automatic, prompt, and full refunds via the original payment method when these situations occur.

The USDOT has also introduced a new consumer dashboard at flightrights.gov. This online resource monitors airline adherence to these rules and outlines their commitments to customer service, including a section dedicated to active service members and their families.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Nessel launched a collaboration with the USDOT to facilitate the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s review of consumer complaints and the identification of breaches in federal aviation consumer protection laws.

Details about these updated regulations and passenger rights are available on the USDOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection website.

Residents experiencing recent flight delays or cancellations who have not received due refunds under these new regulations are urged to lodge a complaint with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team or directly with the USDOT.

Additionally, the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team has compiled a comprehensive library of consumer alerts, accessible online and categorized by various topics.