Flight cancelled or delayed? Here are some things you can do.

Air travel is stressful in itself. You need to make sure you get to the airport in plenty of time, and once you’re there, you have to deal with potentially long lines at baggage drop and security. You either have too much time at the gate before boarding your flight, or no time at all. In addition to time, many circumstances associated with air travel are beyond the passenger’s control, including flight cancellations and delays.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, nearly 20% of flights in the U.S. will be delayed by 2024 Bureau of Transportation StatisticsFriday, more More than 2,400 flights cancelled Thousands more people were delayed across the country Massive technical failure The incident involving multiple industries has resulted in chaos at airports. Frustrated passengers stranded at airports may feel they have no options. But you do have a few cards in your hand: reschedule, refund, request, or wait. Here are some answers to help you make plans while you wait for a delayed or canceled flight.

U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics Track the causes of flight delaysOver the past few years, airline delays and flight delays have been The most common causes flight delay. Carrier delays include: Cleaning the aircraft, aircraft damage, waiting for connecting passengers or crew to arrive, refueling and maintenance – all of this is controlled by the airline.

The second most common reason for flight delays is that the plane is late, which can be caused by weather. 26% Total delays of the year

reason Flight cancellations are the same as delays: Airlines, extreme weather, national aviation system issues (such as non-extreme weather, airport operations, high traffic volumes, and air traffic control), and safety (such as the need to evacuate or reboard due to security breaches or long lines at security checkpoints).

Before you leave for the airport, make sure you sign up for text alerts and download your airline’s app (with notifications turned on) or Flight Awareness Get real-time flight information with the app. If your flight is delayed or cancelled in advance, you can adjust your plans from the comfort of your hotel or a loved one’s home without the hassle of the airport.

Take several photos of your luggage so that if it gets lost in transit, you have an accurate description of what it looks like. Gary Leff, travel expert at Travel Blog View from the wing It’s also recommended to place an Apple AirTag in your luggage so you can track the exact location of your suitcase, whether it’s across the country or at baggage claim.

Familiarize yourself with the services provided by airlines when flights are delayed or cancelled so that you know how to defend your interests and those of other passengers. Airline Customer Service Dashboard It details the various accommodations that airlines promise to provide when flights are canceled for reasons within the airline’s control (such as maintenance or crew issues, but not weather). These include free rebooking on the same airline (or a partner airline) or meal vouchers for passengers delayed for more than three hours.

Your credit card may also offer travel delay insurance or baggage delay insurance, which can reimburse you for your hotel, meals, and expenses. Chase Sapphire Reserve, The Platinum Card from American Express, and Capital One Venture X Rewards credit cards are some of these. Credit cards that offer these protectionsbut please check your credit card contract for specific details.

Some airlines, such as Unity and deltathere are no change fees for Economy and above tickets, so if the delay is longer than you hoped and there is a more convenient flight on the same airline, you can change your flight for free. If you do want to change your flight, check with your airline to make sure you won’t have to pay extra fees.

According to the DOT Airline Customer Service Center, many airlines, including American, Delta, Spirit, Southwest, and United, offer free hotel accommodations for overnight delays due to controllable issues. Many airlines also offer free transportation to the hotel. Extreme weather isn’t among the “controllable” reasons for an airline to offer these services, but it’s still worth asking if you’re stuck with a weather delay.

Passenger handling “Significant” delays are entitled to a full refund If they choose not to travel, they should get a refund. The Department of Transportation has not yet defined what constitutes a “significant” delay, but rather makes decisions on a case-by-case basis based on the length of the delay and the duration of the flight. Leff said that in normal circumstances, refunds would be issued quickly.

For airlines that do not provide hotel accommodation and meals, please go to the Baggage Services Office at baggage claim to inquire Difficult Passenger Rate“When the airlines don’t pay for the hotel, they may be offering a hotel discount through their own negotiated rates, and the hotel is offering that discount because they want to get business from the airline,” he explained. “So you may be getting a better rate than if you booked directly yourself. It’s not a publicly available rate.”

Regardless of the reason for cancellation, each passenger Entitled to a full refund Should they choose not to rebook?

For flight delays and cancellations, Leff said the best course of action is to avoid long lines at airport airline counters. “You may not get any useful information if you wait in line for hours,” he said. But be sure to exhaust all options: Try calling, reaching out on social media, chatting with a staff member on a mobile app or at a club level, looking at flight options on other airlines, or planning a train or bus route. “You’re better off looking at flight options yourself, just like buying a new ticket, knowing that you’ll get your money back if the flight is canceled, and you have the option of at least submitting your receipt to Southwest for some level of compensation,” Leff said of passengers in this unique situation.

Remember, whether on the phone or at the airport, airline personnel are not responsible for your travel troubles, nor will they allow you to vent your frustrations to them. Be nice.

Sometimes passengers get separated from their luggage, leaving someone without clothes and toiletries in a new place. When your luggage doesn’t arrive at your destination, contact airport staff immediately. They may have you fill out paperwork describing the physical properties of your suitcase and its contents. Hopefully, the airport will find and deliver your luggage in a timely manner. (Before you depart, make sure there are no irreplaceable items in your checked luggage, such as keys, or items you need urgently, such as medication.)

The maximum amount an airline will compensate a passenger for permanent loss of luggage $3,800 Domestic flights. Again, the airline may reimburse you for items you needed to purchase while your suitcase was lost, so keep your receipts.

When it comes to air travel, there are a lot of factors that could go wrong at some point. Make a plan (and a backup plan), understand what costs the airline will cover, and try to anticipate potential troubles.

Update, July 19, 2024: This article was originally published on December 28, 2022 and has been updated to include news about the technical failure in July 2024 and the resulting flight delays and cancellations, as well as the latest data on delays.

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