American Airlines ordered to compensate family after flight delay

A Federal Civil and Commercial Court has ordered American Airlines to indemnify a family following a 14-hour flight delay and cancellation on a route between New York and Los Angeles. The passengers, traveling from Buenos Aires, were forced to spend the night in the airport with two minor children after the airline failed to provide accommodation.

Judge Marcelo Gota rejected the airline's defense of ‘force majeure,’ stating that American Airlines failed to prove that weather conditions in New York were extreme enough to make operations impossible or necessitate airport closures. The court ruled that the company must be properly equipped to handle such situations.

Under civil aviation regulations, passenger rights vary based on the duration and cause of the disruption. If a delay is the airline's responsibility and exceeds eight hours, the company is required to provide meals, accommodation, and transportation between the airport and the hotel. If a delay exceeds four hours, passengers may also request a full refund of their tickets.