Avoid getting grounded when flights cancel
Where were you on April 9? If you were waiting for an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., we could have done lunch.
Actually, we couldn't have, because I was one of the lucky ones. I arrived at the airport at 6 a.m. for an 8:15 a.m. flight. When I saw the ticket-counter queue building up like a line of people waiting for a ride at Disney World, I didn't break stride. I headed for the United Airlines counter and threw myself at their mercy.
The agent booked me on an 8:45 a.m. flight to Chicago O'Hare (which cost me nearly $300, but it was a bargain compared to spending the next two nights in D.C., which is what many travelers were forced to do).
Washington, D.C., wasn't the only airport where people watched time fly when they couldn't. Passengers all over the system had their wings clipped when the FAA enforced a mandatory wiring inspection of all MD-80s.
Alaska Airlines, Midwest Airlines and Delta all have small fleets of MD-80s, but American has the lion share, so its passengers suffered the most. And, according to USA Today, that amounted to a quarter of a million travelers.
According to one frequent flier, these inspections are only the beginning. The FAA might find other safety standards that need addressing and more aircraft might be grounded.
"People don't know what to do when there's a mass cancellation of flights," said the man seated next to me, who had also jumped ship. "They go into a cattle mentality and stand in line like they're waiting to be milked."
So how do you avoid getting "milked" when a flight cancels? Here are some ways to increase the odds of flying when your scheduled flight doesn't:
• Know your rights. All cancellations are not created equal. If a flight cancellation is considered an act of God, such as a snowstorm, the airline owes you nothing. It will try to book you on the next available flight. If you decide to keep your feet firmly on the ground, the carrier will reimburse you the price of your ticket, when it gets to it.
However, if the cancellation is due to a mechanical problem or an overbooking situation caused by the airline, the carrier usually will compensate you with a future travel voucher. It will also cover the cost of a hotel room and meals until it can get you booked on another flight. But you need to ask.
• Check the schedule. Before you leave for the airport, call the airline and see if your flight is still scheduled to depart on time. If you book through Orbitz or online with some carriers, they allow you to register your cell phone number to receive automated updates. This usually works. But not always. There was so much chaos during the grounding of American Airlines' MD-80s, the automated phone messages didn't fly either.
• Be prepared. Keep a list of alternate flight schedules in your carry-on luggage. Include the phone numbers of your travel agent and the various airlines you could use.
• Avoid the long lines. If you discover your flight is canceled after you arrive at the airport, let your fingers do the walking. If you have a cell phone, call your airline or your travel agent -- whoever booked the flight -- and have them reschedule you. If you have a computer, check the other airline schedules.
• Be fickle. If it's obviously a chaotic situation where hundreds of passengers need to be rerouted, go to a competitor. The airline with the canceled flights will be hustling to find seats on other carriers. Beat them to it. Find the airline with the best schedule for your travel needs and buy the ticket. You will be reimbursed for the canceled ticket.
The new ticket might cost you a little more. But not standing in line, eating airport food and sleeping in the gate area … now that's priceless.
Gail Todd, a free-lance writer,worked as a flight attendant for more than 30years. She can be reached via e-mail at gailtodd@aol.com.