Federal · DOT rule, 14 CFR 234

New federal rule changes how airlines report the cause of delays and cancellations

Published October 16, 2026 · Last updated October 16, 2026

What it does

Airlines that report to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) must tag each reportable delay or cancellation with a cause. The “Air Carrier” code is reserved for circumstances within the airline’s control. The rule adds a new code, “Section 511(b),” and says these ten events must not be reported as Air Carrier: (Final rule, 14 CFR 234.4(h)(5) and (i)(6))

1. Aircraft cleaning necessitated by the death of a passenger
2. Aircraft damage caused by extreme weather, foreign object debris, or sabotage
3. A baggage or cargo loading delay caused by an outage of a bag system not controlled by a carrier or its contractor
4. Cybersecurity attacks (if the airline complies with applicable cybersecurity regulations)
5. An unexpected shutdown or failure of government systems that directly affects safe flight operations
6. Overheated brakes due to a safety incident resulting in emergency procedures
7. Unscheduled maintenance, including for an airworthiness directive, that can’t be deferred or must be fixed before flight
8. An emergency that required medical attention through no fault of the carrier
9. Removal of an unruly passenger
10. An airport closure due to volcanic ash, wind, or wind shear

Who it affects

• Air travelers, including South Carolinians flying from CHS, GSP, CAE, MYR or anywhere else, on airlines that report delay data. DOT counts 13 reporting air carriers. (Final rule, regulatory analysis)
• Airlines, which must change how they code and report delays and cancellations.

Cost and impact

DOT’s analysis says all reporting airlines that sell tickets commit in their customer service plans to free amenities for lengthy controllable delays and cancellations, and some also offer non-cash compensation. Because the ten events are now excluded from the Air Carrier category, DOT says:

“the number of delays and cancellations for which air carriers provide amenities and compensation to consumers is expected to be reduced.”

DOT says it cannot reliably estimate the size of that reduction, because it does not know how often the ten events happen, and it treats the change as a “transfer of value from consumers back to air carriers.” (Final rule, “Transfers”)

For airlines, DOT estimated compliance costs as either minimal or, in a higher scenario, $8,659 per carrier and $112,567 total one-time for all 13 carriers. (Final rule, “Costs”)

What this means for you: if your flight is disrupted by one of the ten listed events, it is less likely to be treated as the airline’s fault in official data, which DOT expects to reduce the amenities and compensation airlines provide. Check your airline’s customer service plan for its specific commitments.

Current status

The final rule was published September 3, 2026 with an October 19, 2026 effective date. After a September 21, 2026 request from Airlines for America, DOT delayed the effective date to February 1, 2027. Airlines will use the new categories for delays and cancellations of flights on or after January 1, 2027. DOT said the delay also gives it time to get Paperwork Reduction Act approval for the revised data collection. (Delay notice, FR Doc. 2026-21058)

Every statement above is drawn from the official source text linked here; section references are shown in grey. This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Spot an error? Tell us.