A new edition of the Federal Aviation Regulations comes into force on March 1, 2026. The key change is that passengers will be able to return even a non-refundable ticket if a flight is delayed by more than 30 minutes. Industry expert Oleg Panteleev told RIA Novosti about this.
The amendments also protect passengers who miss the outbound departure: previously, airlines automatically canceled all subsequent segments of the itinerary, but now the return ticket remains valid. Another change concerns children under 12 years old — airlines are required to provide them with adjacent seats next to accompanying adults.
The meal provisions during delays have also been adjusted. Soft drinks are now to be provided after three hours of waiting instead of two, and hot meals after six hours instead of four. According to Panteleev, the amendments are clarifying in nature and should not affect ticket prices.
In addition to flight delays, money for a non-refundable ticket can also be refunded on other grounds: illness of the passenger or a family member, death of a close relative, as well as force majeure circumstances — in all cases, supporting documents will be required. A simple unwillingness to fly is not considered grounds for a refund.