Few things are as infuriating as a delayed flight, and canceled flights can be downright enraging, especially around the holidays. However, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the airline industry into a tailspin like never before with hundreds, if not thousands, of flights being canceled.
Unfortunately, airlines don't guarantee their schedules and the fine print on your ticket (or email confirmation) usually means you can't sue for a canceled flight. But that doesn't mean you can't or won't be compensated, and you may have some legal rights if your flight was canceled.
Airline Rights
Unforeseen events like bad weather and mechanical issues mean that no airline can promise perfect, on-time departures and arrivals. (Not only that, but most airlines expressly, if in small print, reserve the right to delay or cancel flights altogether as they deem necessary.) But carriers would rather get you where you want to go than have a bunch of angry customers.
So almost all airlines have cancellation policies designed to either get passengers to their destinations as close to on-time as possible or compensate them in some way for their inconvenience.
Each carrier's policies may vary, but generally, if your flight is canceled due to unforeseen events an airline will:
None of these reimbursements are required by law, however, and many discount airlines don't offer the same options as full-service airlines.
On the other hand, when an airline decides to cancel flights for their own reasons, U.S. Department of Transportation regulations provide that passengers are entitled to refunds “regardless of the reason” if the passengers choose not to be rebooked on a new flight on that airline.
In the case of COVID-19-related travel disruptions, many airlines are following DOT regulations and are refunding customers whose flights have been canceled. They are also allowing customers to change their flights for free or cancel flights in exchange for a credit to use on a later trip.
Passenger Rights
But just because you can't normally sue an airline if your flight was canceled, doesn't mean you don't have any rights at all. In 2011, the DOT enacted an airline passenger "Bill of Rights" -- a list of consumer protections regarding lost luggage, long delays, hidden fees, and getting bumped from your flight.
If you are involuntarily "bumped" from an oversold flight, you are entitled to double your ticket price (up to $675), even if the airline can still get you to your destination within 1-2 hours of your original scheduled arrival time. Longer delays can entitle you to four times your ticket value (up to $1,350).
Airlines are also prohibited from delaying flights on the tarmac for longer than 4 hours, and must provide access to food, water, and lavatories in the event of extended tarmac delays.
You can find out more about airline regulations and your rights as a passenger in FindLaw's Airline Rules section.
Filing false police report
A police report was filed against me for Burglary and Grand Larceny by my ex-landlord in Nevada. A warrant was issued and I went to jail. The DA dismissed the charges after I was able to produce documentation that the landlord has illegally evicted me and that I had legal right to be on the premises. Now I am planning to open a civil case against the landlord for damages and the illegal lockout. Can I press charges for her filing a false police report against me? If so what would I be pressing them for..(defamation..etc??) Anything else I should be suing her for?
I was making a U turn on a street outside my house.
When I was in the middle of the road negotiating the U, a vehicle behind me came and hit me on the driver side passenger door - almost like a T-Hit. His front bumber was damaged.
VC 21801 states one has to yield to the vehicles approaching from the opposite direction.
This vehicle was behind me approaching in the same direction.
who is at fault here?
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V C Section 21801 Left Turn or U Turn
Left-Turn or U-Turn
21801. (a) The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety.