President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have announced the start of the rulemaking process that would require airlines to compensate passengers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the airline's control. “American air travelers deserve better,� Biden said on Monday. The rulemaking pledge continues a push by the Democratic administration to require airlines to improve customer service, and it comes just weeks before the start of the peak summer travel season. The aim of the rules would be, for the first time, to require airlines to pay compensation beyond a ticket refund and to cover expenses that consumers incur, including rebooking on another flight, if the airline causes a cancellation or significant delay. Airline-caused cancellations include flights scrubbed for mechanical issues with the plane or lack of a crew. There is no certainty if or when the Transportation Department might publish final rules around new compensation for travelers. The rule-making process can take months or years.

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