DOT TO REQUIRE CARRIERS TO DEVELOP AND POST ONLINE ONE-PAGE DOCUMENT ON PASSENGER RIGHTS
April 30, 2026
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On April 24, 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation published a final rule requiring covered air carriers to submit to DOT and post to their websites a one-page summary of passenger rights (“Passenger Rights Summary”). This new rulemaking implements a requirement set forth in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, and as such, DOT issued this final rule without first providing the public with an opportunity to comment.
This rule will be incorporated into 14 C.F.R. 259, which applies to all U.S. and foreign air carriers operating to, from, or within the United States, conducting scheduled passenger service or public charter service with at least one aircraft having a designed seating capacity of thirty (30) or more seats.
The Passenger Rights Summary must cover the carrier’s policies regarding:
- Rebooking options, refunds, meals, and lodging for flight delays of various lengths.
- Rebooking options, refunds, meals, and lodging for flight diversions.
- Rebooking options, refunds, meals, and lodging for flight cancellations.
- Compensation for mishandled baggage, including delayed, damaged, pilfered (stolen), or lost baggage.
- Voluntary relinquishment of a ticketed seat due to overbooking or priority of other passengers.
- Involuntary denial of boarding and forced removal for whatever reason, including for safety and security reasons.
This final rule becomes effective on May 26, 2026. Carriers should therefore be prepared to submit their Passenger Rights Summary to DOT by May 26, 2026. Please note, however, DOT will not begin accepting submissions until it publishes a separate notice announcing OMB approval and providing specific submission instructions. That notice is forthcoming and we will update you as soon as it is published.
Carriers must also be prepared to post their Passenger Rights Summary in a prominent location on their websites within 90 days after submission of the summary to DOT.
A carrier’s Passenger Rights Summary must comply with existing DOT regulations, including those pertaining to oversales and automatic refunds for cancellations, significantly changed flights, and lost or significantly delayed baggage. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding this rule or would like assistance drafting or reviewing your Passenger Rights Summary.
This Aviation Blog Post 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.
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