TAMPA, Fla. — The busy Labor Day journey weekend is lastly right here. The US Department of Transportation launched a brand new tool you should use to help navigate what companies some airlines ought to owe you in case your flight is canceled or delayed.
During this Labor Day weekend, Tampa International Airport expects to see about 340,000 passengers.
“We’re going to go visit family,” mentioned Lola Morgan. “This is actually our son’s first time going, so we’re going to be super excited. It’s his first time on a plane at all.”
Over the previous few months, hundreds of individuals have felt the stress of flight delays or cancellations.
“It was very frustrating because we were late, the first plane was late, then we were trying to get there back on time, and then the second plane was late,” mentioned Garvin Zephyrin.
On Thursday, the US Department of Transportation rolled out a new airline customer service dashboard. The DOT mentioned it’s meant to give folks a one-stop spot to get information on the companies they need to get from airlines in the event that they expertise delays or cancellations which are brought on by one thing throughout the airline’s management, like a mechanical or staffing challenge.
Some passengers thought the tool is nice for transparency.
“If you’re saying, ‘hey, it was our fault. We messed up,’ that’s great,” mentioned Zephyrin. “That’s great. You’re going to, ‘this is what we can do for you.’ Now, we know, and honestly, I feel more comfortable flying with that airline because I know I don’t have to fight with you to get what’s due to me.”
The dashboard confirmed ten airlines, together with American, Delta, and Southwest, and laid out completely different companies, from rebooking passengers to giving meal vouchers.
“I think it’s pretty cool. It’s nice to know and not have to guess,” mentioned Ronda Travis.
Before you head out in your travels, TPA needs folks to ensure to arrive early earlier than their flight and use the blue specific curbsides if they will.
When it comes to a refund, the DOT mentioned, “regardless of the cause of significant delays or cancellations, airlines are required to provide prompt refunds to ticketed passengers should a passenger choose not to accept the alternative offered such as rebooking on another flight.”