I saw this article from the New York Times on flight delays due to weather.
In it, there is some context about what happens in the event of shoddy weather (much like the east coast has endured this year) and how airlines are doing what they can to avoid some of the PR nightmares associated with canceling flights.
Make no mistake, a canceled flight can be highly emotional.
I know one person who made it to Newark from the west coast to catch a commuter connection to Philadelphia for a funeral. This was the only somewhat reasonably-priced flight that he could get in light of the family situation. He knew that there was always a risk of canceled flights, but he booked it anyway to save a few hundred dollars.
His worst fears weren’t realized, but there were some dicey moments. There was a weather issue in Philadelphia. In fairness, an airline cannot predict the weather and they did everything that they could to keep him abreast of the situation. In the past, he flew into Newark and took a train south to Philadelphia — and at that point of the trip, he thought that might have been the best option.
The clock was ticking and he was nervous. Fortunately, everything cleared out and he made it down to Philadelphia in time — barely.
People who have endured cancellations this winter aren’t quite so lucky. It’s been an absolute mess and there really is no perfect playbook for the airlines. As mentioned earlier, airlines can’t predict weather. It’s part of the deal for them and they do what they can to minimize the damage done. The New York Times article mentioned a few handy tips about how to endure this situation.
There was one, however, that was missing: book with a travel professional.
Oftentimes, a traveler can rebook with an airline fairly easily. My friend who went to Philadelphia missed his connection in Minneapolis on the way back west because of thunderstorms. Delta did a very nice job of rebooking him and, aside from minor inconvenience, he made it home just fine.
However, if it is a more complex situation, it makes sense to have a travel pro on your side. It can get very confusing in tough weather and cancellation situations. Since emotions run high in times like this, it’s always better to make that first call to the travel agent who booked the flight for you.
This article was interesting and provided some good advice.
But, they missed the most important piece — start by booking with a travel pro. Just get in touch with us and we’ll help you out every time.
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