Dealing With Canceled Flights

Dealing With Canceled Flights

Bad weather this weekend again has delayed and canceled flights. Although the priority of the airlines is to get passengers to their destinations without delay, safety is a priority, so here's an article for you if you find yourself stuck at the airport dealing with a canceled flight.

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Canceled flights are a headache for everyone. Believe me, the airlines don't like to cancel. It starts a whole domino effect. Not just for your flight, but for flights at down line airports all through the day. Planes end up in the wrong places with crews that can't fly them because of time regulations.

Probably the most common reason a flight is canceled is weather. Sometimes this is pretty obvious, like if you're sitting in the middle of a snow storm, and no one is moving anywhere.

Sometimes you look outside, and it's sunny and calm. How can the flight be canceled for weather like that? Think about it. The weather might be occurring somewhere else. Maybe there are severe thunderstorms on the East Coast, and that's where the flight is coming from. Maybe the flight is coming from sunny Florida, but it's coming THOUGH a hub in the middle of one of those storms. Maybe there is a sandstorm in the Sahara or a typhoon in Japan. Weather anywhere in the world can affect your flight if it is a long haul flight.

Another reason flights may be canceled is mechanical problems. If this is the case, you want them to cancel, but it's hard not to feel frustrated anyway.

Or a flight could be canceled because there have been delays, and now the crew has been waiting for too long. There are rules about when they can fly and when they can't. You really don't want pilots who have already been on duty for the past 14 hours to get in the plane and fly you. Pilot fatigue contributes to a lot of air mishaps.

If your flight is canceled, the second you hear that your plane is not going anywhere, call the airline's toll-free number. (It's a smart idea to have it programed in your cell phone.) Get into the line at the counter, especially if it's fairly short, but make that call while you're standing in line. There's a good possibility you'll get rebooked more quickly on the phone than at the counter where a couple of overwhelmed airline employees are being swarmed by a plane full of disgruntled fliers.

Ask what your options are. Actually, it pays to have an idea of alternatives before you get to the airport. True, most times you won't need to use the alternatives, but with canceled flights, the sooner you can act on those alternatives, the more apt you are to get on your way while everyone else is still looking them up.

Most airlines will rebook you, with no fees or penalties, on the next flight on which space is available. NOTE: Delta airlines automatically books you on the next available flight. Not necessarily on the next flight... the next flight on which space is available. During holiday periods or really bad weather situations, this could be more than just hours. If you seen the news the last few years, you know it can even be days! NOTE: If you book your travel with an online service like Expedia or Priceline or others like it, your priority for getting on the next available flight is dead last. Always try to book your flights directly with the airline on their website. You can always sign up at the website for notification of their weekly deals, too. Oftentimes, you'll be notified of the deals long before the online booking services.

If the wait seems too long, ask the agent if there might be a seat on another airline. Remember they are in competition, but airlines will often endorse your ticket to another carrier to try and get you on your way in a timely fashion. You'll have the most luck if the flight is on a partner airline.

If these things don't work, suggest solving your flight problem by connecting through another city or going to another airport. Remember, all of these suggestions only work if your canceled flight is pretty much an isolated situation. If all the airlines are canceling flights, as they must in bad weather, ....patience is the only thing that will work. Remember that if you are rude to the gate agents, ticket agents and customer service agents, you'll will not get the best service you can get. They really are trying to accommodate you while having to work out a tough situation. Politeness and a smile would be welcoming and could go a long way for you.