FAA ground stop disrupted your flight. Who pays for refunds, hotels and meals?

Passengers whose flights are canceled during Friday's nationwide FAA ground stop are entitled to a full refund under federal rules, even if they purchased nonrefundable tickets. Airlines must issue the refund if travelers decline an alternative flight, regardless of what caused the cancellation.

A short delay does not automatically qualify a passenger for a refund, but if an airline cancels a flight or the revised itinerary meets the Department of Transportation's legal definition of a significant change, passengers can decline the alternative and receive their money back.

"That's true even when the FAA causes the problem," Christopher Elliott, a syndicated consumer travel columnist, told Newsday in an emailed statement. "If you accept a rebooking or a credit, though, you give up the refund. Don't tap 'accept' in the airline app until you've decided."

The rules do not require airlines to cover other costs travelers may face, including hotel rooms, meals or missed reservations. Travel insurance and some credit cards may offer additional protection, depending on the policy and circumstances.

Passengers should keep cancellation notices, booking confirmations and receipts for additional expenses. If an airline refuses a required refund, travelers can contact the carrier and file a complaint with the DOT.

Which airlines are offering rebookings?

Southwest Airlines is allowing eligible passengers affected by Friday's FAA ground stop to rebook or fly standby without paying a fare difference as soon as 8:30 p.m. Friday, the airline announced. Eligible passengers can change their travel within five days of their original departure date, keeping the same city pairs.

The airline said the disruption stemmed from a national air traffic control frequency outage and resulting FAA ground stop measures, which were outside its control.

When are you entitled to a refund?

According to the DOT's refund rules, passengers are entitled to a full refund if an airline cancels their flight or makes a significant change to their itinerary and they decline the alternative flight or travel credit.

A significant change includes a flight scheduled to depart at least three hours earlier or arrive at least three hours later than originally scheduled for domestic travel. For international flights, the threshold is six hours. Other significant changes include being moved to a different airport, having additional connections added to the itinerary or being downgraded to a lower class of service.

Refunds must include the unused portion of the ticket and applicable fees for services the passenger did not receive, such as checked baggage or seat selection. Airlines must automatically issue qualifying refunds to the original form of payment, within seven business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods. Passengers do not need to submit a separate refund request.

Will the airline pay for a hotel or meals?

Not necessarily. Federal rules do not generally require airlines to provide hotel accommodations, meals or cash compensation when flights are delayed or canceled.

Some airlines voluntarily offer meals, hotel rooms or transportation during certain disruptions. However, those commitments vary by carrier and may apply only when the disruption is within the airline's control. An air traffic control issue may fall outside those commitments.

Passengers should check their airline's policies and ask customer service what assistance is available. If an airline agrees to cover an expense, travelers should confirm the terms before booking a hotel or making other arrangements and keep receipts.

What about missed hotels, cruises and other plans?

The DOT's refund rule does not reimburse travelers for expenses beyond the airline ticket. That means passengers generally cannot rely on the airline refund process to recover the cost of a missed hotel stay, cruise, rental car or prepaid tour.

A nationwide ground stop does not automatically entitle travelers to compensation from hotels, cruise lines or other travel companies, Elliott said. He recommends contacting those businesses directly to ask whether they will waive cancellation fees or allow travelers to reschedule.

Some travel insurance policies may cover those losses. Comprehensive policies can include trip interruption, trip delay and missed connection benefits, which may help pay for prepaid reservations, additional hotel nights, meals or transportation, depending on the coverage.

"Most comprehensive policies treat an air traffic control shutdown as a covered reason under the trip delay benefit," Elliott said. However, coverage varies by policy, including how long a delay must last and the maximum amount travelers can claim. Policies purchased after a disruption is announced generally will not cover that event.

Travelers should also check whether the credit card used to purchase their airfare includes trip delay or interruption protection. Elliott said some premium cards offer trip delay benefits that can reimburse eligible expenses after a qualifying delay. Chase Sapphire Reserve and the American Express Platinum Card pay up to $500 after a six-hour delay. Many other cards require 12 hours.

Travelers should keep receipts and documentation of the disruption and submit claims promptly.