Does A Delayed Flight Mean Free Meals For Passengers? - Tasting Table

No federal rule requires airlines to provide free meals for delayed flights. Many airlines provide meal vouchers when delays last several hours or when flights are canceled, especially when passengers wait more than three hours. A key condition is whether the delay is controllable or uncontrollable. Uncontrollable factors include weather and air traffic control, while controllable factors include mechanical issues. If a three-hour-plus delay is caused by an uncontrollable situation, airlines generally do not have to provide meal vouchers. If the delay is controllable, airlines usually provide them. The U.S. Department of Transportation maintains a list of airlines committed to providing meals for controllable, three-hour-plus delays.

"“If your flight is delayed by more than 3 hours, your entitlement depends on whether the delay is controllable or uncontrollable,” Ocampo explains. “Examples of uncontrollable factors include weather and air traffic control, and an example of a controllable delay is a mechanical issue.” If a three-hour-plus delay is caused by an uncontrollable situation, airlines don't have to provide meal vouchers. However, if the reason is “controllable,” they usually do."

"Currently, there are no federal requirements demanding airlines offer free meals for passengers of delayed flights. That said, many airlines do offer meal vouchers when a flight is delayed for several hours or canceled, resulting in passengers waiting for over three hours. But, according to Lia Ocampo, a retired flight attendant and author of “Life, Love, and Lessons in the Sky: A Flight Attendant's Inspiring Journey,” there is even a catch to this."

"The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) lists airlines committed to providing passengers with free meals for controllable, three-hour-plus delays. The list includes all major U.S. airlines, which is good because, per CoPIRG, domestic delays over three hours jumped by 63% between"

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