Conn. air travelers to benefit from new refund rules for flights

Starting in late October, Connecticut residents whose airline flights are canceled or delayed for more than three hours will get automatic cash refunds.

State Attorney General William Tong and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Monday announced final adoption of the new federal rule regarding refunds and a second one involving fee disclosures. Blumenthal said the new U.S Department of Transportation rules send a message to airlines that “the status quo won’t fly anymore.”

“Consumers deserve relief from the headaches and haggling that have been part of flying for most of our lives,” Blumenthal said.

The rule involving refunds is triggered on domestic flights that are delayed more than three hours, and for international flights delayed more than six hours. It also requires refunds for delayed baggage, or when purchased services, such as Wi-Fi, are not provided.

Tong spokeswoman, Elizabeth Benton, said “the rule regarding refunds goes into effect on Oct. 28.”

As for fee transparency, that new rule requires airlines to disclose upfront what travelers will be charged for baggage and reservation changes, according to Tong.

“When flights are canceled or seriously delayed, or when things go wrong with baggage or promised services, passengers deserve prompt refunds,” Tong said. “And no one should be hit with surprise junk fees — not for airline travel, or any other transaction.”

The fee transparency changes go into effect on a staggered basis between Oct. 30 and April 30, 2026.

The rule changes follow a combined effort by attorneys general across the country to encourage the federal Transportation Department to strengthen consumer protections for air travelers.