What to Do If Flights Get Canceled or Delayed by a Winter Storm

A winter storm anticipated to hit the Northeast is inflicting 1000’s of flight delays and cancellations.

The Nationwide Climate Service has issued a winter storm warning for areas round New York Metropolis, extending into Connecticut and New Jersey. The service expects heavy snow accumulations between six and 9 inches.

About 1,400 flights within the US have been canceled, as of two:20 p.m. ET, based on flight-tracking service FlightAware. Over 5,100 US flights have been delayed, per the service.

Affected journey hubs, together with New York’s John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty airports, have begun issuing climate warnings.

Some airways have begun providing options to vacationers affected by the storm. JetBlue, Delta, and Southwest have all waived fare variations for these altering flights from airports across the New York metropolitan space.

The delays and cancellations come throughout a high-density journey interval across the winter vacation. AAA projected that 8.03 million People would fly domestically between December 20 and January 1.

Right here is the most effective recommendation for what to do in case your flight is disrupted.

1. Know your rights as an airline passenger within the US

In accordance with the Division of Transportation, there isn’t any regulation requiring US airways to compensate passengers for disruptions attributable to uncontrollable occasions, equivalent to climate. That additionally consists of air visitors management delays.

The one rule carriers should comply with is to refund prospects within the occasion of cancellations, even for non-controllable occasions. And that doesn’t imply journey credit or vouchers — it have to be money, and consists of any add-ons, equivalent to baggage or seats.

However carriers don’t owe meals, resort rooms, or monetary compensation for storm-related cancellations or delays — as a result of the trigger is the climate, not the airline.

Passengers are nonetheless entitled to a refund or rebooking on the identical airline, however carriers are usually not required to offer extra lodging or rebook on one other airline.

For those who select to journey however your flight is delayed or canceled, ask the airline for the explanation — ideally in writing — so you realize what you are entitled to. Airways have totally different insurance policies for disruptions they management, like crew or upkeep points.

The DoT’s Airline Buyer Service Dashboard — launched in 2022 — exhibits what the ten largest US airways promise in these circumstances, together with rebookings, meal vouchers, and resort lodging.

2. Monitor your airline’s app for rebooking choices

When a flight delay or cancellation is introduced, anticipate folks to flock to the closest customer support line for help, and for the cellphone strains to clog.

Wait instances might be painfully lengthy, and the most effective alternate options will seemingly go rapidly. Nevertheless, some airways provide the choice to rebook on their web site or cellular app and waive any charges, making it generally simpler to make adjustments on-line than in particular person.

If all out there choices are exhausted, have a plan B, equivalent to ready to talk with a reside agent, contacting the airline by means of social media, or reserving a resort for the evening.

Direct messaging on Fb or Twitter can really function a digital placeholder, and it’s possible you’ll hear again through chat earlier than chatting with a reside agent.

Listed below are the cellphone numbers for every airline:

• Alaska: 1-800-252-7522 or textual content 82008
• Allegiant: 1-702-505-8888
• American: 1-800-433-7300
• Avelo: 1-346-616-9500
• Breeze: No cellphone quantity to name, however you’ll be able to textual content the airline at 501-273-3931. For those who name this quantity, it will let you know other ways to contact Breeze, like through e mail or Fb Messenger.
• Delta: 1-800-221-1212
• Frontier: No cellphone quantity. The easiest way to contact Frontier is through on-line chat or e mail.
• JetBlue: 1-800-538-2583
• Southwest: 1-800-435-9792
• Spirit: 1-855-728-3555
• Solar Nation: 1-651-905-2737
• United: 1-800-864-8331

3. Ask for a resort or meal voucher

For controllable delays or cancellations that end in a buyer ready not less than three hours for a brand new flight or requiring an in a single day keep, a number of airways will provide meal or resort vouchers. 

Carriers providing each are Alaska Airways, Allegiant Air, American Airways, Delta Air Traces, Hawaiian Airways, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airways, Spirit Airways, and United Airways, per the DoT dashboard.

Frontier Airways is the one service that doesn’t provide lodging within the occasion of an in a single day delay or cancellation, however it’s going to present a meal voucher.

For US airways not listed on the dashboard, or in circumstances the place the disruption is uncontrollable (like due to a winter storm), or if the compensation is unclear, merely ask.

It by no means hurts to request a meal or resort throughout flight disruptions, and also you would possibly get fortunate with a goodwill gesture from the service.

4. Verify in case your bank card firm presents journey insurance coverage

A number of main banks provide bank cards that include journey insurance coverage, like Chase’s Sapphire Reserve or American Categorical’ Platinum Card. Each provide journey safety, which means prospects who bought their flight with that particular card can reap the advantages.

For instance, within the case of a significant storm system, it is seemingly many passengers will find yourself stranded in random cities throughout the US.

Nevertheless, banks with journey insurance coverage included can reimburse cardholders for surprising bills exterior their management, together with resort, meal, and transportation prices. 

Journey insurance coverage doesn’t apply in all circumstances, like brief delays, so you’ll want to test your coverage earlier than making a declare — nevertheless it additionally does not harm to make the declare anyway, even when the reply is not any.

5. Know when to stroll away

Through the holidays, it is simple to lose sight of your function — seeing family and friends or just getting away from house for a couple of days.

Nevertheless, delays and cancellations are inevitable. Do not spend all day sitting round ready — give your self a cut-off time. As soon as that second passes, contemplate different technique of attending to your vacation spot, equivalent to driving or taking a bus or prepare (which can even be lined by journey insurance coverage).

If you’re caught in one other metropolis and haven’t any different choice however to remain in a resort or wait on the airport, determine the way you need to spend your time and make a plan.

Editor’s notice: This text was initially revealed in 2023 and has been up to date.