When it comes to travel, few developments are more frustrating than a delayed or canceled airline flight. Even a one-hour delay can wreak havoc if your travel schedule is tight to begin with.
Your best defense against a last-minute airline surprise is to call the airline before you leave home, to confirm that the flight schedule hasn’t changed. But when weather patterns make unexpected turns, plans can change in a hurry.
If you arrive at the airport and learn that your flight has been canceled (or delayed too long to allow you to make your connecting flight), the first thing you should do is try to get rebooked on the next available flight on the same airline. The airlines usually allow passengers to rebook flights at the same gate where they were waiting to board the plane. You can also rebook at the main ticket counter or opt for a phone reservation. “We’ll book you from wherever we can,” said Dale Morris, manager of corporate communications for Dallas-based American Airlines. “If the lines are long and you’re not in a position to be able to wait, then call reservations and explain the situation.”
If you travel with a cell phone, Ken Hawk, CEO of iGo.com, a Reno-based Web site that specializes in mobile electronic products, recommends doubling up your efforts.
“Sometimes you can book an alternate flight from your cell phone while you’re there standing in line,” he said. “You should have your travel agent’s phone number and the 800 numbers of all the major airlines programmed into your cell phone. The ticket counters can be chaotic after a cancellation. I’ve literally booked the last seat on an alternate flight from my phone while I was waiting in line.”
Since cell phones don’t always work in airport terminals, bring a prepaid calling card with you in case you need to dash to the nearest pay phone.
Morris noted that whether you have an electronic ticket or a paper ticket, you need a record locator, also called a PNR number, in order to be rebooked over the phone. “They’ll issue a seat assignment if they can,” he said, “but I encourage every customer who has been rebooked to check in at the gate [of the rebooked flight] as well.”
If a flight is canceled due to mechanical problems or the crew’s late arrival–called a schedule irregularity–the airline is required to get you on the next flight where there is space available.
According to consumer advocate Terry Trippler, who heads the Minneapolis-based Airline Research division of 1travel.com, “They have to put you on their next available flight regardless of the class of service, at no extra cost to you. So, if you bought an excursion fare at $198 for Chicago to L. A. and the flight is delayed because of a schedule irregularity, and first class is all that’s available, you go first class and don’t pay any more.”
That service upgrade doesn’t apply if you have to rebook on a different airline. Sometimes that is your only choice. If your cousin is getting married in Boston tomorrow and you’re booked on a Boston-bound flight this evening, waiting for the next available flight could mean that you’ll arrive an hour after your cousin has said “I do.”
In this case you can ask your airline to authorize a rebooked flight on another airline. “Many airline employees won’t put you on another airline unless you really go up and ask for it,” said Trippler. There should be no extra charge for the same class of service, even for a non-refundable ticket, as long as your original airline authorized the switch.
If a flight is delayed because of bad weather, you have fewer options. If you decide to forgo the trip entirely, the airline is required to refund your money, even for a non-refundable ticket. If you decide to wait for a later flight, they should rebook you at no extra charge, but not on a different airline.
Occasionally airlines will give you meal vouchers or telephone calling cards if you’re stranded in a city away from home because of weather delays. Others may help you find lodging.
According to Trippler, passengers shouldn’t assume that ticket agents will automatically follow their own airline’s policies when it comes to honoring other airlines’ tickets or rebooking you after a canceled flight.
Morris replied that at American Airlines the ticket agents consider each situation individually. “If there is a fee required because of a change, that fee is charged,” he said. “If there is no fee associated with a change, they don’t charge. But they don’t charge arbitrary fees.”
Since you never know when you’ll be faced with travel delays, keep a list of important phone numbers with you. These should include toll-free numbers for the airline you’re booked on, as well as other major airlines, your hotel, car rental agency and cruise line or tour company.
Remember that hotels usually charge a cancellation or no-show fee if you’re late in canceling your reservation. Call your hotel as soon as you know you’ll be late. If your hotel bill is being charged to a business account, many hotels will let you cancel as late as 6 p.m. the night of your reservation. Even if you can’t give them a definite time of arrival, some hotels will make an extra effort to ensure there is a room when you arrive. Hotel policies vary, but for non-business stays many hotels require at least 24 hours notice of cancellation.
If you bought a vacation package through an airline, the airline will likely pick up the hotel tab for that first night you miss. “If you booked the airline and the hotel separately and had to prepay, you’ll lose that night’s hotel. The airline won’t pay if they make you wait,” said Bonnie Loach, owner of Travel Ventures in Hinsdale.
When a delayed or canceled flight forces you to miss your cruise ship, you don’t have to miss the boat entirely. According to Lou Wojcik of Mirage Travel in Chicago, “sometimes cruise lines have more than one ship leaving that day. Or, they may offer to put you on a different ship with a different destination. If you can’t go at all, they’ll usually give you a coupon for another cruise.”
Consider travel insurance if you’re planning a costly trip. “If you’re talking about a $2,000 or $3,000 trip, it’s a great idea, especially if you have an elderly parent or small children,” said Loach. Travel insurance can cover cancellations as well as medical emergencies and lost baggage. Travel insurance costs approximately $6 to $10 per $100 of your trip’s cost.
Once you’ve rearranged your plans to fit your new flight schedule, try to keep yourself occupied while you wait to board the plane. If you aren’t saddled with heavy carry-on luggage, take a walk around the terminal. It can help energize you and relieve stress.
If you have a laptop computer, “carry extra batteries so you can continue working or watch a DVD on your laptop,” advised Hawk, who also noted that you don’t need a computer to access the Internet while you wait. There are Internet-ready cell phones, as well as wireless, hand-held devices.
For example, the Palm VII gives you access to e-mail and some Web sites, including United Airlines’ flight tracker. For the busy traveler, that might be just the ticket.
