What is Rule 240?
Rule 240 often refers to individual airline’s rules specifying the amenities offered to affected passengers when there is an irregular flight operation, including flight delays and cancellations. When a customer purchases an airline ticket, he enters into a contractual agreement. This agreement or, “Contract of Carriage”, comprises a number of rules that reflect the rights and responsibilities of the customer and the airline. Please note: Rule 240 is not a government mandated rule or regulation. Why is it called Rule 240? Historically, the airlines have followed the same standard numeric format for listing contract of carriage rules, and “Rule 240” is the placeholder for rules dealing with flight delays and cancellations. However, not all airlines follow this practice and may simply refer to such rules in their contract of carriage under the the heading “Delayed or Canceled Flights” or “Failure to Operate as Scheduled”. What does Rule 240 say? In general, airline “Rule 240” policies ar
Well, back in the days when airlines were regulated by a government agency, they all had to abide by some sensible rules to protect passengers in case of, among other things, a cancellation or misconnection that was within the airline’s control. These rules were incorporated in the airlines’ contracts of carriage. Post-deregulation, these rules no longer had to be followed, but some airlines, whether formed after or before deregulation, perhaps because they were too lazy to completely rewrite their contracts, kept the same rules. Airlines formed after deregulation typically didn’t incorporate these rules into their contracts, and some have done away with them. Anyway, Rule 240 originally stated that in the event of a cancellation or flight misconnection, the airline would have to put you on their next flight out, or, if that wasn’t “acceptable,” on the next flight out of a competing airline if that flight would get you to your destination sooner, all at no additional cost to you. If on
Before airline deregulation in 1978, all airlines in the US had specific steps to take if they needed to cancel a flight or delay one significantly. These steps were called Rule 240, and usually applied when the airline was clearly responsible for the delay. In general, cancelled flights due to bad weather or events outside of the airline’s control did not fall under this rule, though many airlines worked with people who held tickets to get them a seat on another plane or help provide accommodations for them so they could fly out the next day. Since deregulation, most airlines have retained a Rule 240, but this can differ with each airline. The wise traveler needs to be aware of his/her rights under any airline’s interpretation of the rule, since it is not an uncommon thing for flights to be delayed or cancelled through a mishap or problem with the airline. When you plan to fly, take along a copy of any airline’s rule 240. Ticketing agents may not always be aware of protections for the
It’s the part of your contract that tells you what your airline must do if its flight doesn’t take off as scheduled. Not if the weather prevents your plane from flying. Not if there’s a “force majeure” event, like a natural disaster, war, or any circumstances beyond the airline’s control. If the plane doesn’t fly, and it’s the airline’s fault, turn to Rule 240. Most Rule 240s – each airline’s rule is slightly different – allow for the following: • If your flight is delayed by more than two hours, you’re entitled to a free three-minute phone call in the continental U.S. • If the delay is more than four hours, and it happens between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., then you can get a voucher for a hotel room. Also included: free ground transportation to the hotel. • Rule 240 also entitles you to meal vouchers if you’re delayed by more than a few hours on some airlines. But check the fine print. It’s often only the first-class passengers that get free food. Where do you find your airline’s Rule 240? U
It was created by the old Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) before the days of airline deregulation. The rule was a paragraph in an airlines’ contract of carriage – the legal agreement between the passenger and the airline – that states its responsibilities to passengers when a flight is delayed or canceled. Rule 240 mandated that an airline facing a delayed or canceled flight had to transfer the passenger to another carrier if 1) the second carrier could get you to your destination more quickly than the original line and 2) it had available seats. Before airlines were deregulated in 1978, all the big U.S. airlines adhered to this rule. Does it even exist? Story continues below Advertisement digGetAd(“Rectangle”); This answer is an ongoing feud in the travel industry. Some travel “experts” and even some airlines say it’s a myth, while others say it exists. In today’s deregulated environment, airlines don’t have to post tariffs so technically Rule 240 no longer exists; hence, some people th
