Travel & Passenger Rights Hub

David's wedding was in 14 hours. His tuxedo was somewhere between Chicago and Rome. United Airlines assured him it would arrive "on the next flight." That was three days ago.

The wedding photos show David in a hastily purchased ill-fitting suit from a Roman department store. Cost: €800. United's compensation offer: $96.32. Their reasoning? The Montreal Convention limits liability to 1,288 Special Drawing Rights (about $1,700), but United decided David didn't "prove" the tuxedo's value with receipts. The tux he'd owned for five years. That was currently touring Europe without him.

Welcome to modern air travel, where airlines lose 26 million bags per year and treat passengers like cargo that occasionally complains. Where a six-hour delay is "weather-related" even when the sky is crystal clear. Where "mechanical issues" is code for "we sold your seat to someone who paid more." Where customer service is an oxymoron and your rights depend entirely on which side of the Atlantic you took off from.

The €600 You Didn't Know They Owed You

Here's something airlines pray you never learn: If you're flying to, from, or within the EU and your flight is delayed over 3 hours or cancelled, you're entitled to up to €600 in compensation. Not a voucher. Not miles. Cash money. It's called EC 261/2004, and it's the best-kept secret in aviation.

Sarah Martinez discovered this after Lufthansa stranded her in Frankfurt for nine hours due to "operational requirements" (translation: crew scheduling screwup). She missed her connection, her meeting, and her patience. Lufthansa offered her a €10 food voucher and a smile. She filed an EC 261 claim instead. Two months later: €600 in her bank account.

The airlines hate EC 261 so much they've spent millions lobbying to kill it. They'll tell you the delay was "extraordinary circumstances" (it wasn't). They'll claim weather (check the historical weather data - sunny day). They'll say it was air traffic control (request proof - they won't have it). They'll do anything except pay you the money they legally owe.

In 2024, European airlines owed passengers an estimated €3.3 billion in EC 261 compensation. They voluntarily paid out €340 million. That's 10 cents on the dollar. The other 90%? Kept by airlines betting you don't know your rights or won't fight for them.

American Airlines: Where Basic Economy Means No Dignity

Remember when flying meant something? When airlines competed on service instead of how many humans they could cram into a metal tube? American Airlines does, and they've spent two decades systematically destroying every pleasant aspect of air travel.

Their latest innovation: Basic Economy tickets that don't let you pick a seat, bring a carry-on, or change your flight even if you're willing to pay. Maria Chen bought one for her father's funeral. When the funeral was rescheduled one day later, American wanted $450 to change a $180 ticket. Their response to her tears at the gate? "You should have read the terms and conditions."

Those terms and conditions, by the way, are 47 pages long. Longer than the constitution. More complex than most legal contracts. Hidden in subsection 12.3.2: American can change anything, anytime, for any reason, and your only recourse is to pound sand.

Spirit Airlines: How Low Can You Go?

Spirit Airlines built a business model on human misery. $89 flight? Sounds great until you realize that's just for your body. Want to bring a bag? $65. Pick a seat? $47. Print a boarding pass at the airport? $10. Use the bathroom? Not yet, but give them time.

Kevin Thompson's Spirit horror story is legendary in aviation forums. His flight from Detroit to Fort Lauderdale was delayed 7 hours. No food vouchers. No hotel for stranded passengers. When the flight finally boarded at 2 AM, they ran out of overhead space and gate-checked his carry-on. The one he'd paid $65 to bring aboard. Did he get a refund? What do you think?

The bag arrived in Fort Lauderdale four days later. Missing: His laptop charger, prescription medication, and faith in humanity. Spirit's response: "Gate-checked bags are not our responsibility." The bag they forced him to check. After he paid to carry it on. That's the Spirit difference.

Delta: Premium Price, Poverty Service

Delta markets itself as a premium airline. Their prices certainly are premium. Their service? Let's talk about Christmas 2024, when Delta's "weather-related" meltdown stranded 500,000 passengers. The weather in question? A cold snap in Atlanta that every other airline somehow managed to handle.

Jennifer Williams spent four nights sleeping in Detroit Metropolitan Airport with her three kids. Delta's daily food allowance during the crisis? $12 per person. In an airport where a bottle of water costs $7. Her $3,200 Christmas Disney vacation? Completely missed. Delta's compensation: $200 in SkyMiles and an apology email that misspelled her name.

The Department of Transportation fined Delta $27 million for the meltdown. Sounds like a lot? Delta made $3.6 billion in profit that year. The fine represented 0.75% of profits. That's like fining someone making $50,000 a year about $375. For stranding half a million people during Christmas.

The Wheelchair Apocalypse Nobody Talks About

Airlines damage or lose 29 wheelchairs every single day. These aren't just mobility devices - they're $15,000 to $50,000 custom medical equipment that insurance won't replace quickly. But to baggage handlers, they're just another thing to throw.

Marcus Johnson, a Paralympic athlete, watched from the window as American Airlines baggage handlers dropped his $42,000 racing wheelchair onto the tarmac. Then ran it over with a baggage cart. Then shrugged and loaded it anyway. American's liability? $3,800 maximum under DOT rules. The chair was destroyed. Marcus missed the competition he'd trained two years for.

The airlines' solution? Nothing. They've opposed every attempt to strengthen wheelchair protections. They've lobbied against allowing power chairs in cabins. They've fought compensation increases. In 2024, after decades of advocacy, the DOT finally proposed new rules. The airlines' response? They're suing to block them.

The Overbooking Scam That's Completely Legal

Airlines oversell 150,000 flights per year. They sell tickets to people they know they can't accommodate, betting some passengers won't show up. When everyone does show up? "Voluntary" bumping that's about as voluntary as a mugging.

Dr. David Dao learned this the hard way on United Express Flight 3411. When he refused to "volunteer" to give up his seat so United employees could fly, they called the police. The video of him being dragged, bloodied, down the aisle went viral. United's initial response? He was "disruptive and belligerent." The settlement? Undisclosed, but probably enough to buy several planes.

What's changed since then? United says they've "improved their policies." Translation: They now offer up to $10,000 in vouchers to avoid dragging incidents. Note: vouchers, not cash. Vouchers that expire. With blackout dates. On Basic Economy tickets. The cycle continues.

Your Rights (The Ones They Hope You Never Use)

Here's your airline rights cheat sheet they definitely don't want you to have:

EU Flights (EC 261): 3+ hour delays or cancellations = €250-€600 cash compensation. Missed connections their fault = same. Lost luggage = €1,700. Airlines must provide meals, hotels, and transport during long delays. Don't accept vouchers unless they're additional to cash compensation.

US Flights: Involuntarily bumped = 200-400% of ticket price (max $1,550) in cash. Lost luggage = $3,800 max domestic. Tarmac delays over 3 hours = you can deplane. Airlines must refund cancelled flights - not vouchers, real money.

International (Montreal Convention): Delays causing damage = compensation up to 5,346 SDR ($7,200). Lost luggage = 1,288 SDR ($1,700). Death or injury = 128,821 SDR ($173,000). Keep every receipt. Document everything.

How to Fight Back and Win

Airlines count on you being tired, frustrated, and giving up. Don't. Document everything with photos and timestamps. Get gate agents' names. Screenshot weather reports. Save boarding passes. Record conversations where legal.

File complaints with the DOT (US) or national enforcement bodies (EU). Use credit card chargebacks for services not provided. Take them to small claims court - airlines rarely show up and you win by default. Use social media - nothing gets airline attention like viral bad PR.

Consider claim services like AirHelp or ClaimCompass for EU claims - they take 25-30% but handle everything. For US issues, AirCare and Service by Appointment track disruptions and automate claims. For disability discrimination, contact the DOT Disability Hotline immediately.

Remember David from the beginning? He documented everything, filed claims under the Montreal Convention, initiated a credit card dispute, and posted his tuxedo's "European tour" on Twitter. Final compensation: $1,700 Montreal limit + $800 credit card refund + $500 United voucher to stop tweeting. His tux? Still missing, but at least it's traveled more than most Americans.

The airlines have turned flying into a dystopian nightmare of fees, delays, and human suffering. They've normalized incompetence and monetized misery. They've bet billions that you'll accept it.

Prove them wrong. Know your rights. Document everything. Fight every injustice. Make denying legitimate claims more expensive than paying them. Because the only thing airlines understand is money, and the only thing they fear is passengers who know their rights.

They lost your luggage. Make sure they find their checkbook.