After another weekend of delays, airline passengers hopeful new rules make refunds easier to get

NEW YORK -- Thousands of flights were canceled again this weekend as airlines continue to struggle with labor shortages. 

Travelers are hopeful a new proposal might make it easier to get a refund for significant changes, CBS2's Christina Fan reported Monday. 

It was another punishing week for air travelers trying to rebook their flights. 

At LaGuardia Airport, Charles Massi and his wife, who are from Florida, sprawled out at Terminal B, dreading their return flight, after their trip from Orlando to New York City took more than 24 hours. 

"All the way up until we got here, it said flight was on time, until we walked through the door, and now they are showing a delay. So who knows," Massi said. 

At Chicago O'Hare, Maddy Malloy was similarly stranded Sunday night as she tried to get home to the Upper West Side. 

"It was really inconvenient because then we had to take work off today and actually our flight this morning got canceled so we had to get rebooked again," Malloy said. 

More than 8,000 flights were delayed and 951 were canceled across the country Sunday, according to FlightAware. 

CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg said a shortage of pilots, ground workers and air traffic controllers continues to fuel the problem. 

"The airlines continue to be understaffed. They continue to be overscheduled. Even though the U.S. Department of Transportation is claiming things are getting better, the numbers don't reflect that," Greenberg said. 

Last week, the DOT proposed new protections for flyers, including full refunds for canceled flights. Passengers would also be eligible if the departure or arrival airport changes, the number of connections is increased on an itinerary, or if departure and arrival times are significantly delayed. 

"I really do think that would help and it would make me feel more secure traveling," one traveler said. 

"It would put more ownership on the airline to do something about it," another said. 

Transportation advocates are also calling on the government to hold airlines accountable for scheduling more flights than runways can accommodate. 

Passengers with busy summer itineraries said any changes are helpful. 

"It definitely has heightened my anxiety for travel," Malloy said. 

The new DOT proposal will be open for public comment for 90 days before a decision is made.