Traveling today just does not seem like it used to be. Planes are more crowded, airports more congested, security lines longer, and delays more commonplace. In fact, it is no longer uncommon for something to go wrong at some stage of your journey. When this happens, you might wonder if you are entitled to any sort of compensation. While the days of airlines handing out refunds and free tickets to anyone who asks is over, there are some secret passenger rights that you should know about so that you can take advantage of them when the situation arises.
Get Your Money Back When a Flight is Oversold
You might not think it is possible that an airline with 100 seats on a plane would sell 110 tickets, but it happens more often than you might believe. This is because an airline assumes that some people will not show up and they want to maximize revenue. The practice becomes a problem when everyone does happen to show up. The airline will have no choice but to bump some passengers. While they will ask for volunteers first, this will become an involuntary bumping if there are not enough takers. If you are one of the unlucky ones, know that you are entitled to a cash refund of up to 200 percent of the cost of a one-way ticket for a delay of one to four hours. That rises to 400 percent if your delay is more than four hours.
Go For Cash
Many airlines will offer you vouchers for future travel in lieu of cash. These vouchers are not as valuable as you might think. You are locked into the vendor and there may be restrictions and blackout dates attached. You have the right to get cash, so make sure you tell the airline that this is what you want.
Get Free Ticket Cancellation
Here is a little known fact. If you have ever booked and paid for airline tickets only to suddenly realize that you do not want to take the trip, you now have options. It is now commonplace for airlines in the United States to offer you 24 hours to change your mind. If you cancel the ticket within that time frame, you will receive a full refund.
Do This When Your Flight is Delayed
When a flight is delayed due to something within the control of the airline, you have options. There are times when a flight delay can seriously inconvenience you and cause you to miss connections or reserved ground transportation. If that happens, the airline must cover those expenses or provide you with a full refund to help you get to your next destination as quickly as possible.
Get Cash For Lost Luggage
This section is for all those readers who have ever been left staring at an empty baggage carousel. You stood there waiting for your bags to come, only to discover that they are lost. Depending on how long it takes the airline to find your bags, you are entitled to some cash. The amount depends on the destination but could be as much as $1,675 in certain situations.
These are five of the many rights that you have as an airline passenger. It is important to know what they are and how to get compensation should one of these events happen to you. While you hope to be able to travel on time and according to your itinerary, that just does not always happen. It is nice to know that you have rights, so know how to make use of them.