Travel Industry Secret: Rule 240|ABC 7 News

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Travel Industry Secret: Rule 240

posted 11:15 pm Mon November 19, 2007 -

tags: rule • 240 • plane • airline

More delays and even cancellations are possible as the holidays draw closer, but there's a travel industry secret the airlines don't like to talk about that could save you a long wait at the ticket counter.

Traveler Tom Spink says he has found a way around cancelled flights, long-line headaches and ticket-counter stone-walling. "Most travelers don't know about it. If you speak up and say you're required to do this, I've been accommodated every time."

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ABC 7 News - Travel Industry Secret: Rule 240

It's called "rule 240" and it's plastered all over the internet. "it's one of the last bulwarks against airline inconvenience," says George Hobica from Airfarewatchdog.com.

The theory goes if you step up to the counter, whisper "rule 240" to an agent and you're on the next flight out paid for by your errant airline.

"The delay or the misconnect has to be in the airline's control. You can't just go up there and ask for rule 240 if it's an air traffic problem or weather delay," says Hobica.

Rule 240 says if an airline cancels or delays your flight because of mechanical problems, they have to pay for the next flight out, on any airline.

If there's no flight out, they have to pay for a hotel.

Many carriers have a rule like this in their contracts of carriage. It can be found on your airline's website. Passenger Tom Spink says a little persistence with carriage contract in hand makes all the difference. "I wanted to go on another airline. They said no, we got another flight six hours down the road. I said no, there's one in an hour, I want to be on it. And they said okay."

Even though most people in the travel industry are aware of rule 240, the experts say there are no guarantees. They say you'll have the best luck with established airline. If you don't want to get stuck in the airport, print out a copy of your contract of carriage and bring it with you.

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