DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE CASH COMPENSATION BILL
January 28, 2026
Eckert Seamans has prepared the information in this update for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice nor substitute for legal advice. Neither your receipt of information from this website nor your use of this website to contact Eckert Seamans or one of its attorneys creates an attorney-client relationship, as the firm may, for example, already represent another party involved in your matter. Accordingly, you should not provide confidential information to Eckert Seamans. Persons seeking legal advice should consult a licensed professional attorney in their state. The firm’s Terms of Use, Legal Notice, and Disclaimer detailed herein are expressly incorporated into the Aviation Regulatory Update.
Several Democratic members of the United States Senate recently introduced the Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation Act seeking to require carriers to provide cash compensation and free rebooking for passengers facing significant delays and/or cancellations which were “directly attributable” to the carrier. If finalized, the Act would obligate carriers to reimburse passengers for hotels, meals, and transportation resulting from flight disruptions, regardless of the cause. The legislation follows DOT’s decision last month to withdraw an advance notice of proposed rulemaking which would have required carriers to pay affected passengers depending on the length of delays. The withdrawn rulemaking would have brought DOT into general alignment with what is currently required by regulators in other jurisdictions, notably Canada and the EU. At this time, there are no Republican senators supporting the legislation, making movement on this matter very unlikely unless and until Democrats retake the Senate majority after the 2026 midterm elections.
Eckert Seamans’ Aviation Blog is intended to keep readers current on developments in the law. It is not intended to be legal advice. If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr at 202.659.6622 or esahr@eckertseamans.com; Drew Derco at 202.659.6665 or dderco@eckertseamans.com; Tyler Myers at 202.659.6642 or trmyers@eckertseamans.com, or any other attorney at Eckert Seamans with whom you have been working.
Share This Post
Authors
