Maintenance delay? Airlines may soon have fewer reasons to compensate you

Flight delayed or canceled? For airline passengers, it's already an uphill battle to get any sort of compensation.Soon, travelers may have even fewer protections.The U.S. Department of Transportation just finalized a rule that could make it harder for flyers to get a free meal or a hotel voucher when their travel plans get upended by a dreaded maintenance issue.The change, which alters how the government views maintenance delays, was ordered by a federal law passed in 2024. It's set to take effect in October.Once it does, airlines could face less pressure to pay up when flights are delayed due to mechanical problems.That means passengers could be on the hook to pay for whatever expenses pile up while they're stuck.AL DRAGO/GETTY IMAGESLet's take a look at what's changing, why this is happening, and how you can protect your wallet when you fly in the future.It's already a hurdle to get compensated for flight delaysAlready, passengers are often out of luck when flight delays and cancellations pop up.Airlines typically don't pay for stranded flyers' expenses when bad weather or air traffic control problmes lead to flight woes. Those disruptions are typically considered outside the air...