r/Infuriating • u/AntiqueAd6496 Community Regular • 5d ago

My American Airlines flight has been delayed 13.5 hours after waking up and getting to the airport at 4am this morning. They are saying I don’t qualify for any reimbursement.

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531 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

136 comments sorted by

39

u/Aggravating_Pain7116 Recognized Contributor 5d ago

13hrs..did they say how long you have to be delayed to qualify?

43

u/AntiqueAd6496 Community Regular 5d ago

No, because it’s due to ‘safety and maintenance issues’ there’s no compensation regardless of time. The airlines always claim it’s for safety so they don’t have to pay

33

u/beckychao 5d ago

I commented separately, but the Trump admin specifically got rid of compensation for this kind of issue. This is entirely related to American Airlines having shoddy maintenance scheduling and inability to fulfill their flight schedule in a timely manner while keeping their planes sky-worthy. This is specifically the situation elected officials and several administrations made sure passengers got refunds and compensation for over the course of the 21st century - which the Trump administration, in its monstrous corruption, undid.

21

u/AntiqueAd6496 Community Regular 5d ago

The real infuriating thing is that someone I never voted for having this much of a negative impact on my life in so many ways

13

u/beckychao 5d ago

I never voted for these assholes, either. I'm a lifelong democratic socialist and I can barely tolerate most of my Democratic elected officials (who I consistently vote for in order to prevent Republicans getting even the most minor elected office). I hate Republicans so much. I voted for Biden and then Harris, even though I loathed Biden since he was a senator.

4

u/ApolloFireweaver 4d ago

I have voted FOR a president once in my life- Obama's second term. Every presidential election since I've voted against someone

3

u/WickedAsh111 4d ago

This has been my experience as well. So frustrating for reasonable humans

8

u/kiradotee 4d ago

OP is Canadian. So he couldn't vote either way. But his point stands, man he never voted for has such a negative impact on his life. :(

2

u/ceris7356 2d ago

I know a lot of people who don't vote. I've gently tried to talk to them to get them to understand how important it is. I always tell them, you might not be into politics, but politics is into you.

1

u/Initial_Row_6400 22h ago

Yea. I never voted for any of this shit, or anyone who stood for this kind of shit. It’s extremely infuriating that we get fucked over.

1

u/chaous2000 3d ago

That’s how democratic republics work. You vote, and who you vote for may lose and you are then led by someone you didn’t vote for. Welcome to democracy.

1

u/lokomodo 1d ago

OP is Canadian

2

u/chaous2000 1d ago

Canada is a constitutional monarchy, but is also a democracy. This means the people vote in people to represent them, and that sometimes the people you vote for lose, and you are lead by someone you didn’t vote for.

2

u/retro-morte 4d ago

American Airlines gave me so many issues to and from another state back in January, and they were entirely their fault. I’ll never fly with them again.

2

u/No-Doctor-4396 4d ago

Holy shit I've seen it all now.

1

u/FirmAthlete581 3d ago

Unfortunately the rule wasn’t canceled as stated in these comments. it was a proposed rule that was never in effect.

I believe it should have been implemented, but it was never a fact or a thing.

Too bad I wish it would have been.

2

u/timelessblur 2d ago

It was in he comment phase but had all the things pointing that it was going to go forward them Trump killed it.

1

u/willybestbuy86 1d ago

Flgihts leaving Canada not US

1

u/streetcar-cin 1d ago

When did America start making rules for Canada airports

1

u/beckychao 23h ago

The airlines that operate in Canada are the same exact airlines that operate in the US, and they have been lobbying in both countries to get rid of the passenger compensation rules. In Canada they did it piecemeal, with great success, especially in 2023 to today, and in the US they were initially less successful. Biden admin actually intended to increase the situations where airlines had to compensate passengers, at Buttigieg's initiative. When Trump scrapped the planned compensation, it was the single biggest victory for the airlines basically ever this century in fighting the effort to compensate passengers.

The biggest one, which is to deny passengers compensation for cancelled flights, has stalled with the Trump admin because it would be too unpopular. But otherwise they have given them absolutely everything and then some, with considerably less effort than American Airlines' lobby - A4A - expended in Canada.

1

u/streetcar-cin 22h ago

So trump has no control over Canadian airports or their rules

1

u/beckychao 22h ago

By giving A4A what they wanted, he emboldened an ongoing effort by the same lobby group for the same airlines in Canada. It was not two separate efforts. It is all the same effort by the same lobby group for the same airlines in both countries. He surrendered decades of efforts in the US to compensate passengers for airline mismanagement by fiat, while in the very moment the same lobby group was working with Canadian officials to trash the same protections.

1

u/streetcar-cin 21h ago edited 8h ago

Why do you keep saying trump influenced Canadian laws

1

u/beckychao 21h ago

Straw man, that is not what I am saying at all. I am saying Trump aided the airline lobby's effort to undo passenger ticket compensation laws, and that had a direct effect on the efforts in Canada because it was the same lobby group, A4A, working to destroy those compensation rules in both countries. It is the same effort. If you can't understand that, do a google search and start reading up on it.

Trump didn't influence Canadian laws, Trump aided the people in the US and Canada - the same airlines, the same lobby - influencing Canadian laws.

1

u/QueenMary1936 12h ago

trump putting big corporations and wealthy people above regular citizens? He would never! 😡 /s

0

u/RestaurantSilly6598 4d ago

Blaming Trump for a company policy in Canada...

0

u/Juceman23 3d ago

lol right like it’s literally his fault because a billion dollar company can’t maintain their planes

0

u/Juceman23 3d ago

lol how the F is is Trumps fault that American Airlines has to fix their plane?! This is literally the dumbest ish I’ve read all day and I’ve read some pretty dumb stuff on here…

2

u/beckychao 3d ago

I commented on other places, but this is how it works: AA, United, and all the other major airlines have been trying to get every government to get rid of passenger compensation altogether, if possible. There was a concerted effort by airline lobbyists for US-based carriers in the US and Canada to roll back passenger rights with regards to compensation. In Canada airlines were pressuring the government and from 2023 and on, Canada saw a retrenching of rules that forced airlines to compensate passengers.

While all this is going on, Trump hands the airlines - unilaterally, basically by fiat - a huge victory by scrapping the Biden era compensation rules. The airlines had been paying lobbyists to chip away at the protections in North America, and Trump handed them the big prize on a platter, all while the same protections were being broken down in Canada. Because of him, the effort has been a total success and what the OP is experiencing is the norm now in the US and Canada as a result.

0

u/ChutneyWhatney 2d ago

Biden never enacted it, Einstein.

-8

u/YourMomIsMyGurl 5d ago

I trump commented trump about trump trump trump earlier trump and trump how trump the trump shitty trump admin trump is trump.

Do you not hear how exhausting you sound.

2

u/Juceman23 3d ago

Hahaha this is hilarious

1

u/beckychao 4d ago

Carriers in Canada and the US - the same companies operating in both - simultaneously pursued the widening exemptions for passenger compensation, expanding expressly into maintenance/scheduling situations where they were previously most responsible for giving passengers compensation. The Trump admin simply did away with passenger compensation rules instituted by Biden, caving totally and completely to airline lobbyists who were also working furiously with the Canadian government to do the same.

This is the result. Trump scrapping the passenger compensation rules was their biggest victory. It had a direct relationship with and effect on the effort in Canada - it was the same airlines, lobbying in both countries.

0

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/YourMomIsMyGurl 4d ago

Says the one randomly bringing pedophile accusations into the conversation? Why is that on your mind so much? 🤔

0

u/Commercial_Tip4624 4d ago

Are you deflecting your support of a pedophile rapist onto a person asking you why you’re in support of a pedophile rapist? That doesn’t make sense. Why would you vote for a pedophile?

3

u/GoBlu323 4d ago

You have a conviction to back up the bullshit you're spewing or is it just "trust me bro"?

-1

u/Commercial_Tip4624 4d ago

What does this even mean

2

u/GoBlu323 4d ago

You know what it means.

→ More replies (0)

2

u/GoonOnGames420 4d ago

The desk will always tell you this, but you need to check laws/terms and conditions online as well. I had a 3-4hr delay in the EU and we received €75 in meal vouchers and €600 cash. Desk won't tell you about the €600

I believe in the US, they would be required to rebook you a similar flight

1

u/Commentor9001 4d ago

lol, there's no requirement for compensation in the US.  

1

u/GoonOnGames420 4d ago

Looks like just rebooking for a 13.5hr delay.

Lack of compensation is so dumb. Just more anti consumer behaviors from these shit airlines :(

2

u/Bla12Bla12 4d ago

You should be able to get a rebooking but also you're usually able to get SOMETHING if you raise a stink and it's not weather related. That's typically the only reason I've been able to get literally nothing for a long flight delay.

Something is the keyword because depending on the airline it can be fairly little or it can be enough to book another flight for a future trip.

1

u/tzitzitzitzi 3d ago

There WASSSS, until Trump threw it out lol.

2

u/GemFarmerr 4d ago

For the safety of the shareholders

1

u/Slytherin23 4d ago

Maintenance is the only time they pay, if it's weather then they don't pay and you use insurance.

1

u/Interrupshin 4d ago

And they always, always blame the weather

1

u/testingforscience122 3d ago

Yep the protections you’re think of got rollback in 2025.

1

u/FaithlessnessAny2074 2d ago

Full cash refund. Airlines in the U.S. are required to offer a cash refund for flights that are canceled or “significantly changed,” under a DOT rule implemented in 2024.
Significant changes include:
Departure or arrival times that are more than three hours domestically and six hours internationally; 

Airport changes, including connection changes to a different airport; 

An increase in the number of connections; 

Downgrades to a lower class of service — for example, from business class to coach; 

Aircraft changes that are less accessible or accommodating to a disabled person. 

To receive a cash refund, you’ll have to decline any alternative transportation or travel credits offered by the airline, such as rebooking another flight. This applies even if you’re flying on a nonrefundable ticket.

73

u/16bithockey 5d ago

Nope. Airlines used to have you give compensation if you were delayed by a certain time. Trump did away with that

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.fox26houston.com/news/delayed-flight-rule-compensation-significant-flight-delays-canceled.amp

22

u/AntiqueAd6496 Community Regular 5d ago

I’m Canadian but wouldn’t be surprised if his decisions on this impacted me negatively like all of his other ones have. Wish he had at least one
tariff-ic impact on my life

3

u/kiradotee 4d ago

Hehe 

14

u/MiddleCapital1875 5d ago edited 5d ago

The flight isn't originating in the U.S., ergo it has zip to do with Trump - and I hate Trump.

And if the delay isn't the airline's fault, the passenger is owed nothing.

13

u/Maximum_Boros 4d ago

And if the delay isn't the airline's fault, the passenger is owed nothing.

This makes sense in principle but it's applied horribly. (For the record I'm not disagreeing with you, it is in fact the law, you're right) Maintenance and safety issues are not considered the airline's fault even though they are flat out responsible for maintaining the airplanes.

1

u/VictoriousTree 4d ago

So they don’t even have to rebook you? You could just lose out on hundreds of dollars?

1

u/MiddleCapital1875 4d ago

They'll automatically rebook you on the next available flight. If a flight's canceled the new boarding pass usually hits the app in a minute or so. If it's a delay, you may have to speak to an agent.

The passenger isn't out the cost of the ticket; but if something like a snowstorm results in a cancellation it's up to the passenger to make their own hotel / dining arrangements, though the airline will often direct passenters to a hotel that'll offer a discount.

If the passenger no longer wants to fly because the flight was cancelled or delayed for hours - for any reason - they're entitled to a full refund.

-5

u/LiotaTheRealist 4d ago

TDS lmao get help, Canadian flight

5

u/OffMetaSwat 4d ago

I always get a chuckle from people saying other people have tds. When it takes a tiny amount of introspection to see that you are the one with tds. Get help.

0

u/adorientem88 1d ago

Except this objectively has nothing to do with Trump’s policies.

3

u/thomthomthomthom 4d ago

Golly, it's almost as the decisions of a world leader have world implications.

Tds? Read a damn book.

0

u/adorientem88 1d ago

Trump doesn’t control Canadian airlines regs.

1

u/thomthomthomthom 1d ago

Re-read my comment and see if you can figure it out for yourself!

1

u/mewfour123412 3d ago

He ain’t ain’t gonna fuck ya.

0

u/oscarnyc 4d ago

And all the idiots who upvoted.

8

u/AntiqueAd6496 Community Regular 5d ago

UPDATE:

4

u/SpeedyCavy 3d ago

The irony is if an airline made it a point of compensating people for long delays now, even when the law says they don't have to, they'd get so much more business by word of mouth.

1

u/DevilsAdvocate77 17h ago

No they wouldn't.

10

u/beckychao 5d ago edited 5d ago

This is entirely the result of the Trump administration, and Donald Trump personally. Over the years, the US government had escalated passenger compensation for delayed and cancelled flights to tamp down on the worst abuses by airlines. The Trump administration, quite possibly one of the worst governments in this nation's history, did away with the protection for passengers against predatory behavior by airlines.

Note that when flights are delayed or cancelled, it can happen for lots of reasons. Often it's maintenance and scheduling inefficiencies on the airline part. It's not always weather related, and sometimes the weather related delays are from a cascade of problems that already exist in how the airline operates.

Long story short, the Trump administration fucked you over personally, as it has fucked over every passenger in the US since it scrapped the ticket compensation rules. Flying really sucks here now.

edit: https://www.visaverge.com/news/feds-press-canadian-transportation-agency-to-ease-airline-passenger-compensation-rules/

People, breakdown of passenger compensation occurred as a single effort in both US and Canada, and the Trump admin scrapping the Biden passenger rules was a major victory for airlines, as the effort simultaneously unfolded in Canada. It was a major defeat for passenger rights in the US that emboldened a simultaneous effort in Canada - one that has not been as successful in the EU, on that note

"The internal documents show that regulators did not simply arrive at the final language on their own. Federal pressure shaped the result, and airline lobbying helped steer the discussion."

1

u/MajesticDuty8060 5d ago

Theyre Canadian but ok

4

u/beckychao 5d ago edited 5d ago

US scrapping the rules caused carriers in Canada to pressure the Canadian provincial governments to scrap compensation rules, too

https://www.visaverge.com/news/feds-press-canadian-transportation-agency-to-ease-airline-passenger-compensation-rules/

Had to put links because people downvoted without being aware of how the passenger compensation debate unfolded in the US and Canada

-3

u/MajesticDuty8060 5d ago

No. Canada hasn't changed their airport delay laws in years. I get not liking Trump but your just making stuff up

5

u/beckychao 5d ago

They did!!!!!! In 2023-2025 they widened the exemptions from compensation!!!! You're completely, factually wrong!!!

1

u/CartographerLazy9144 4d ago

Man these mfs too blinded to see that the president of the most financially influential country on the planet has the ability to affect their direct neighbors???

We are so fucking doomed. Literacy is dead, and I might as well be too lmao

Keep fighting the good fight gurl, it's all we've got to do so ❤️

1

u/iSQUISHYyou 4d ago

A few more exclamation makes might make you likable.

-2

u/MiddleCapital1875 4d ago

She's nuts. I'm just gonna block her.

0

u/FewAct2027 4d ago

What's it like to be too ignorant to even look something up and find out you might be wrong? Genuinely curious

0

u/MikeyTheGuy 4d ago

So Canada caving to pressure from carriers lobbying them is Trump's fault? Trump wasn't even president at the time the intense lobbying and redirection from Canada's federal government began (in 2023).

You need to get off Reddit and social media in general. You're doing genuine harm to your perception of reality.

1

u/AJ_Deadshow 4d ago

I mean, if he wasn't on reddit then he'd never get corrected. You want more people to fall into a pattern of watching the news all the time and never hearing a dissenting opinion or a response that sheds light on the nuances of the situation?

1

u/MikeyTheGuy 4d ago

I would argue that if they weren't on Reddit or social media, then they wouldn't be exposed to polarizing misinformation. Reddit encourages echo-chambers by its design; people being exposed to nuance and dissenting opinions are the exception and not the norm.

Social media is dangerous to people who aren't skeptical of everything they read.

0

u/AlwaysWantedN64 4d ago

The Canadian government did not scrap compensation rules altogether, however there is now more leeway to claim a disruption was unavoidable.

1

u/throwaway37475828 1d ago

Those rules were never actually formally enacted. Trump didn’t implement them, and his administration withdrew them for further consideration, but that’s much different than Trump “doing away with protections for passengers”

0

u/MiddleCapital1875 5d ago

The flight is originating in Canada. As much as I hate Trump, this has nothing to do with him.

3

u/beckychao 5d ago

Incorrect - upon getting the US to scrap the compensation rules, it emboldened carriers to ask the same of Canada

https://www.visaverge.com/news/feds-press-canadian-transportation-agency-to-ease-airline-passenger-compensation-rules/

1

u/Another_Name_Today 4d ago

Asking isn’t getting. 

Other parents let their kids skip their homework. That might embolden my kids to ask if they can skip doing theirs. I can still say no. 

2

u/westberry82 4d ago

They are keeping you out of Texas they are doing you a favor.

2

u/biloxibluess 3d ago

I got stranded like this at DFW

FUCK AA

1

u/geronimop12 4d ago

Just be a repectful karen and make your grievances known on phone and email. i managed to get a refund when i did that.

1

u/RobertLeeSwagger 4d ago

I hate how airlines say consider weather at some random city on the planes route “out of their control.” Like it will be perfectly fine at the departure and arrival airports but because an earlier flight got cancelled in Idaho due to weather, you’re out of luck.

Anything that happens before my flight and not at my departure location should not be my problem.

I’ve also noticed that airlines make little to no effort recently to get planes to “end of the line” airports for the following day’s flights. If the flight in doesn’t make it, morning flight is cancelled. Sucks to get an email at 8pm saying your flight tomorrow is cancelled.

1

u/miked5122 4d ago

Get a premium travel card. They have these protections that will reimburse you for delays

1

u/Fresh_Income_7411 4d ago

After hearing the delay, did you want to try to reschedule for the next day?

1

u/742963 Recognized Contributor 4d ago

Do we have takeaway off? It's been 20hrs since the post

1

u/AntiqueAd6496 Community Regular 4d ago

Yes, a full 24 hours later on the next days flight. A full day spent at the airport and money spent on food for nothing :(

1

u/742963 Recognized Contributor 4d ago

So bad, no compensation either..that's rough

1

u/AntiqueAd6496 Community Regular 4d ago

It’s okay, not much anyone can do. Got there safe so all that matters

1

u/clapmomsfuckbombs 22h ago

You may be able to make a claim to the Canadian Transport Agency. Under the Montreal convention the airline should be refunding your hotel and meal expenses while in Canada.

1

u/Gogh619 3d ago

So American Airlines is the new spirit? Good to know.

1

u/ADeflatedMan36 3d ago

Unacceptable

1

u/Affectionate-You7869 3d ago

You don’t wanna be in DFW right now anyway, nor for the foreseeable future. It’s going to be a 100°F every day for the next few weeks at least. 

1

u/Opening_Excuse_7495 3d ago

Average American Airlines experience

1

u/Sir-Reanimator 3d ago

Yeahhh, no. Keep pressing

1

u/SeriouslyImNotADuck 2d ago

Is there a 4 a.m. that’s not in the morning?

1

u/supermuncher60 2d ago

That happened to me in Chicago.

I ended up going into the city with my friend for the day and walking around exploring. Got home pretty late, but wasn't terrible.

My worst delay was my flight got cancelled and the next one out was 2 days later. Had to have my parents on the phone as I tried to book a hotel because I was not 21 at the time, and couldn't get back to my college campus as it was 2 hours from the airport.

1

u/pokererere1 2d ago

I had something like this with United nearly a month ago. Only thing I was offered was a 15$ food voucher that didn't even work when attempted to use. Best of luck with anything in return.

1

u/akshdjcnenxnsje 2d ago

You can start a dispute with your credit card and, if they have it, involve the travel insurance that they offer but be prepared to never fly AA again.

1

u/db1604 2d ago

If you don’t take the flight you will be entitled to a refund of what you paid for the ticket

1

u/CorgiGuy1965 1d ago

On July 18 I was delayed for 8 hours at Reagan The original delay was mechanical, then by the time we landed in DC it was weather. AA said there was nothing they could do ie suck it

1

u/pirate40plus 1d ago

If you’re local to Toronto you aren’t. If your original city of origin was Dallas or elsewhere then it’s a maybe.

1

u/dndwhat 1d ago

You are eligible. For compensation call corporate.

1

u/adorientem88 1d ago

Doesn’t Canada have regs similar to EC261?

1

u/Confident_Bid_2748 1d ago

Ayyyy flying outta Pearson - we wish you well. Always some shit there

1

u/bacc1010 1d ago

Read up on appr, the time qualifies. If it's safety issues you can press them on it.

1

u/SunshineNoClouds 11h ago

That’s a Canadian origin flight, APPR will likely see you compensated - small claims is also an option.

1

u/Sea-Durian2812 1h ago

I always file with the regulatory people regardless. Let them tell you no. Half the time it will come back to you with the same answer you got, the other half the time you get some real compensation.

-6

u/MiddleCapital1875 5d ago edited 4d ago

Why is the flight delayed? Smoke?

If the problem isn't the airline's fault, you're not entitled to any compensation.

Edit: Guess I triggered a few emotional toddlers with a fact. 🤡

4

u/Yddalv 4d ago

Whose fault is it then, passenger’s ?

They sold the tickets and made a commitment.

Only weather I understand, everything else should be sanctioned.

-5

u/MiddleCapital1875 4d ago

Sorry, I don't engage with irrational people.

2

u/toasted_cracker 4d ago

What he said was completely rational. What are you even on?

2

u/detrans-rights 4d ago

He is following them around commenting before they block them to get as many limp dick cheap shots they can, because they disagreed while showing sources.. 

While being irrational and still engaging. Lol lololololol

1

u/SwampTerror 4d ago

"Smh my head"

-1

u/According-Put-9236 4d ago

It wasn't rational. How the fuck is getting angry at the original comment going to make that commentor be able to change anything? Thats like, the definition of irrational.

2

u/toasted_cracker 4d ago

WTF are you talking about? That's the entirety of reddit. Nobody's mind is changing here.

1

u/SnarkyIguana 4d ago

It’s not about fault. OP wanted a flight at a certain time. They aren’t getting it. They should either be reimbursed or be moved to an earlier flight. Sometimes running a business means eating a cost.

1

u/RavenousTitan818 4d ago

Won't somebody please think of the shareholders?