Amid the frustration of summer travel, understand your rights as an airline passenger

ST. Louis (KTVI) – Air travel anxiety is a theme of the summer travel season, and more Americans are feeling it this year.

As of July 18, 45.3 million travelers passed through U.S. airport checkpoints, an average of 2.5 million a day, according to TSA statistics. This is a significant increase from the same period last July, when there were 40.4 million tourists, averaging 2.2 million daily.

“I view this as the perfect long-term storm,” said President Paul Hudson. flyersrights.org.

Hudson said delays in congestion at the country’s major airport hubs, outdated computer systems, and a shortage of pilots and air traffic control have compounded the frustrations experienced by travelers across the country.

“Airlines generally aren’t going to advise you on your rights,” he said.

Hudson advises travelers to study their airline’s terms and conditions of carriage, because not all are the same.

“Customers are entitled to so-called involuntary refunds if flights are canceled or significantly delayed,” he said. “If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you have the right to reserve your hotel, meals and ground transportation.”

Hudson recommends flying direct whenever possible.

“If your flight gets canceled at the point of departure, you have other options. If it gets canceled midway, you can be stuck not just for hours, but sometimes for days,” he says.

What should I do if I am stuck waiting for my connecting flight?

“Airlines will usually offer you another flight on their own airline, but you can request that your ticket be used on another airline.

Even if the airline tells you the flight is full, you may have the option of waiting on a later flight, he said.

“In many cases, that’s not true. It is possible to ask for a refund, and it’s clearly a deceptive practice, so you usually get a refund of the extra amount you paid,” Hudson said.

according to U.S. Department of Transportation“In the United States, airlines are not obligated to compensate passengers if their flights are delayed or cancelled. ”

Nor does federal law require airlines to provide monetary or other compensation to passengers when flights are delayed due to weather.

Hudson said if you think you’re entitled to compensation from the airline, you can. file a complaint with DOT.