Airline fine print travel hacks
I am sure I am not alone in being a person that rarely reads the “fine print” and didn’t realize how beneficial it can be when you are faced with challenges during travel like delayed flights. I keep seeing IG accounts pop up that present you with a multitude of hacks for every facet of life and determined that where they are related to travel, ignorance is not in fact bliss.
Below I have outlined a few related to air travel that I wanted to share:
IF YOUR BAG IS DELAYED, DAMAGED OR LOST:
According to The Department of Transportation, you could be entitled to up to $3,800 in compensation for Domestic Flights and they MUST compensate you for reasonable, verifiable and actual incidental expenses. They are NOT allowed to set an arbitrary daily amount for interim expenses like saying they will pay you “up to $50 per day that a bag is delayed”
You can find specific policies of how to submit a complaint in the fine print of each carriers Contract of Carriage. An airline’s Contract of Carriage can seem daunting, but its an excellent resource specifically for baggage. Today I learned via United’s site how and at what cost one could transport antlers when flying, the more you know….
A specific example for Delta would be that you must notify Delta within 24 hours of the incident occurring or it will be denied and you must then provide written notice within 21 days of the incident. Save all receipts of purchases made if your bag is delayed of items you had to purchase as a result like clothes, toiletries, skincare to you can submit them for reimbursement.
IF AN AIRLINE ASKS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO GIVE UP THEIR SEATS
If an airline asks for a volunteer to give up a seat, there is no legal limit to what can be offered so don’t be afraid to ask and negotiate! They need to find a solution and will likely be open to offering more than what they initially suggest. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for cash instead of vouchers as many airlines are authorized to compensate with cash.
** If you have knowledge of what you would be entitled to if “bumped” from a flight as noted below, you could use that as a tool for negotiation. Example: If you were entitled to $775 if bumped, you could ask for just below that and make the case that they would legally have to pay you more if you are bumped so they are saving money by compensating you for the your requested amount as a volunteer.
IF YOU GET BUMPED FROM A FLIGHT
The Department of Transportation requires the following:
If your arrival to your destination is the same time as your original arrival time or up to an hour later, you are legally entitled to ZERO compensation.
If your delay is between 1 hour and 2 hours you are entitled to 200% of the one-way fare up to $775.
If your delay is over 2 hours, you are entitled to 400% of a one-way fare up to $1,550
** with some airlines, you may not be eligible if you did not check-in on time, or arrive at your departure gate on time so make it a good practice to follow your required check in times to avoid losing access to compensation.
IF YOUR FLIGHT IS DELAYED OR CANCELLED
This can vary by airline so you should go to the Airline’s Customer Service Dashboard or Contract of Carriage for more details. Keep in mind it applies to delays or cancellation due to reasons within the airlines control like staffing or mechanical. The important takeaway here should be that you are very likely entitled to more than what the will try to offer you if you don’t know where to look. It should be noted that Allegiant, Frontier, Spirit and Southwest offer the least in this area so be aware of this before choosing them as an airline.
BOTTOM LINE: Like in many areas of life, many of us tend to take the first offer because we don’t know or think that we are entitled to more, so anytime you are caught up in a situation similar to one of these while travelling, know where to find the fine print and read it before accepting what is offered!
