Travelers who experience ‘significant delays’ to receive refunds [Video]

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The U.S. Department of Transportation is poised to implement a new rule designed to benefit airline travelers.

For the first time, the DOT has defined a “significant delay” as three hours for a domestic flight and six hours for an international flight. Under those circumstances, passengers will be entitled to full refunds within seven days.

The new refund policy applies to all airlines doing business in the United States, including international carriers. It will take effect in October 2024.

While airline lobbyists say the industry is already improving customer service, the new federal rules are designed to force improvements to scheduling and reduce cancelations and delays.

Southwest Airlines passengers could see additional changes, which are partly the result of the increased scrutiny over Boeing’s production process. The FAA is capping the number of airplanes Boeing can produce as part of a safety review of the company’s manufacturing procedures.

Southwest, …