航班延誤的航空公司退款：交通部 (DOT) 實施了一項具有里程碑意義的規定，要求美國航空公司為取消或嚴重延誤的航班自動提供現金退款

這項由交通部長 Pete Buttigieg 倡導的新規定於週一正式生效，旨在簡化全國航空公司客戶的退款流程。

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has unveiled a groundbreaking rule mandating U.S. airlines to issue automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights. This move aims to simplify the refund process and empower passengers to recoup their expenses swiftly.

美國運輸部 (DOT) 公佈了一項突破性規定，要求美國航空公司對取消或嚴重延誤的航班自動提供現金退款。此舉旨在簡化退款流程，讓旅客快速收回費用。

The new regulation went into effect on Monday and applies to all airline customers nationwide. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the initiative on social media, stating, “Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling.”

新規定於週一生效，適用於全國所有航空公司客戶。交通部長皮特·布蒂吉格（Pete Buttigieg）在社交媒體上宣布了這一舉措，並表示：“當航空公司欠乘客錢時，乘客應該拿回他們的錢，而無需頭痛或討價還價。”

According to the DOT rule, passengers are entitled to full refunds for any canceled flights or those delayed by more than three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights. Significant changes to the itinerary, such as a different departure airport or increased layovers, also qualify passengers for cash refunds.

根據交通部規定，國內航班取消或延誤超過三小時、國際航班延誤超過六小時的航班，旅客有權獲得全額退款。行程發生重大變化，例如出發機場不同或轉機時間增加，旅客也有資格獲得現金退款。

The policy extends protection to travelers encountering unexpected fees and unfulfilled services. If checked baggage is mishandled and not returned within 12 hours of a domestic flight's arrival or 15 to 30 hours for international flights, the airlines must reimburse the baggage fees. Passengers are also eligible for refunds on services like seat selection, Wi-Fi, or in-flight entertainment if these are unavailable on their flights.

該政策將保護範圍擴大到遇到意外費用和未履行服務的旅客。如果托運行李處理不當，在國內航班到達後 12 小時內或國際航班到達後 15 至 30 小時內未退回，航空公司必須退還行李費。如果航班上不提供選座、Wi-Fi 或機上娛樂等服務，乘客仍有資格獲得退款。

The automatic refund rule also mandates that airlines process refunds promptly: within seven days for credit card purchases and within 20 days for other payment methods. Notably, airlines are prohibited from substituting travel vouchers or credits unless specifically chosen by the passenger.

自動退款規則也要求航空公司及時處理退款：信用卡購買需在 7 天內處理，其他付款方式需在 20 天內處理。值得注意的是，除非乘客特別選擇，否則航空公司不得取代旅行券或積分。

This new regulation comes ahead of the busy holiday travel season, bolstering passenger rights and setting new standards for transparency within the U.S. airline industry.

這項新規定在繁忙的假期旅行季節之前出台，增強了乘客的權利，並為美國航空業的透明度製定了新標準。