CINCINNATI — New federal regulations make it easier for travelers to get their money back after flight cancellations or significant delays. Ahead of the busy holiday travel season, automatic refund rules are now in effect for canceled or significantly delayed flights.

Travelers at CVG airport said this new policy provides additional security for passengers.

“I hope the airlines who put people in a difficult situation will take some responsibility,” Maureen McKenna said.

Haley Bennett flew out of CVG for a trip to Thailand this week. Bennett said the new rules helped take some of the stress out of Tuesday’s travel day.

“It definitely provides a layer of confidence that as a consumer I will at least somewhat form my plans,” Bennett said.

Passengers will now get money back for:

• Flight cancellations
• Domestic delays of 3 hours or more
• International delays of at least 6 hours.

This doesn’t mean passengers will get both a refund and a new flight; regulation covers only one or the other.
“I think the refunds are great,” said Ryan Walker, who left CVG for a business trip this week. “I recently got a loan for some hurricanes in Florida, and it’s not always easy to use because it doesn’t fit your schedule, so it’s a lot easier to get the money back and use it where I want.”

Maureen McKenna was flying from Cincinnati with her family this week. He is optimistic about the impact the new policy will have on airlines.

“Hopefully this will encourage airlines to keep them on track to meet their goals,” he said.

Sometimes you catch your flight on time, but your bag can’t. You now have the right to refund your baggage fee if your baggage is delayed for more than 12 hours on domestic flights and 15 hours on international flights. You’ll also get a refund if you don’t receive prepaid services like seat selection and Wi-Fi.

“It just makes things easier and allows you to use your money wherever you want,” Walker said.

“If you are affected by a delay or cancellation, it’s nice to at least get rewarded for the plans you’ve been waiting for and relying on for so long.”

How do you get your refund?

The new rule also aims to make it easier for passengers to get refunds without having to fill out any additional paperwork. If your flight is cancelled, you can now expect a refund to your original form of payment. Refunds made to credit cards will be made within 7 days, and refunds for other payment methods will be made within 20 days.

Refunds will be issued automatically; You don’t need to request it. These rules will not apply if you accept an airline’s offer to rebook you on a new flight. The same applies to delays. If you are still flying on a delayed flight, you are not entitled to a refund.

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