航班延误的航空公司退款：交通部 (DOT) 实施了一项具有里程碑意义的规定，要求美国航空公司为取消或严重延误的航班自动提供现金退款

这项由交通部长皮特·布蒂吉格 (Pete Buttigieg) 倡导的新规定于周一正式生效，旨在简化全国航空公司客户的退款流程。

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.

美国运输部 (DOT) 公布了一项突破性规定，要求美国航空公司对取消或严重延误的航班自动提供现金退款。此举旨在简化退款流程，让乘客能够迅速收回费用。

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.”

新规定于周一生效，适用于全国所有航空公司客户。交通部长皮特·布蒂吉格（Pete Buttigieg）在社交媒体上宣布了这一举措，并表示：“当航空公司欠乘客钱时，乘客应该拿回他们的钱，而无需头痛或讨价还价。”

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.

根据交通部规定，国内航班取消或延误超过三小时、国际航班延误超过六小时的航班，乘客有权获得全额退款。行程发生重大变化，例如出发机场不同或中转时间增加，乘客也有资格获得现金退款。

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.

该政策将保护范围扩大到遇到意外费用和未履行服务的旅客。如果托运行李处理不当，在国内航班到达后 12 小时内或国际航班到达后 15 至 30 小时内未退回，航空公司必须退还行李费。如果航班上不提供选座、Wi-Fi 或机上娱乐等服务，乘客还有资格获得退款。

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.

自动退款规则还要求航空公司及时处理退款：信用卡购买需在 7 天内处理，其他付款方式需在 20 天内处理。值得注意的是，除非乘客特别选择，否则航空公司不得替代旅行券或积分。

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.

这项新规定在繁忙的假期旅行季节之前出台，增强了乘客的权利，并为美国航空业的透明度制定了新标准。