Flight cancelled? It’s easy to rage at an airline on social media, but unless your tweet goes viral it’s not likely to get you much help. Better to take ownership of the situation. Here are ten things to do after your flight gets cancelled to better the chances you won’t spend the night in the airport.
1. Ask to be rebooked on a later flight.
Sure 6 AM gets you to your destination faster, but is 2 hours of sleep or sleeping at the airport an enjoyable part of your vacation?
2. Book the overnight hotel yourself.
While this can be cost-prohibitive for some, vacation often entails unexpected expenses (these days testing positive for Covid asymptomatically while overseas may mean several extra days of lodging plus a rescheduled flight at the end of your trip). You probably don’t want the room the airline will give you free, anyway; they are sometimes not the nicest properties.
3. Be smart about which credit card you use to pay for the tickets.
Some credit cards include trip delay coverage, which will cover your expenses in the event of a forced overnight. Book your own room and save the receipts not just for the room but also meals and transportation back and forth to the airport.
4. Do your due diligence when booking flights.
Choose an airline that has a decent on time record and low flight cancellation numbers, along with decent reroute capabilities.
5. Strategically choose your connections.
You can’t eliminate all risk, but if a delay will cause insurmountable problems for your trip then avoid difficult hubs (for example, New York airspace) with short or even recommended connections if a delay is going to prevent you from making it to your destination. Avoid connecting to the last flight of the night, and have backup itinerary options in mind before your flight is cancelled.
6. Price a new ticket on another airline.
The itinerary might be better and last-minute trips aren’t always expensive with ultra low cost carrier competition. Consider how much incremental cost you’ll face buying a new itinerary and paying for it (at least in part) with a refund of your original ticket, versus the cost (both cash and otherwise) of the overnighting options you face. If you find an alternate carrier and book your own travel arrangements, if your original ticket (the one on which you missed the outbound) is a return ticket, you must let the airline know you still want to take the return flight. Most return journeys on the same ticket will be cancelled if you fail to board any of the flights; the airline will advise if you can still take the return journey.
7. Fly to a nearby city and rent a one way rental car to your airport destination.
Sometimes this is the less-expensive option, sometimes it is the only option. Again, if you miss the outbound on a return ticket, be sure to let the airline know you still want to take the return flight.
8. Don’t accept whatever flight the airline offers you.
Do your own legwork when there’s a delay or cancellation! Search flights for sale on your airline’s website. If there’s something available to purchase, it’s usually possible for the airline to put you on the flight
9. Inventory changes all the time, so keep checking for something better.
People miss and change flights. Keep refreshing your options if the flight you’d prefer is sold out.
10. Ask someone else for help.
If the person helping you isn’t giving you what you want, call/online chat/use Twitter/find someone at the gate, customer service/ticket counter, etc. If you get told “No” three times maybe it is in fact No, but you may also find someone to go the extra mile for you if it’s possible to do so. Looking for what is usually the best in-person help? Pay a one-time fee and talk to the staff behind the counter at the airline club.
Twist’s Take: These ten things should help you avoid being stranded in the airport if your flight is cancelled.
