Was your flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what experts suggest you do
More than 2,900 U.S. flights have been canceled and an additional 2,400 are delayed as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time Dec. 27, stranding thousands of travelers struggling to make their way home after a busy holiday travel weekend.
Wintry weather, coupled with increased demand and staffing shortages caused major U.S. airlines — including Southwest, Delta, American and United — to drop several thousand flights in the last few days, according to flight-tracking tool FlightAware.
And experts said the trend is expected to continue.
Southwest had the most cancellations of any U.S. airline, dropping more than 2,500 flights as of Tuesday morning in what experts described as a “full-blown meltdown,” NPR reported. The Texas-based airline reported far fewer delays, with about 300 domestic flights impacted, data shows.
“This is really as bad as it gets for an airline,” Kyle Potter, executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, told NPR. “We’ve seen this again and again over the course of the last year or so, when airlines really just struggle especially after a storm, but there’s pretty clear skies across the country.”
Southwest even has a section of its website addressing the current situation for its customers: “All Customers traveling through January 2, 2023 are able to rebook in the original class of service or travel standby (within 14 days of your original date of travel between the original city-pairs and in accordance with our accommodation procedures) without paying additional charges,” the website says.
Spirit Airlines reported 83 cancellations on Tuesday, followed by Alaska Airlines with 64 and Delta with 34, according to Flight Aware. American delayed 340 flights but had the fewest cancellations of the major U.S. airlines, data shows as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time.
The spate of industry-wide disruptions has proved frustrating for travelers who may have questions about refunds, re-booking and travel credits. Here’s what to know:
Canceled flights
Travel plans don’t always go off without a hitch. If your flight is canceled and you choose not to hop on an alternate flight, then the airline owes you a full refund for the unused transportation, according the U.S. Department of Transportation.
This also applies to non-refundable tickets and any baggage fees you may have paid.
“You can always get your money back if they can’t accommodate you, Brett Snyder, who runs a travel concierge service, told CNBC. “But it doesn’t get you home.”
Otherwise, an airline will likely put you on the next flight to your destination if seating is available, according to the the Transportation Department’s website.
Switching flights
You may also ask to have your ticket transferred to another airline’s flight, but be sure to check for change fees and higher fares, officials said.
In some instances, airlines will offer a credit or voucher for future travel if they’re unable to accommodate you or you end up canceling your travel plans altogether.
Willis Orlando, a senior product operations specialist at Scott’s Cheap Flights, suggests booking a nonstop flight if you can. If that’s not an option, your best bet is a connecting flight through a city with multiple routes to your final destination.
“Choose a route that’s offered several times in the day,” he told HuffPost. “That way your chances of getting rebooked on another flight quickly are better.”
Delayed flights
Most airlines will notify passengers of delays or schedule disruptions ahead of time. In fact, the DOT requires airlines to give flight status updates within 30 minutes after it is made aware of the schedule change.
Experts suggest double-checking your flight status before heading to the airport to avoid getting stuck for hours.
“Most of these notifications are not happening at the last minute,” Scott Keyes, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, told CNN. “Save yourself the drive to the airport.”
Airlines aren’t required to reimburse passengers whose flights have been delayed, although some will depending on the circumstances, according to transportation officials.
“Whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors – such as the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances,” the DOT’s website states. “(The agency) determines whether you are entitled to a refund on a case by case basis.”
Amenities offered to delayed passengers also vary by airline.
For example, JetBlue offers up to $200 compensation for flights that are “significantly delayed” for several hours. Delta will put its passengers up in a hotel if they are inconvenienced overnight “due to a delay, misconnect or cancellation within Delta’s control,” according to the airline’s website.
Should you find yourself stuck at the airport, you can ask airline staff to cover the cost of meals and other accommodations, the DOT said. Not all airlines will offer these amenities, however, and none are federally required to.
When in doubt, officials said it’s best to contact your airline directly via phone, their mobile app or social media.
This story was originally published January 4, 2022 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Was your flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what experts suggest you do."