Andrew Kavan experienced the same pain as many other travelers this summer.
The first leg of his return trip home to Omaha, Nebraska, was canceled when he was on a business trip in Charleston, South Carolina.
After rebooking on another flight, he was told he'd be leaving the next morning, which meant he'd have to pay more for his trip.
Kavan paid for a hotel near him, but that wasn't the end of his expenses. He had to take a cab from the airport. He thinks the flight trouble cost him around $200.
While the right travel credit card can be a great way to offset these types of costs, many people feel that the airline should pay.
It can be very different if you feel like the airline owes you money and you get it. When you add in the long wait times you might encounter when trying to talk to a customer service agent, it's easy to see how this feels.
The airline paid Kavan back after he told his story. It took a long time. There are a few lessons you should take from his experience.
I am sure there are many travelers who have requested some sort of reimbursement from an airline, even though they feel like they will never see a dime.
Kavan had no doubts.
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He said he had a good idea that he would be paid.
He had done his homework on the reasons for the initial cancellation.
He called customer service after he was notified that his flight was canceled. He did not call them to rebook as he had already done through the app. He wanted to know why his flight was canceled.
He said that flight staff availability was the reason for it.
He was vindicated by this fact. It is unlikely that you will receive compensation for additional expenses when a flight is delayed or canceled because of issues outside of the airline's control. It's not the same when the airline is responsible for the cancellation or delay. Airlines are responsible for mechanical problems and staffing challenges.
The federal government is trying to make flyers aware of which cases they may be able to get reimbursed for. The dashboard lays out compensation policies for the major airlines. President Joe Biden claimed in a speech that the recent steps have led to expanded consumer protections.
The government's new customer service dashboard shows that Delta passengers are entitled to rebook on another airline at no extra cost if their flights are canceled. Meal cash or a voucher for three-plus hour waits, complimentary hotel accommodations, and free ground transportation will be given to affected passengers.
How soon should that be paid?
Kavan filed a complaint with Delta at the beginning of June because he knew he deserved reimbursement for the extra night in Charleston.
If he got one at all, he got some indication that it would take a little while.
He said that they would return him to him. The original email said it would take over a month.
In June there was no refunds and in July there was one. The email from the airline said his case was still open.
He received a message from Delta that they had approved him for reimbursement for the expenses he had incurred.
The message was shared by him. He could either go to a third-party site to claim his funds or the airline would just mail a check to him.
At the same time, Kavan pointed out that he was surprised how long it took.
When your flight is canceled or delayed and you decide not to travel, the U.S. Department of Transportation has guidelines on how long you should be entitled to a refunds. Within seven days for passengers who paid with a credit card or 20 days for those who paid by cash or check, airlines are expected to issueprompt refunds.
It's not clear how long it will take for a reimbursement for costs associated with hotels, meals or transportation.
Travelers who weighed in on our TPG Lounge shared a number of time frames they encountered when asking airlines for reimbursement.
After getting stuck in Chicago and spending a night at a hotel on his way home to Texas, Paul Campbell requested reimbursement from American Airlines.
Campbell said he took more than 60 days to get the hotel reimbursement and vouchers for his wife and him.
After her flight was canceled, she said her reimbursement from American took two months.
Wendy Teare said she was reimbursed quickly and without issue after her flight from Seattle to Juneau was canceled because of staffing shortages.
Teare received a flight credit for the delayed flight.
The DOT didn't give specific timelines for these sorts of cases, but a department spokesman said airlines can be held accountable for failing to provide promised reimbursements. Kavan didn't receive a promise of reimbursement during the time he waited, but he was waiting on a decision on whether he would get anything.
Travelers who don't receive the service within the time frame that they expect may file a complaint.
If a consumer complains that an airline took months to reimburse them, the DOT would be concerned. Should we find that air travelers rights were violated, we will take action against airlines.
Biden and Buttigieg have said that more regulations could be on the way.
The airline apologized and said it would look for ways to improve the customer experience. According to Delta, its agents have the power to make quick decisions on refunds and reimbursements, which has resulted in more than 11 million refunds and $6 billion in reimbursements in the last five years.
Knowing why your flight is canceled and delayed can help you decide if you should seek reimbursement. Federal guidelines state that eligible travelers should get ticket refunds within a week, but it's not clear how long it will take for reimbursements for hotels, meals and ground transportation. The federal government doesn't think it should take a long time.
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