Passengers who experience flight delays on any Chinese mainland airline will be able to take the next available flight on any of those carriers during the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on Aug. 13.

CAAC said in its notice that all passengers can take the next available flight to the same destination without restriction, Beijing Times reported on Aug. 14. The policy will be in force across the country.

Other special measures include passengers being given free food and accommodation if their flight is delayed. The special measures are only valid during the Olympic period, the report said.

In the past, airlines were not responsible for compensating passengers for delays due to poor weather conditions or delays of less than four hours for other reasons. Airlines also had to help passengers find a hotel for longer delays, but didn't need to pay for them.

The special measures will help get passengers to their destinations as quickly as possible during the Olympic period, the report said.