What should You Do if Your Flight is Postponed or Cancelled?

What should You Do if Your Flight is Postponed or Cancelled?

Airlines do not guarantee their timetables, and you should keep this in mind when you plan your journey. Many factors may, and often do, make it difficult for planes to arrive on schedule. Some of these issues, such as adverse weather, flight delays, and technical repairs, are difficult to forecast and beyond the airlines' control.

If your flight is delayed, attempt to determine how much later it will be. However, bear in mind that it might be impossible for airlines to predict the overall length of a delay in its early phases. In the case of "creeping delays," events occur that were not expected when the carrier estimated the duration of the delay.

Weather that was predicted to improve may instead worsen, or a mechanical issue may turn out to be more problematic than anticipated. If the issue is with local weather or air traffic control, all aircraft will most likely be delayed, and neither you nor the airline can do anything to speed up your departure.

If the aircraft has a technical issue for your specific trip, or if the crew on an incoming flight is delayed, you might be better off attempting to schedule another trip, as long as you don't have to pay a cancellation penalty or a higher fee for altering your bookings. (It is often quicker to make such arrangements over the phone rather than at a ticket counter.)

If you locate a flight on another airline, request that the original airline approve your ticket to the other carrier; this may save you money. However, keep in mind that there is no regulation mandating them to do so. Perseverance may pay off big time and bring you to your target on schedule.

If your flight is canceled, most airlines will rebook you on the next available flight to your destination at no extra cost. If there will be a big delay, find out if another airline has room and request that the first airline approve your ticket. However, finding additional seats may be challenging, particularly during holidays and other high travel periods.

There are no government restrictions, so each airline has its own policy about what it will do for delayed customers waiting at the airport. If you are delayed, inquire if the airline will pay for food or a phone call. Some airlines, particularly those with cheap tickets, do not give any facilities to stranded customers. Others may refuse to provide amenities if the delay is due to poor weather or anything beyond the airline's control.

Airlines are not compelled to reimburse customers whose flights are delayed or canceled, contrary to common assumption. Only when you are "bumped" off an oversold aircraft is compensation required by law. Airlines virtually always refuse to compensate customers for financial losses incurred as a consequence of a delayed trip. If the aim of your trip is to conclude a potentially valuable business transaction, make a speech or lecture, attend a family celebration, or be present at any time-sensitive occasion, you may want to give yourself a little more freedom and select an earlier flight.

In other words, aircraft delays and cancellations are not uncommon, and defensive counter-planning is a smart idea when time is of the essence. When planning your travel, keep in mind that earlier flights are less likely to be delayed than later flights owing to "ripple" effects throughout the day.

In addition, if an early flight is delayed or canceled, you will have additional rerouting alternatives. If you book the day's last flight and it is canceled, you may be trapped overnight. Because of the more convenient departure schedule or cheaper ticket, you may choose a connection (a change of aircraft) over a nonstop or direct flight.

A change of flights, on the other hand, always carries the risk of a misconnection. If you have a choice of connections and the costs and service are comparable, select the one with the least-congested connecting airport so you can get to your second flight more easily. If you have a choice of connecting cities, you may want to consider the possibility of bad weather.

Always verify the length of time between flights before booking a connecting reservation. Consider what will happen if the first flight is delayed; if you don't like the answer, choose another flight or request that the agent "build" a connection that provides for additional time.