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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Know Your Rights on One of the Busiest Air Travel Days

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Wednesday, November 26, 2014   

BOISE, Idaho - You have the right to be compensated, and more, if you encounter certain travel problems while flying over the holiday. With a winter storm in the forecast for the East Coast, flight delays could ripple across the country.

Abe Scarr, director of the Public Interest Research Group in Illinois, says people who don't fly often may be unaware of their rights as airline passengers. For instance, rules adopted in the last few years address being stuck on a plane that isn't taking off.

"If you're stuck on the tarmac over a period of time, the airline is required to give you food and water and medical attention," Scarr says. "After three hours, they either have to return you to the airport or be in the air."

For overbooked flights, he says there is no mandatory amount of compensation for those who volunteer to be bumped, but airlines typically negotiate if you're willing to take a later flight. In the case of an involuntary bump, Scarr says if the flight isn't re-booked within two hours, a passenger is owed 200 percent of the one-way fare, up to $650.

Scarr says passengers also have rights when it comes to lost luggage, so it's worth making a note as you pack of what you're taking on the trip and what it's worth.

"If your bag is just simply delayed, the airlines are required to reimburse you for reasonable expenses, such as toiletries or a change of clothes," explains Scarr. "If they lose your bags, they're required to refund any checked-baggage fees, and reimburse you for the lost items, up to $3,400."

He says airlines are required to provide information about how to file complaints and must respond to a complaint within 60 days.


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