Experiencing a flight delay or cancellation can be a real headache. On average, one in five flights were delayed so far in 2023. Additionally, headlines from the media would have us believe that airplane models such as Boeing suffer from never-ending problems which only exacerbates the issue. But what should you do if your flight experience a postponement?
Know Your Rights
If your flight experiences significant delays or cancelations and you decide to ultimately not board the flight because of it, you are entitled to a refund. Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation has become more customer-friendly to ensure that those who purchase tickets are protected by certain rights. If you would like to learn more about these, you can visit FlightRights.gov — the official Department of Transportation dashboard. There, you can find a more detailed explanation about which airlines guarantee which rights for customers.
Download the airline’s app to make sure you are constantly updated
When you first learn of your flight’s postponement or cancelation, your first action should be to download the airline’s app (if you haven’t already). Typically, this will be the first stop for airline’s to update their customers of their flight statuses. These apps will also allow seamless rebooking or cancelations for customers to make the experience smoother for them — which is a much better option than being stuck on hold for an undefined amount of time on the phone!
Food and comfort
If you find yourself stranded at the airport and are awaiting an alternative to reach your destination, find a comfortable place to wait. Airports will often have lounges (such as Delta Sky Lounge) where it is the ideal place to gather your thoughts and make a level-headed decision about what to do next. These lounges often offer food and opportunities to recharge your devices. If you find yourself stuck for an extended amount of time and need to stay somewhere overnight, then ask the airline for any possible accommodations, where they can sometimes offer vouchers.
Document everything
Keep a record of all communications with the airline — this includes emails, app messaging, texts, financial transactions, and any other methods of communication. That way you have protection for yourself in the worst case scenario.
