In colder months, problems with airlines and travel experiences are more common than ever. The threat of snow, rain, and storms can end up grounding flights for longer, meaning more disgruntled customers looking for compensation. One important thing to remember is that when your trip is disrupted by an unexpected problem, there are things that you can do to get yourself back on track as quickly as possible.
The more you know about your rights when it comes to cancellations and delays in an airport, the more prepared you’ll be when something goes wrong. After all, experts predict that most people will encounter at least one delay or cancellation during their lifetime. Here are a few tips that can help you to deal with cancellations and delays during the colder and more unpredictable months of the year.
1. Be the First to Know
If the airport you’re flying from or to is known for its unpredictable weather, then you should make sure that you check the status of your flight early and sign up for alerts about changes via phone, email, or text. The earlier you can jump into action when your flight is delayed, the better your chances will be of getting a favourable outcome. If you booked a reservation through a travel agent instead of an airline, you can still register to get travel alerts when you have the confirmation number for your ticket.
2. Have a Plan B
If you’re concerned about the possibility of delays and cancellations because of weather problems, you should make sure that you have an alternative solution available as early as possible. For instance, take the time to research some of the last-minute flights that might be available from other airlines and airports that are close-by. Even if you have to take a short bus trip to get to another airport, it might be worth it if it means that you don’t have to sit and wait to be booked onto another flight for several hours. The more flexible you can be with your plan B, the more likely you are to get to your destination as soon as possible.
3. Get Help from the Lounge
An airport lounge is a great place to be when you’re struggling with a flight delay or cancellation. If you’re struggling to get in touch with an airline during a delay, then you can always try ducking into a lounge that belongs to the airline you’re flying with. Even though you might be charged a fee for entering the lounge, your reward will be access to a skilled customer service agent who has everything they need to help you reach your destination no matter what. This means that you can even get on a new flight faster than the other people in your flight currently waiting in line. Of course, being a member of a lounge also means that you also have a more comfortable place to wait when you’re looking to board your flight.
4. Make the Most of Social Media
If you want to get help from an airline representative, but the crowd around the person in the airport is huge, and you can’t seem to get hold of anyone over the phone, then you could always try social media instead. Today, the teams behind airlines are investing more of their time into their social media presence because they want to improve their reputation online. Often, if you go and complain on a Twitter or Facebook page, the rep responsible for managing those accounts will come back to you faster because they can’t risk a negative impact on the company’s reputation.
5. Remember that Every Airline is Different
Finally, keep in mind that no matter where you’re flying from, or flying too, every airline will have their own policies. Some have systems that can automatically rebook people onto connecting flights when a delay takes place, whereas others will simply need to find you a flight as quickly as possible, even if that means putting you in touch with another airline. Researching the details of your airline in advance can help to make sure that you travel with the people that are going to give you the best possible experience regardless of whether your flight is delayed or cancelled.
While you’re looking for information on your airline, you can always put some effort into finding out about your rights when it comes to compensation too.
*collaborative post
