How to Handle Flight Delays

Adventure is a State of Mind

Travel delays have always been a part of travel. Whether you are flying, driving, or traveling by bicycle, problems like extreme weather can get in the way of even the best laid plans. When you’re flying, however, the situation can be complicated because you’re at the mercy of the airlines. Knowing what to do with flight delays and what your rights are as a passenger can help.

My First Experience

I’ve previously described my first experience traveling to Europe. My original plan was to fly from Kansas City to St. Louis, from St. Louis to New York, and finally from New York to Heathrow Airport in London. Due to a large winter storm developing over much of the eastern U.S., when I got to St. Louis, the airlines were canceling most of their outbound flights. My flight to New York was already canceled. The airline, however, rebooked me on the last flight leaving directly for Europe from St. Louis that evening.

Overall, getting to leave (rather than being stranded in St. Louis for two days, which is what happened to those who didn’t get a flight out that evening) was fantastic, and I was incredibly grateful. However, it also meant that I arrived at a different airport (Gatwick) on a different airline (American instead of Pan Am), from a different connection (St. Louis instead of JFK in New York), at a different time (I actually arrived several hours earlier than when my original flight would have landed). In the dark ages before cell phones and easy communication, I was pretty nervous about how I was going to connect with my friend, Heather.

If you’ve read my earlier blog post, you know that it ultimately all worked out. And that’s probably the main idea I want you to take away from this post… but knowing a bit more about what to expect can help to reduce your overall anxiety if you do experience cancellations or delays.

What Can Create a Delay

Inclement weather creates the most air traffic delays by far, almost 75 percent of all delays according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This can include strong winds, poor visibility due to weather conditions such as fog or snow, thunderstorms, or snow and ice. These aren’t really problems that can be prevented. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to be flying into a thunderstorm, and I’m not upset at all with the airline when weather creates a delay.

Recently in the news, there have been several stories about mechanical problems with planes. (Hopefully I’ll never find myself on a plane that has the door fly off in mid-air!) Thankfully, equipment failure accounts for only about .38 percent of cancellations and delays, according to the FAA.

What I consider “poor planning” also creates a significant number of delays. I find this to be the most annoying, since I also view it as the most preventable. This includes too much demand and the airlines scheduling more passengers and planes than there is adequate capacity for.

Sometimes this occurs as a domino-like or “snowball” effect when there have been cancellations for other reasons, such as weather, and passengers are being rebooked to later flights. Increasingly, though, airlines are struggling to train and retain enough mechanics and pilots and other crew members to keep up with the demand for air travel. At other times the demand problem is created by infrastructure issues, such as there not being enough runways. (And here I shake my head and ask, “How could you not have known how many runways were available when you were planning flights?!”)

The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.

Dr. Theodore Rubin

Know Your Rights

When you experience a significant travel delay, such as when your flight is canceled, it’s helpful to know what the airlines will and won’t do to help you out. For a summary of all of the major airlines’ commitments to their passengers when flying within the U.S., you can check out this website from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

I’m sharing the rules within the U.S. here. The rules in other places can differ, so it is helpful to do an internet search for the countries where you will be traveling. (Keep in mind that regardless of their own policies, airlines have to comply with the laws for the country where the delay is occurring.)

As a passenger, you are entitled to a refund if an airline cancels a flight (regardless of the reason) and you prefer not to rebook. You might choose this option if you didn’t even get the opportunity to leave town, especially if your travel plans were very brief, such as a one- or two-day business trip.

Most of the time, passengers still want to get to their destination, even with the delay. The airlines will all rebook your flight for no extra cost. Some will even rebook you with another airline if that will get you to your destination sooner. (The Department of Transportation website shows which airlines do this.)

Sometimes the delay can create additional problems for you, such as if you miss the departure of a cruise or tour. If your flight is within the United States, the airlines are not required to compensate passengers whose flights are delayed or canceled, unless they are “bumped” from a flight that was overbooked. (If you are flying internationally, you can request reimbursement under Article 19 of the Montreal Convention for expenses resulting from a delayed or canceled flight. You can do this by filing a claim with the airline, although there is still no guarantee of compensation.)

When It’s the Airline’s Fault

If the cancellation or delay is caused by something within the airline’s control, such as a maintenance or crew problem, and the delay lasts more than three hours, the airlines are required to provide you with a food voucher. And if the delay results in an overnight stay, all but one of the airlines (Frontier being the exception) will provide you with a hotel voucher and usually a voucher for transportation between the airport and hotel.

Request the voucher from a representative at the airline’s service desk, as they are often not handed out automatically. If they run out of vouchers, which can happen if the delay is impacting enough people, you can submit your receipts to the airline to request reimbursement for reasonable hotel, meal, and transportation charges. (Reasonable is a relative term, but as a general rule, don’t expect to experience a luxury night out on the town at the airline’s expense.)

If the delay is “significant,” passengers are entitled to a ticket refund if they choose not to accept the rebooking options. Unfortunately, there is no agency standard as to what constitutes a significant delay, so claims are managed on a case-by-case basis.

When It’s Your Fault

Making a mistake that results in missing a flight is one of my worst nightmares. I once miscalculated the amount of time I needed to drive to the airport and realized my mistake after leaving home. I won’t tell you how fast I drove, but let’s just assume that I’ve never driven that fast in my life before or since!

We all make mistakes and things happen. If you do miss your flight, it might be an expensive mistake, but it’s not the end of the world. Although the airline has no responsibility or obligation to accommodate you, if you ask nicely and they’re feeling kindly toward you, they may rebook you on another flight. You will likely have to pay change fees or fare differences, however.

The worst case scenario is that the airline will just tell you to buy a new ticket. A painful lesson, but one you’re unlikely to repeat.

When It’s No One’s Fault

If your flight is canceled or delayed for reasons out of the airline’s control, such as weather or traffic control issues, the airline will rebook you; however, you are not entitled to any compensation. That means if you cannot get another flight until the next day, the airline will not reimburse you for meals or a hotel stay. (There might be other ways in which you can be reimbursed, though. More on that later.)

The most stressful aspect of flight delays is when it results in you missing a connecting flight, a cruise or tour departure, or a once-in-a-lifetime event, such as a concert or important business meeting. But when the cause of the delay is not something the airline can control, they are not responsible for compensating you for any issues created by the delay.

Tarmac Delays

A tarmac delay is when a plane is on the ground, either waiting to take off or having just landed, and there is some sort of a delay but passengers are not allowed to get off of the plane. In the U.S., planes are required to let the passengers off of the plane before three hours have passed on a domestic flight or four hours on an international flight. There can be exceptions for reasons of safety, security, or traffic control. It should also be noted that if you are allowed off of the plane, the airline is not required to let you back on the plane when they are ready to depart.

Honestly, most people feel pretty trapped sitting in a plane on the tarmac. Try to be patient and remind yourself that it is not the flight attendants who created the delay. To ease the suffering just a bit, if you experience a tarmac delay, the airline is required to give you a snack and drinking water no later than two hours after the beginning of the tarmac delay. The airline is also required to provide working toilets and a comfortable cabin temperature during a tarmac delay.

What to Do When You Find Out There’s Been a Cancelation

When you find out there’s a delay or cancellation with your flight, immediately head to the customer service desk for your airline, most likely at the gate your plane was supposed to be leaving from. Stay calm and polite when interacting with the airline representative. Almost everyone is feeling stressed when they are in this situation, but no matter the cause of the problem, the representative at the desk is not at fault for the delay. And as with most interactions, a positive attitude and basic human respect will get you a lot further than yelling and a negative attitude will.

Meanwhile, while you’re waiting in line – and yes, there will be a line because everyone who was supposed to be on your plane with you is trying to do the same thing you are – contact your airline directly. This can be by a phone call, through their app or online, or occasionally even with customer service through the airline’s social media account. You can do an internet search on your phone for the customer service number, and if you find both a number for within the U.S. and one for international calls, feel free to try the second if you can’t get through with the former.

There have been times that we’ve been able to rebook our flights over the phone before we’ve advanced very far in the line. And the people standing behind you in line will be grateful because when you have your tickets rebooked and step out of line to go wait for your next flight, they get to move forward in line.

If your flight is delayed but not canceled due to weather conditions, keep in mind that conditions can change quickly and the airline may try to get planes on their way as soon as there is an opening. This means it’s in your best interest to stay near your gate and listen closely to the announcements made by the airline’s representatives.

The Benefits of Travel Insurance

Having travel insurance can help to cover the expenses of a delayed or canceled flight, including meals and a hotel stay, even if the cause of the delay was something that the airline doesn’t cover, such as weather delays.

You may even have insurance and not be aware of it – some travel rewards credit cards include trip delay insurance as one of their benefits. Just note that to have the coverage, the tickets need to have been purchased with that card.

Ways to Be Proactive

As a general rule, whenever possible, book your flights early in the day as early flights are the least likely to be delayed or canceled. Much of this is because the weather is usually more calm in the morning, but you’re also less likely to experience the snowball effect of delays – because planes and crews can travel to multiple locations in one day, weather or mechanical problems at one airport can have a compounding impact on the schedules at other airports.

Keep an eye on the forecast, and if you think the weather might impact your flight, don’t be afraid to contact the airline and ask for an earlier flight if you have some flexibility in your schedule. If the airlines are anticipating problems due to the weather and they have open seats on some of their earlier flights, they may be willing to rebook you to an earlier flight even if you have a basic economy fare that normally can’t be changed. After all, getting you to your destination ahead of the storm means one (or more, if you’re traveling with others) less passenger they’re going to have to rebook if that later flight gets canceled due to weather.

Once you’ve purchased your tickets, download the airline’s app to your phone and sign up for flight notifications if you haven’t already. This can help you be aware of delays and changes to your flights. Also, if you have elite status with your airline, don’t be afraid to take advantage of it and call the airline for assistance if you run into problems.

If you know any amount of flight delays will cause you a great deal of angst because of missing out on something on the day you are scheduled to arrive, add some extra time to your travel adventure. For example, you could plan to arrive a day or two early. If you are flying someplace to catch a tour or cruise, plan to explore the departure city for a day or two before you are scheduled to leave. You’ll be less stressed if there are delays knowing that you’ve built that extra time into your schedule. On the other hand, if your flight arrives on time, you get the opportunity to explore your departure city or at least relax for a day or two.

Making the Best of a Flight Delay

There are many things in life that we can’t control, and airline schedules tend to be one of them. As with most experiences in life that we can’t control, the most helpful attitude to adopt is usually “it is what it is” rather than stressing about how to change something you don’t have the power to control.

In the worst of these situations, going with the flow at least means you are not adding to the stress related to the delay itself, such as having to change plans and rebook tickets.

In the best of situations, use the delay as an opportunity to relax in a hotel or explore the city where you are staying. This is what we did when faced with a weather-related travel delay in Boston. We had arrived there from the Azores on one of the last flights that landed before the airport shut down in a blizzard. So many flights were being grounded both there and at airports in other states that Southwest Airlines told us our flight the next afternoon was being rebooked to the following day, even though the weather was expected to be clear long before then.

This meant that we had to pay for an extra night at a hotel we hadn’t planned on. (I wish I had known at that time about travel rewards cards providing some insurance for travel delays!) But it also meant that we had an extra day in Boston. The storm died out by late morning, so we were out and about in the bright sunshine! We hung out with our friends, visited some Italian delis and bakeries, and enjoyed a leisurely lunch at a wonderful Italian restaurant, Rino’s Place.

Delays and cancellations are, unfortunately, a part of travel at times. Be proactive as much as you can, know what your options and rights are, and then try to relax and accept what you can’t change. It’s good advice for travel adventures as well as for life in general.

If you have a flight scheduled, do you know what the airline’s policies are regarding delays and cancellations? If you’re traveling out of the country, do you know the passenger rights in the countries you are flying in and out of? Have you bought travel insurance and/or checked whether your credit card provides any travel interruption coverage?