Liars to the Flyers: What Airlines Won’t Tell You About Delays and Cancellations

Flight interruptions, cancellations, and delays are unfortunately common occurrences in the world of air travel. Whether it’s a weather-related issue, a mechanical problem, or crew shortages, dealing with these disruptions can be frustrating, especially when it impacts your schedule, your comfort, and sometimes even your finances. In recent years, airlines have been forced to adopt more passenger-friendly policies, and the law has been updated to reflect these changes, giving flyers more rights than ever before. However, I’ve also uncovered some deceptive practices airlines use to avoid fulfilling those rights during my recent travels. Understanding how to handle these situations and knowing your rights is crucial. Below are some tips for managing flight interruptions and what you should do to ensure you receive compensation or reimbursement when its warranted.

Airline Policies on Flight Delays and Cancellations

Most airlines have policies that distinguish between weather-related disruptions and operational issues. The key difference lies in whether the airline is required to provide compensation for the inconvenience caused to the passenger.

Weather-Related Delays/Cancellations: If the delay or cancellation is due to weather conditions, such as snow, fog, or thunderstorms, airlines are generally not required to provide compensation. This is considered an “Act of God” situation where the airline is not at fault, and passengers are typically responsible for covering any additional expenses, including hotel stays, meals, and transportation.

Operational Issues: On the other hand, if the delay or cancellation is due to operational reasons—such as a mechanical failure, a crew shortage, or even a flight crew member being “timed out” under FAA regulations—the airline may be required to compensate passengers. For example, if the airline has to cancel or delay a flight due to crew rest requirements or a plane malfunction, they may offer compensation for meals, hotels, or even reimburse transportation costs according to their own policies.

For example, here is American Airlines’ policy, found under their ‘Conditions of Carriage’ on their website (aa.com), which was last updated January 22, 2025. You can view it here: [https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-service/support/conditions-of-carriage.jsp]

Delays caused by us

“If the disruption is our fault or you’re diverted to another city, and we don’t board before 11:59 p.m. local time on your scheduled arrival day, we’ll arrange an overnight stay or cover the cost of an approved hotel with available rooms if you’re away from your city of residence. We don’t guarantee reimbursement for hotel expenses if you book directly without written authorization from American Airlines.”

A Personal Experience with American Airlines

Let me share my recent experience with American Airlines to highlight how this process works in practice and to demonstrate how important it is to know your rights.

I was traveling from Key West to Avoca with a layover in Philadelphia. After we boarded the plane and sat on the tarmac for an extended period, we were deboarded, and the airline told us it was due to weather conditions in Philadelphia. However, it just so happened that I had a colleague in Tampa who was also flying to Philly at the same time, and his flight went ahead as scheduled. This raised a red flag for me.

When we were deboarded, a flight attendant handed us a piece of paper with a website and an 1800-number to call for rebooking arrangements. This was done intentionally, without much fanfare, likely to get everyone to make their own changes without asking questions. The flight crew didn’t explain the process clearly, as I later found out why.  It was also disheartening to overhear a couple on the escalator saying they were just going to spend the night in the airport, unaware of any other course of redress nor how to go about making changes to their flight.

I immediately contacted the American Airlines hotline to inquire about different arrangements.  A phone representative immediately found me another flight home on Wednesday morning, that involved two layovers.  Did I mention it was currently Sunday when this all transpired?  While the rep was looking for even more lackluster options for me I asked if she had any information on my current flight that was, at the moment, delayed.  Surprisingly, the representative informed me that my delay was not weather-related, which contradicted what the captain had stated. This prompted me to dig deeper into the situation and research airline policies further.

New Laws Granting Flyers the Right to Refunds

As frustrating as flight interruptions can be, recent updates in air travel law have given passengers more leverage, particularly when it comes to refunds. Here’s what you need to know about the latest changes.

One of the most important updates in air travel law last year was a change in refund policies. If your flight is delayed or canceled, you are now entitled to a refund if you decide not to take an alternative flight, regardless of whether the reason for the delay is weather-related or operational. Previously, refunds were often denied for weather-related disruptions, but now passengers have the right to ask for a full refund in such cases.

It’s also worth noting that airlines are supposed to be more transparent about how and when they will offer compensation for delayed flights. When airlines fail to meet certain standards (e.g., if a flight is delayed for more than 3 hours), they are required to offer compensation, and in some instances you are entitled to a meal voucher, hotel accommodations, or other services.

Navigating the Claims Process

After learning about the discrepancy between American Airlines’ explanation of the delay and the official policy, I went to the baggage check to verify if they would honor their policy. To my surprise, the representative didn’t seem to want to entertain this concept.  First, after I explained that I had learned from a representative on the phone that the flight wasn’t delayed or canceled due to the weather, this rep at baggage check stated that it was due to the weather.  Then I informed her about my friend flying out of Tampa to Philly on time, and the rep tried to say that that is different because he was in Tampa.  Then after pointing out her skewed logic on that excuse, (the alleged issue was weather in Philly; not Key West or Tampa) I directly asked if she could confirm, in writing, that the delay was caused solely by weather.  This of course, she would not do.  Then, I asked again if American Airlines would honor their policy.  That’s when she advised me to save all receipts and submit a claim through the airline’s website and the airline would reimburse my expenses for a hotel, transportation and meal(s).

This brings me to another important tip: when you’re dealing with delays and cancellations, make sure you use services that allow you to easily obtain receipts. For example:

• Transportation: Use services like Uber or Lyft instead of taxis. These platforms provide digital receipts immediately, which you can easily submit to the airline when making your claim.

• Meals: Consider ordering from delivery services like DoorDash. These apps allow you to track and retain your receipt digitally, ensuring you don’t lose it when making your reimbursement request.

• Hotels: Always ensure that the hotel emails you a receipt at the end of your stay. If you have a printed receipt, snap a photo just in case.

These simple steps make the reimbursement process much easier, especially when airlines request documentation to support your claim.

A Lack of Legal Duty to Tell the Truth

Here’s the kicker: Airlines have no legal obligation to tell passengers the truth about delays and cancellations. If I, as a lawyer, were caught lying or misrepresenting facts to my clients, I’d be disbarred. Yet, in the airline industry, such practices are often overlooked. Passengers are left navigating a system where honesty isn’t always prioritized, leading to confusion and frustration. It’s like they can operate under a different set of rules when it comes to dealing with people. In this case, the captain falsely claimed that our delay was due to weather, and the hotline representative gave conflicting information. Lastly, the rep at the baggage check-in was deflecting to admit or deny anything at all. If airlines were held to the same standards as lawyers or other professionals, passengers would be treated with more honesty and transparency. Unfortunately, in the world of air travel, they often get away with misleading passengers to limit their own liability and avoid providing compensation. Heck, I would settle for them to be held to simple consumer standards… what happened to the customer is always right?

Final Thoughts on Flight Interruptions

Flight interruptions are stressful, but knowing your rights and being proactive can help you navigate the situation more effectively. If your flight is delayed or canceled, be sure to ask the airline if the issue is operational or weather-related, as this will determine whether you’ve got a chance at getting reimbursed for your troubles. (provided they tell the truth). Don’t hesitate to ask for vouchers or alternative arrangements, and remember to save receipts to make sure you can get reimbursed for additional expenses. Finally, always take the time to do your research—knowing the rules and your rights could make all the difference in ensuring a smooth resolution.

So where does my claim stand?  I submitted everything via their online form, and actually received an email correspondence from a customer’s relation agent.  It read as follows:

“I am sincerely sorry to hear about your recent experience. At American Airlines, our goal is to provide dependable and on-time services, and we apologize this was not the case during your recent trip. Your feedback is critical to improving our service, and I assure you that your detailed insights have been made available to our leadership team for further review. We’re committed to delivering the world-class customer experience you deserve and expect. 

Your business as an AAdvantage® member is invaluable to us, and we look forward to another chance to restore your confidence. As a tangible way to express our apologies, I’ve added miles to your AAdvantage® account. These miles will be visible within 24 hours. 

On behalf of the entire American Airlines team, thank you for flying with us. We look forward to welcoming you on board another American Airlines flight soon.”

So my claim has been escalated to their leadership team for further review. And they apparently gave me some miles but it hasn’t been 24 hours yet so I cannot confirm or deny that they’re actually there. I’ll report back with an update on how this claim goes.

This is all a pain, but with the right knowledge, you can hold airlines accountable and ensure you get the compensation you’re entitled to. Stay informed, save your receipts, and don’t hesitate to challenge inconsistencies. By advocating for your rights, you help build a stronger system for all travelers.  I know I’ll continue to keep a watchful eye on what goes on in the sky.