Whether you’re traveling for work or leisure, there’s really nothing that can cause more dread in a flyer than hearing that your flight is canceled. While a canceled flight can be incredibly frustrating, there are things you can do to mitigate the adverse effects of the situation.
The following are some of the things you should do when your flight is canceled.
Understanding Compensation
First and foremost, so many travelers don’t know their rights and options when it comes to compensation for a canceled flight. There are different rules for compensation from different airports, but in many cases, airlines are legally required to provide compensation.
With that being said, if a flight is canceled because of a natural disaster or something beyond the airline’s control, they may not be legally obligated to provide compensation, but there are still options.
There are apps that will automatically go through your flight itineraries, and when you have a flight that’s canceled or delayed, they will file claims for compensation. Most airlines will offer something to passengers, but so many people don’t try to reclaim any compensation at all.
An automated app makes it much easier to file a claim so that you don’t have to worry about the right format or submitting it.
In general, before you travel with an airline you should review your rights. Read over the contract of carriage to know more about specific policies for the airline.
Call or Tweet the Airline
If you’re at a gate surrounded by plenty of other angry passengers it can be tough to even talk to an airline representative. You might be better off and get a faster and more desirable response if you call the airline or even tweet their customer service team.
If you are trying to speak to someone, it’s important to be firm and proactive, and have in mind some alternate options, but you should still try to be polite because being rude isn’t necessarily going to get you a great response.
Cancellations Because of Airline Problems
When it comes to cancellations because of events out of an airline’s control which can include everything from weather to civil unrest, your compensation options are more limited than if the airline cancels a flight because of something that’s within their control. This can include things like a shortage of crew members or a plane change.
In the event of this situation, you can often get meal vouchers if your flight delay is for more than four hours, and for extended delays you can get hotel accommodations, but you need to ask because most airlines would rather not hand these perks out.
Finally, if you’re traveling outside of the U.S. and you’re in the EU, you have even more traveler benefits in most cases. If you’re on a flight within the European Union, you are often entitled to things such as alternative transportation or a refund, and various compensation options if you get a replacement seat, but it means a delay of at least three hours.