Bill · S. 3347· Senate(119-S-3347)
Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation Act
- Introduced
- 12/4/2025
- Last activity
- 12/4/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Sponsored by
- Mark Kelly
- Cosponsors
- - 15 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation Act requires the Department of Transportation to establish new rules for airlines regarding flight disruptions. It mandates the creation of an Aviation Rulemaking Committee to develop recommendations for passenger compensation and amenities. The bill seeks to ensure air carriers provide cash compensation, free rebooking, and coverage for expenses like meals and lodging when flights are significantly delayed or cancelled due to the carrier's actions. An interim final rule would require $750 in cash compensation and other essential services for impacted passengers. These requirements would apply to both domestic air carriers and foreign air carriers.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+7
The bill mandates cash compensation, free rebooking, and meal/lodging coverage for passengers facing significant flight disruptions.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+4
Mandated cash compensation and amenities provide financial relief to travelers during unexpected travel disruptions.
Would middle-income households be better off under this?+4
The bill protects travelers from the unexpected costs of flight delays through mandatory reimbursements and cash payments.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Cash Compensation for Delays: Passengers may receive cash compensation of at least $300 for delays between 3 and 6 hours, or at least $600 for delays of 6 hours or more, if the delay is directly attributable to the carrier (Section 2(a)(1)(B)).
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Free Rebooking: Travelers may be provided with free rebooking on another flight or an alternative means of transportation at the earliest available opportunity (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(ii) and Section 2(b)(2)(A)(ii)).
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Amenities and Lodging: Passengers facing overnight delays could receive complimentary meals or meal credits, hotel accommodations, and ground transportation to and from the hotel (Section 2(b)(2)(A)(iii) and Section 2(b)(2)(A)(iv)).
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Baggage Protections: The bill aims to create a clear and prompt process for passengers to receive compensation for damages resulting from the disappearance of, damage to, or delay in delivery of personal property or baggage (Section 2(a)(3)(G)).
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Information Access: The bill promotes an educational process to ensure passengers receive correct and timely information regarding their compensation and reimbursement options (Section 2(a)(3)(E)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Uncertainty of Attribution: The bill requires a process to determine if a delay is "directly attributable" to the air carrier, which may affect whether a passenger is eligible for the promised compensation (Section 2(a)(3)(D)).
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Potential for Different Compensation Levels: While the interim rule specifies a $750 compensation amount, the Committee's recommendations include a different scale of $300 to $600 depending on the length of the delay, which could lead to variations in what passengers receive (Section 2(a)(1)(B) and Section 2(b)(2)(A)(i)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+4Good For Middle Class Households+4Good For Urban Residents+2
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+7
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3
- 12/4/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 16 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Michael BennetDemocrat · Colorado
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
John ReedDemocrat · Rhode Island
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Tina SmithDemocrat · Minnesota
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island