It may have been “the most wonderful time of the year,” but when it comes to flying, it was also one of the busiest and most chaotic. Now that winter’s upon us, we can look forward to cold weather, the potential for snow and storms with increasing numbers of people channeling through airports around the globe, so there’s a good chance flights could be delayed, perhaps significantly, or even cancelled. On the internet and social media, it’s not hard to find lofty advice on how to make the most of cancellations and lengthy delays, such as checking the fine print, finding loopholes or even gaming the system. The idea of demanding a voucher for the cost of your flight or scoring a stay at a swanky nearby hotel at the airline’s expense sounds ideal. However, that’s rarely what happens when your flight is disrupted due to a winter storm. Here are real-life strategies you might wish to investigate when Mother Nature blows too much snow or ice your way adversely affecting your travel plans.
There is no way to predict which flights will be canceled or delayed. But, downloading your airline’s mobile app and registering your frequent flyer number and keeping your account current with an updated email address and mobile number will go a long way toward alleviating stress. These mobile apps might preemptively notify you of pending delays or cancellations, and will normally rebook your flight if necessary, often giving you ample time to research alternatives. If the new flight doesn’t suit your plans, you may be able to make a same-day change for another flight that works better. Although outside the scope of this post, be advised these mobile apps can also check you in for your flight and display mobile boarding passes with the QR code needed to transit security and board the aircraft. They can also transform mobile devices into a travel companion on the plane. Some airlines have developed their apps to enhance the overall entertainment offering; from previewing the selection of entertainment available on the flight to remote controlling the personal screen onboard.
If you’re not a savvy airline mobile app user, you can sometimes get a heads-up before everyone else by monitoring flights on sites like FlightAware to stay ahead of the game as well as other travelers when rebooking flights. When a flight becomes delayed (or if a flight should be boarding, but the aircraft isn't even at the gate yet and no delays have been announced), you can check what FlightAware (or a similar site) shows. Just click to "see where my plane is now" to check whether it's even inbound yet, which may give you a better picture of what timeline to expect for delays. Additionally, a flight showing zeroed out (which means the airline has stopped selling tickets) could indicate a cancellation, especially if it's well before flight time. It's not a surefire way to determine when a flight is going to be canceled as airlines stop selling seats for any number of reasons, including a sold-out flight. However, it is a tool to get more information. You can also call customer service to double-check that the flight is canceled and see about getting rebooked on the next available flight. Elite status call lines are great for this type of assistance, so if you do have status with the airline, make sure to utilize that perk. Being among the first to rebook will give you more options. Once everyone starts calling in and rebooking, seats on available flights will disappear quickly.
Depending on the airline you're flying, you may be automatically rebooked on another one of their flights if your original flight is canceled. When this happens, it's easy to accept your situation and wait for a later flight. However, it's always worth checking that no other options exist. Generally speaking, if your flight is canceled, you should be placed on the carrier's next available flight, regardless of cost, but sometimes airlines won't always do this without prompting. On a trip to Germany once, I discovered my flight with Lufthansa had been cancelled and I’d been rebooked on a later flight eight hours hence. But, after checking the day's flight schedules myself, I learned that several earlier flights were available, including a few with Lufthansa. Thankfully, I was able to use the carrier’s app to rebook myself on one of the earlier flights, thereby saving me from spending an entire day waiting around the airport. Conversely, if the cancelled flight is on your return journey home while you're on vacation, asking for a later flight might make more sense and allow you to enjoy more time at your destination.
If you do get a heads-up that your flight is canceled or delayed in advance, getting to the airport early could score you a same-day standby flight that gets you to your destination quicker. I recall a friend of mine was once able to avoid an overnight stay by utilizing this strategy. A snafu with his flight from Phoenix to New York City would have caused him to miss his connection in Dallas. Since he had Executive Platinum status with the airline, he simply showed up at the PHX Airport a bit earlier and did a free same-day standby onto an earlier flight that connected into a different city and his elevated status ensured he was placed at the top of the standby list. Be advised that that getting on the standby list isn't always a foolproof method, especially if the earlier flight is almost full. Having such elite status, however, can certainly help since you'll have priority over non-elite members. Also, some airlines charge a fee for non-elite members to be put on the standby list for earlier flights.
Should you really be itching to get somewhere, you can also attempt to rebook a flight to another airport. This is a top strategy for some when dealing with flight delays or cancellations that would require waiting a day or more to get to their destination. For example, if your flight from Los Angeles to New York City is canceled with no same-day rebooking options to fly into any New York airport, you may check to see if you can get on a flight to Philadelphia. From there, you can book a train to take you the rest of the way to New York. If you’re traveling to an area without easy access to trains or buses, you can also try a one-way car rental from the alternative airport. This method may not be for everyone, especially if you can get booked on a same-day flight or don't mind spending a night in a hotel. However, it's an option for those who need to get somewhere quickly.
Unfortunately, occasional cancellations and delays are a reality of flying, particularly with the resurgence of travel in these post-pandemic times. They aren't always avoidable, but there are ways to mitigate the fallout.This certainly wasn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of every remedy available, but these are the strategies veteran road warriors regularly use to pivot when faced with pesky cancellations and long flight delays. At the end of the day, the best thing you can do is know your rights and feel empowered to ask an airline (politely) for help. Whether it's getting you rebooked on the best possible flight, providing accommodations, giving you a flight credit or adding miles to your frequent flyer account as a consolation, it never hurts to see what an airline can do for you in case you encounter a cancellation or delay or what you can and should do for yourself.
Until next time...safe travels.
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