White House drops plan to make airlines pay travelers for delayed flights

The Trump medication is scrapping a projected Biden-era rule that would person made airlines wage customers for agelong waits erstwhile their flights were delayed, according to a papers from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

On Friday, the Transportation Department published a notice that it is officially withdrawing the projected rule, introduced successful 2024 nether President Biden and then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The regularisation would person required airlines to wage passengers $200 to $300 for home delays lasting astatine slightest 3 hours, and up to $775 for formation delays lasting astatine slightest 9 hours. 

The agency, which had archetypal said successful September that it planned to abandon the proposal, said the announcement volition beryllium published successful the Federal Register connected Monday. The rider extortion measurement would person created "unnecessary regulatory burdens," the Transportation Department said Friday.

In October, a radical of Democratic senators defended the regularisation successful a missive to the Trump administration, calling it a "common-sense proposal" that would person held airlines accountable for their mistakes. They noted that delays tin spot a fiscal strain connected families erstwhile they are forced to rebook flights oregon unafraid overnight accommodations.

Customers successful the U.S. are entitled to refunds for cancelled flights, but nary akin protections are successful spot erstwhile it comes to delays. 

The bureau connected Friday explained its rationale for ditching the measure, saying the determination would "allow airlines to vie connected the services and compensation that they supply to passengers alternatively than imposing caller minimum requirements for these services and compensation done regulation, which would enforce important costs connected airlines."

When reached for remark Friday, the Transportation Department told CBS News that the "Biden-Buttigieg connection was conscionable that — a proposal."

"It was dropped aft the predetermination successful the waning days of the administration. It was ne'er enacted, and does not bespeak the compensation consumers are presently entitled to with respect to delays and cancellations," an bureau spokesperson said. 

Edited by Aimee Picchi

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