Flight delays and cancellations occur in airlines due to technical snags and other weather conditions. In such a situation, you need to book flights quickly to avoid the loss due to this incident. At times, this can cause disappointment and make you upset as you might be having a packed schedule at the destination. Look into these measures on how to handle flight cancellations like an expert so that you know how to manage the situation.
- Catch the early morning flight – As the day proceeds, there is more chance of your flight getting canceled due to weather or maintenance problems. So, if the flight booked early in the morning is delayed, you can always catch the next flight later in the day.
- Do an online check-in – if you get a notice about a delayed light when at the airport, it can be pretty tough to immediately catch the next available one. What’s needed is some time, which you can get if you do the online check-in. It can be done within 24 hours of the flight, so complete it to get updates about it. In case of a flight cancellation, you will be notified right away through SMS as you have done online check-in. This gives the time needed to plan the journey ahead.
- Opt for carry-on baggage – You might be in a city for just a couple of days for official reasons. Why opt for baggage with lots of clothes that need to be checked in. Take the minimal use of items needed and put them into roomy suitcases. Such suitcases can be carried on the flight. So if the flight were to get canceled, you don’t have to find checked-in baggage which can be time-consuming. In case the next available flight is going to leave shortly, there is no need to spend time getting checked-in baggage out so that you can get down to catching that available flight.
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- Make a call to the airline – so you found out that the flight was canceled while leaving for the airport. The message was seen as an SMS. Now is the time to find out more by calling the airline. Why? There is obviously a queue at the airport waiting to catch the next flight with the same airline. Do you book over the phone, rather than wait in the airport queue to catch the next available flight from the same airline?
- Get a lounge pass – so your flight got canceled while at the airport. Now’s the time to get a lounge pass as it enables you to spend time comfortably at the airport. You will get access to wi-fi, food, and drinks and also some comfy seating. You don’t want to be at the gate terminal standing for a long time till the next flight availability is announced and you are put onto it.
- Keep yourself occupied – of course, the time that’s being spent at the airport while you wait for the next connecting flight to the destination is going to be a couple of hours. This is when boredom hits and you can feel tired of the situation. Keep yourself in good spirits by reading, listening to music, or perhaps enjoying a snack or two. look into cafés, wi-fi, bookstores, and restaurants available at the airport.
- Don’t have activities to do on the arrival date – So you have booked a family vacation to Honolulu and you are scheduled to arrive there in the afternoon. Don’t plan any activities at home for this day because, in case of any flight delay or cancellation, you won’t have a packed schedule disturbed. By not planning or doing activities on the date of your arrival at the destination, you can be more relaxed in dealing with the problem of a flight cancellation or delay.
- Take a direct flight – avoid the hassle of having multiple connecting flights to the destination. Starting from city A and then going through Cities B, C, and D to get to city x is not a good plan. Look for a flight to City D that’s direct from your city and then another from City D to City X, to make the travel short. In case of a flight cancellation or delay by the airline, you are in a better position to deal with the situation. Better still, is opting for a direct flight from City A to City X.
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- Check the travel insurance policy that’s offered – This is where having adequate travel insurance can help! If you are a frequent traveler by air, you would have seen many situations of flight delays and cancellations. However such problems also bring with them associated costs. Look for a travel policy that lets you claim on it quickly in the event of a long period delay or cancellation. You don’t want to waste money on food, hotel rooms, and other similar things. A policy that covers such costs in case of a flight delay or cancellation is exactly what’s required and it should give a process that helps you get access to such money quickly.
- Be aware of your rights as a passenger – When a fight is canceled by an airline, they are responsible for doing a rebooking, so beware of this procedure. However, it can take quite a number of hours before this is done because available carriers usually don’t have enough seats available to take on passengers left out from a canceled flight. If there is a partner airline for the airline whose flight is canceled, passengers are just put onto it. In case there is no such interline agreement, it is best you just ask for a refund so that you can make your own choice on how to book flights to the destination.
- Know when the airline should compensate you – The condition under which a flight is canceled is varied, and at times these causes are not under their control. In the event of flight cancellation that is caused for a reason under the airline’s control, it will usually provide overnight accommodation and meal vouchers. In the U.S, however, this is not a standard procedure as there is no law that implements it, so be prepared for such a situation. Certain airlines do offer vouchers or bonus miles for cancellations as a goodwill measure, so check up on the airline’s policy before booking. In the E.U, the EU laws apply, which gives a lot of protection to passengers. According to Regulation EU 261, if an airline cancels a flight it must give its passengers cash compensation of up to 600 euros. This applied to not just airlines operating inside the E.U territory but to also Non-E.U. airlines departing from cities in Europe. If you have booked a delta flight from Lisbon to California, you have access to this protection.
