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How Have the Tarmac Delay Rules Affected You?

Just over three months ago, the Department of Transportation’s tarmac delay rules took effect. The policy stipulates that no flight can be delayed on the tarmac for more than three hours, and that airlines must provide water and functioning restroom facilities during the delay. Consumer rights activists applauded the idea, while many in the industry dismissed it and warned of countless canceled flights and more inconnienvece for passengers.

What we want to know is whether or not any SmarterTravel readers have experienced the rule in practice, or felt the unintended consequences of the new restrictions. Have you been on a long tarmac delay and been supplied with water and snacks? Have you been on a flight that seemed doomed for a long delay, only to have it take off just under the three-hour mark? Has an airline canceled a flight due to a potential tarmac delay, even when you thought the plane could make it?

Share your experiences in the comments section below, and check back often to see how the new rules are affecting SmarterTravel readers. Thanks!

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