New Interactive Website Helps Travelers Deal with Flight Cancellations

As Labor Day approaches and the inevitable travel surge comes with it, anyone who plans on flying is likely already preparing to deal with delays, cancellations, and snafus. The Department of Transportation, which has already taken airlines to task for delaying the payout of refunds, is rolling out a new website to help travelers stay informed.

The website will be launched on September 2, according to Travel + Leisurejust in time for Labor Day Weekend travel. A tweet from the DOT elaborates that the website will “allow consumers to compare in one place airline customer service offerings like food or hotel when the cause of a cancellation or delay was due to circumstances within an airline’s control.”

The website’s dashboard will be sourced from information that airlines have already committed to in customer service plans. You’ll be able to see what you are entitled to from various airlines, all in one place.

“When passengers do experience cancellations and delays, they deserve clear and transparent information on the services that your airline will provide, to address the expenses and inconveniences resulting from these disruptions,” DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote in a letter shared by Travel + Leisure. Buttigieg continued, noting that the “level of disruption Americans have experienced this summer is unacceptable.”

With at least 124,000 flights already canceled in 2022, surpassing the total number of flights canceled in 2019, it has been a rough year for travel. Staffing shortages at airlines have affected pilots, airport security, baggage handlers, customer service agents, and more. And if you haven’t had a flight canceled, you’ve likely experienced at least one flight delay. With this new website, you’ll at least be able to figure out how you can be compensated for all the hassles.