Cause of Airline Delay and Cancellation Categories Under Section 511(b) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024
- Published
- Sep 3, 2026
- Effective
- Oct 19, 2026
- Citation
- 91 FR 56588
- Docket
- Docket No. DOT-OST-2026-1257
- Agencies
- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, Office of the Secretary
Final rule.
Summary
The Department of Transportation has updated its rules for how airlines must report the reasons for flight delays and cancellations. The change follows Section 511(b) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which tells the agency that ten particular kinds of events—such as extreme weather, air‑traffic‑control shutdowns, and security threats—cannot be counted as “carrier‑controlled” causes. By creating a separate reporting category for these events, the rule aims to make the data that airlines submit to the DOT and share with passengers more accurate and reflective of the statutory distinction between problems the airline can manage and those it cannot. The rule was issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation and applies to all U.S. air carriers that report delay and cancellation information to the DOT, including both scheduled airlines and charter operators. It requires carriers to use the new category when any of the ten excluded events is the primary cause of a disruption, while continuing to use the existing “air carrier” code for issues within the airline’s control. The final rule was published on September 3, 2026, and becomes effective on October 19, 2026. Airlines must adjust their reporting systems by that date to comply with the new category. No further public comment period is required, and the DOT will begin monitoring the revised reports once the effective date arrives.
AI-generated summary — verify against the Federal Register text.
Official abstract
The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is amending its regulations governing how air carriers report the causes of flight cancellations and delays. This action implements Section 511(b) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which mandates that ten specific types of events be excluded from the "Air Carrier" causal reporting code. That code is reserved for circumstances that are within the carrier's control. This final rule creates a new reporting category to capture these ten specific events, ensuring that the data reported to the Department and shared with the traveling public accurately reflects the statutory distinction between carrier-controllable events and the specific exclusions identified by Congress.
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