It’s been a messy season for airline travel, with thousands of flights getting canceled or delayed this year. In response to all the chaos, a new proposed bill could soon force airlines to give customers a full refund for their canceled or delayed flights.
The bill, under the name Cash Refunds for Flight Cancellations, aims to codify a rule that offers customers a full cash refund for flights that have been canceled or significantly delayed with less than 48 hours notice, according to a press release published by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, on Monday. “While federal law requires airlines to provide cash refunds when they cancel a flight, most airlines only offer to rebook passengers or provide a voucher as the default option instead, forcing customers to jump through hoops to claim their rightful refund,” the release reads. Instead, the bill would give customers an enforceable right to a full cash refund for flights canceled by the airline.
The lawmakers behind the bill acted in response …