What changed: The US Department of Transportation published a final rule on 3 September 2026 that takes effect on 19 October 2026. It creates a new reporting category for 10 causes of delays and cancellations that were previously counted as within the airline's control. Because US airlines tie their meal, hotel and compensation promises to "controllable" disruptions, DOT itself expects fewer disruptions to qualify for those amenities.
The 10 causes being moved
- Cleaning an aircraft after a passenger death
- Aircraft damage from extreme weather, debris or sabotage
- Baggage system outages the airline does not control
- Cyberattacks, where the airline complied with the rules
- Government system failures affecting flight safety
- Overheated brakes after a safety incident
- Unscheduled maintenance or airworthiness directives
- Medical emergencies that are not the airline's fault
- Removing an unruly passenger
- Airport closures from volcanic ash, wind or wind shear
Who it affects
Passengers flying with the US airlines that report delay data to DOT, including Delta, United, American and Southwest. Foreign airlines are not covered. This is a US rule, so EU and UK passenger rights rules for flights they cover are unchanged.
Key dates
- 3 September 2026: final rule published
- 19 October 2026: rule takes effect
What to do now
- If a US airline delays or cancels your flight, ask the gate or app for the stated cause and screenshot it.
- Check the airline's customer service plan to see which amenities it still offers for the cause given.
- The rule does not directly change DOT's separate refund rules, so a cancelled flight may still qualify for a refund.
- For long trips, consider travel insurance that covers delays regardless of cause.
