As many of us took advantage of the opportunity to travel this summer, it’s clear that the flying industry is working hard to keep up. However, due to weather and personnel difficulties, numerous flights have been delayed or canceled. What should an excited tourist do if the only thing standing between them and their long-awaited vacation is an erratic flight? Keep your calm and use this checklist to choose your next moves.
1. Get the details
Before you rebook or cancel your flight, be sure you understand what caused the delay or cancellation in the first place. If it’s due to weather, investigate if a rebooked flight is at risk. It may also be beneficial to begin looking for flights in the next hours or days that are unlikely to be affected by weather conditions.
2. Connect with your airline
Customer support has been held up in recent weeks due to the high number of delays and cancellations. Here are all of the ways you should try to contact an airline representative who can assist you; for optimal results, use a few of these methods at the same time:
Call them. Check our list of airline phone numbers or call your travel agent directly to see if you may speak with someone over the phone.
Log in to the application: Many airlines provide a digital chat option in their apps that allows you to interact with a representative. You may even wait on hold and try to communicate through the app at the same time to increase your chances of receiving live support.
3. Find alternative routes
If it does not appear that your airline will resume flights soon (or at all), you may use the ExploreCheapflights app to see if there are any other travel choices available.
4. Keep your cool
Trust us: do not lose your cool at the check-in counter. Aside from the fact that it is not their fault, a temper tantrum almost guarantees that you will not receive what you want.
5. Ask for things nicely
Honey attracts more bees than vinegar, so please be courteous and calmly express your argument. Feel free to highlight the amount of time, sleep, and money wasted as a result of the cancelation. Some airlines, keen to retain customers, may provide benefits such as better seats, travel vouchers, air miles, or even a hotel stay while you wait for the next flight out. At the very least, most airlines will waive the “change fee” for rebooked flights.
6. Read up on the latest rules
With the amount of delays and cancellations that happened when COVID travel restrictions were lifted, airlines have stepped up their game to accommodate passengers who have flight troubles. If your flight is cancelled or considerably delayed, you may be entitled to a reimbursement. You may find out what sort of refund you are eligible for by visiting the US Department of Transportation’s Airline Customer Service Dashboard.
Previously, many airlines had a “force majeure” or “acts of God” provision that permitted them to cancel or postpone a flight due to inclement weather. As a result, they are often under no obligation to repay you.
Similarly, the website that sold you the ticket (whether you purchased it directly from the airline or through an online travel agency) is typically not required to compensate you. However, given the current status of the travel business, these terms are no longer valid – therefore pursue that refund.
It’s also worth mentioning that purchasing travel insurance before departing on your next vacation can assist mitigate the costs associated with these possible issues.