周一，一根光纤电缆被切断，导致往返美国东海岸机场的数千个航班受阻，根据美国法律，客户有权获得全额退款，但他们也有其他选择，AirHelp首席法律官Eric Napoli告诉Fox News Digital。"根据美国国内航班法律，规定是你有权获得全额现金退款，" Napoli解释道。"如果你往返欧洲且适用欧洲规则，如果延误原因直接归咎于航空公司，那么你可能有权获得高达700美元的赔偿。但在这种情况下，这完全超出了航空公司的控制范围。这是塔台到地面的问题，所以你得不到任何赔偿。但你有权获得的是——如果你决定不乘坐该航班，或者他们安排的下一个航班——全额现金退款，" Napoli说。
After a severed fiber optic cable disrupted thousands of flights to and from East Coast airports on Monday, customers are entitled to a full refund under U.S. law, but they also have other options, Eric Napoli, the chief legal officer at AirHelp, told Fox News Digital. "Under U.S. domestic law on flights, the rules are that you're entitled to a full cash refund," Napoli explained. "If you are flying to and from Europe and fall under European rules, if the cause of the delay is directly attributable to the airline, then you could be entitled to up to $700. In this case, this is completely outside of the airline's control. This is a tower-to-ground issue, so you don't get any compensation. But what you are entitled to is — if you decide not to take that flight, or whatever flight they give you next — a full cash refund," Napoli said.
美国交通部长Sean Duffy指责Amtrak导致航班取消，声称是施工队切断了电缆。然而，该公司迅速反驳。
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed Amtrak for the cancellations, claiming that a construction crew cut the cable. However, the company quickly pushed back.
拉瓜迪亚机场跑道因例行晨检发现塌陷而关闭 "此事件发生在新泽西交通局的财产上，并涉及一名新泽西交通局承包商，" Amtrak在声明中说。
LAGUARDIA AIRPORT RUNWAY SHUT DOWN AFTER SINKHOLE DISCOVERED DURING ROUTINE MORNING INSPECTION "This incident occurred on New Jersey Transit property and involved a New Jersey Transit contractor," Amtrak said in a statement.
新泽西交通局承认在电缆被切断的现场进行作业，但声称"施工队距离公用设施标记约10英尺处挖掘。" 因为该事件并非由任何航空公司引起，前往和离开欧洲的客户无权获得欧洲法律规定的700美元现金赔偿——如果延误是由机场造成的，他们本应有权获得该赔偿，Napoli说。
NJ Transit acknowledged working on the site where the cable was cut, but claimed "the crew was digging approximately 10 feet away from the utility markings." Because the incident was not caused by any of the airlines, customers traveling to and from Europe are not entitled to a $700 cash payment that European law would entitle them to if the airport caused the delays, Napoli said.
达美航空航班因厕所漏水淹没客舱两次备降 乘客被困数小时 “在这种情况下，欧洲法律不会规定航空公司必须支付赔偿，因为网络连接问题完全超出了航空公司的控制范围——就像飓风来袭一样。如果飞机出现技术故障且无法及时修复，这属于航空公司的业务和运营模式范畴，因此航空公司需支付高达700美元的赔偿，”他对福克斯新闻数字版表示。
DELTA FLIGHT DIVERTED TWICE AFTER LAVATORY LEAK FLOODS CABIN, LEAVES PASSENGERS STRANDED FOR HOURS "In this scenario, European law wouldn't say that the airline has to pay compensation because the network connectivity issue was completely outside of the airline's control — as it would be, for example, if a hurricane were flying in. If the aircraft had a technical issue and they weren't able to fix it in time, that's part of the airline's business and operating model, so an airline would have to pay up to $700," he told Fox News Digital.
根据美国法律，顾客有权获得全额现金退款。然而，如果他们接受航空公司提供的改签航班，将失去获得退款的选择权，那不勒斯说。
Customers are entitled to a full cash refund under U.S. law. However, if they take an offer from the airlines to rebook their flights, they lose the option to get a refund, Napoli said.
“通常的情况是，航空公司会找到乘客说：‘我们要么取消了航班，要么将航班改期至第二天，并已为您安排了另一班航班。’乘客可以选择‘我要不要乘坐另一班航班？’也许现在没有理由去费城看比赛了，所以您不想改期。在这种情况下，您可以拿回钱。如果您决定乘坐该航班，则无法退款，因为您已经消费了服务，”他解释道。他建议顾客主动争取退款，而不是等待航空公司主动赔偿。
"Generally what happens is the airline will come to the passenger and say, 'Either we've canceled the flight or we've rescheduled the flight for the next day, and we've put you on another flight.' The passenger then has the option to say, 'Do I want to take the other flight, or do I not want to?' Maybe now there's no reason to go see the game in Philadelphia, so you don't want to be rescheduled. In that case, you get your money back. If you decide to take the flight, then you wouldn't get your money back because you have consumed a service," he explained.
“一般来说，如果您不主动要求，就拿不到退款，所以您必须相当积极主动。现在航空公司在其应用程序中提供改签航班的服务做得很好，因为这种情况对他们来说也是一场噩梦。航空公司必须突然找到所有这些乘客并为他们改签。这就像俄罗斯方块游戏——伴随着延误连锁反应的多米诺骨牌效应。航空公司会尽力提供帮助，但对于获得餐券、出租车或酒店等其他事项，旅客需要精明且积极主动，”他继续说道。
He recommended customers take initiative in receiving their refunds rather than waiting for the airlines to reimburse them. "Generally, if you don't ask for it, you're not going to get it, so you have to be pretty proactive. Airlines have gotten really good now with offering rescheduled flights in their apps, because a situation like this is also a headache for them. The airlines have to suddenly find all of these people and rebook them. It's Tetris — along with the domino effect of delay after delay. The airlines will try to help, but for other things like getting a food voucher, a taxi, or a hotel, the traveler is going to have to be savvy and proactive," he continued.
这就是 AirHelp 介入并提供帮助的地方。我们的网站上有大量信息，还提供 24/7 在线聊天服务，让您随时了解最新情况。我们还有一款应用程序，可以告知您航班是否延误或进港航班是否准时，这样您就可以查阅像我们这样的信息来源。谈到根据欧洲法律获得赔偿等事宜时，航空公司并不会让您轻松办成，" Napoli 补充道。
"That's where AirHelp comes in and helps. We have lots of information on our website and a 24/7 chat that keeps you updated. We also have an app that can let you know if your flight is delayed or if incoming flights are on time, so you can look at sources like us. When it comes to things like compensation under European laws, airlines don't make it easy for you," Napoli added.
Napoli 最终建议旅客保持精明和冷静。"提前掌握信息并知道如何应对总是最好的。做好准备。事情可能会出错，我们会生气、难过。但对着机场柜台的工作人员发火于事无补 —— 只会让您更生气。最好保持冷静，礼貌地与人沟通，希望事情能顺利解决，" 他告诉 Fox News Digital。
Napoli ultimately counseled travelers to remain savvy and calm. "Having information beforehand and knowing how to navigate is always best. Be prepared. Things can go wrong, and we get angry and upset. But getting angry at the people at the airport desk doesn't help the situation — it just makes you angrier. It's best to keep calm, talk to people civilly, and hopefully, things will work out," he told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital 已联系交通部、Amtrak（美国国家铁路客运公司）和新泽西交通公司置评。
Fox News Digital contacted the Department of Transportation, Amtrak and New Jersey Transit for comment.