New rules for US airlines to automate refunds to passengers for cancelled flights

"These rules are not only critical but also common sense," said William McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel, who was present at the event and praised the government's move (via post). The process reportedly took more than a year to finally become a rule. In addition to full refunds from airlines in case of cancellation, passengers will also get full refunds when their flights are changed drastically, when their bags are delayed, and when they don’t get the inflight amenities they paid for, such as Wi-Fi.

As per Pete Buttigieg (Transportation Secretary), “Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling.”

According to the Transportation secretary, most of these rules are likely to go into effect in about six months, while others will start in a year. This timeline might be disappointing for those planning summer vacations but good news for those who have already booked vacations during Thanksgiving.