President Trump’s administration is reversing a former President Biden-era plan to require airlines to compensate passengers with cash, meals and other expenses for disruptions caused by U.S. carriers.
The rule, which was first introduced in 2023, would have provided customers between $200 and $775 in compensation, along with lodging and meals, if the delay took place because of an airline system outage or a plane having a mechanical issue.
The plan was opened for public comment in December, the last weeks of Biden’s White House term.
The Department of Transportation (DOT), led by Secretary Sean Duffy, said in a notice on Thursday that “consistent with Department and administration priorities, the Department plans to withdraw the ANPRM.”
The scraping of the rule was endorsed by Airlines for America, a trade group that represents Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and others.
“We are encouraged by this Department of Transportation reviewing unnecessary and burdensome regulations that exceed its authority and don’t solve issues important to our customers,” the group said in a statement on Thursday to multiple news outlets.
Airlines in the U.S. have to issue refunds to passengers if their flights are canceled, but they do not have to offer compensation if delays occur. Although U.S. airlines do offer compensation such as hotel stays and meals if customers experience significant delays.
“Some of the rules proposed or adopted by the previous administration went beyond what Congress has required by statute, and we intend to reconsider those extra-statutory requirements,” a Transportation Department spokesperson told The New York Times.
