Unpredictable weather conditions across the United States, combined with the ongoing grounding of 737 MAX 9 jets by the Federal Aviation Administration, have resulted in significant flight cancellations and delays for US travelers. As of 3:30 p.m. ET today, there were 968 flights canceled and nearly 5,600 more delayed. Among the airlines, United Airlines has been hit the hardest, with 216 flights canceled, accounting for around 8% of its schedule. United Airlines owns a fleet of 79 MAX 9s and expects substantial cancellations while these planes are out of service.
Know Your Rights in Case of Flight Disruptions
It is crucial for passengers affected by flight disruptions to be aware of their rights. Depending on the situation, you may be entitled to compensation or a full refund from the airline. Understanding the basics outlined by the Department of Transportation's airline customer service dashboard is essential since these commitments are legally binding. Generally, if your flight is canceled and you opt not to travel on alternative flights offered to you, you are entitled to a refund. For delays caused by airlines, such as crew scheduling or mechanical issues, compensation is required. However, delays resulting from weather conditions or air traffic control requirements usually don't qualify for compensation.
Airlines often offer increased flexibility for rebooking in advance of severe weather if you anticipate that your travel plans may be impacted.
Airline Weather Waivers
To accommodate travelers affected by the upcoming Northeast weather conditions, the following airlines have implemented change waivers allowing passengers to adjust their travel plans:
- Alaska Airlines (systemwide)
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Southwest Airlines
- United Airlines
- JetBlue
- Spirit Airlines
Flight Cancellations: What to Expect
In the event of flight cancellations, it is important to know your entitlements. If airlines such as American, Delta, Hawaiian, or United cancel a flight for controllable reasons, they are committed to offering the following:
- Rebooking passengers on the same airline or a partner airline at no extra cost
- Providing a meal, cash, or a voucher for a meal if the cancellation results in a passenger waiting at least three hours for a new flight
- Offering complimentary hotel accommodations for passengers affected by overnight cancellations
- Providing complimentary ground transportation to and from a hotel for passengers affected by overnight cancellations
While Alaska and JetBlue offer the same benefits as the mentioned airlines, they may also provide additional compensation. However, it's important to note that Allegiant, Frontier, Southwest, and Spirit do not book passengers on partner airlines. Additionally, Frontier does not offer hotel accommodations or related transportation.
Terminal screens list flight departure status at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport where delays and cancellations are stranding passengers on Monday, Dec. 26, 2022.
Flight Delays: What to Expect
According to the Department of Transportation, there are no federal laws requiring airlines to provide compensation for flight delays. However, US carriers have committed to different levels of compensation for significant delays. Each airline defines significant delays differently.
For significantly delayed flights within their control, airlines such as Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United offer:
- Rebooking passengers on the same airline or a partner airline at no extra cost
- Providing a meal, cash, or a voucher for a meal if the delay results in a passenger waiting for at least three hours before departure
- Offering complimentary hotel accommodations for passengers affected by overnight delays
- Providing complimentary ground transportation to and from a hotel for passengers affected by overnight delays
Alaska and JetBlue may provide additional compensation along with the aforementioned benefits. However, Allegiant, Frontier, Hawaiian, Southwest, and Spirit do not rebook travelers on partner airlines. Frontier also does not offer hotel accommodations or related transportation.
Checking the Reason for Flight Delays or Cancellations
While there isn't usually a central repository for the cause of airline delays or cancellations, airlines typically inform passengers about schedule changes. To find out what happened, check your airline's app or any emails you receive regarding your flight. If you're already at the airport, you can speak to a gate agent or other customer service employee. Additionally, the FAA website lists general air traffic restrictions by airport, which can help determine whether weather conditions or air traffic control staffing problems are causing the delay.
Requesting Additional Compensation for Controllable Delays and Cancellations
In many cases, you'll need to speak to a customer service agent or wait in line at the airport to obtain compensation such as hotel and meal vouchers. Refunds or credits can often be processed over the phone or through airline customer service chat features. If you're seeking a refund and don't require rebooking, it may be worth waiting a few days for the call volume to decrease. Airlines rarely compensate passengers for out-of-pocket expenses incurred due to delays; however, travel insurance policies often cover such costs. In the rare instances when airlines do offer compensation for out-of-pocket expenses, they will provide instructions on how to claim it.
Additional Travel Protection
Especially during the winter when storms can disrupt flights, it's recommended to consider purchasing travel insurance. This provides an additional layer of security in case something goes wrong.
Contributing: Eve Chen, USA TODAY
