近幾年來，美國交通部通過監管管道加強了對美國航空旅客的消費者保護，最新的規則於 10 月 28 日生效。交通部規定，當國內航班延誤三小時、國際航班延誤六小時時，乘客可以要求取消機票並退款，無需支付任何罰金。此外，也要求在20天內以現金（支票或電匯）或原支付方式發放自動退款。
根據法條，持卡購票者須於收到退款申請之日起7個工作日內辦理退款；以現金或其他支付方式購票者，則須於20天內完成退款。
In subsection (b) of section 42305, the Act established requirements for the timing of the refunds required under subsection (a) . Air carriers and foreign air carriers must issue refunds not later than 7 business days after the earliest date of the refund request, as specified in subsection (f) , for tickets purchased with a credit card, and 20 days for tickets purchased with cash or another form of payment.
法條也定義了什麼叫重大改變和延誤，
The Act also defined a “significantly changed or delayed flight” in subsection (d) of section 42305 as a flight to include, at a minimum, a flight where the passenger arrives at the passenger's destination airport 3 or more hours after the original scheduled arrival time for a domestic flight and 6 or more hours after the original scheduled arrival time for an international flight.
當然，最終怎麼執行還是得看航空公司的。這個法條有個缺點就是不像歐洲的那樣有具體針對航空公司的處罰措施，因此約束性較弱。如果你真的沒有在指定時間拿到退款，只能靠申訴或起訴的方式，對於一般人來說還是麻煩了點。希望未來能慢慢加上吧
