Cope with Flight Delays and Cancellations

Air travel is a stressful experience, even when it goes according to plan. It's even more stressful when unexpected delays and cancellations occur due to weather, mechanical malfunctions, strikes and other reasons beyond your control. This is the reality of air travel, and by remaining calm, flexible and patient, you can build a constructive response that will help you to keep your cool and reach your destination as quickly as possible.

Steps

Before Leaving Home

  1. Check the status of your flight before going to the airport. You can call the airline or check flight status online. If you notice delays online, contact the airline directly for more information.
  2. Monitor the weather. If weather is bad, flights into or out of the airport will be affected. Icy conditions, stormy weather and extreme weather events are of particular concern.
    • Besides the weather, other natural problems affect flights. If a volcano has erupted along your destined flight path, the airplane cannot travel through the volcanic ash. This type of delay can last for days or possibly weeks.
  3. Keep all of your travel information easily accessible when you go to the airport. You will need confirmation numbers, flight numbers, and any phone numbers for your travel agent or people who are waiting for your flight arrival. Have these in a handy place that is easy to find. This will reduce worry about losing vital information.

Flight Delays

  1. Find out how long of a delay is expected. This will help you re-evaluate your travel plans. Depending on the expected length of delay, you may need to return home or, if you're in transit or in another state or country, you may need to consider making alternative accommodation arrangements.
  2. Confirm if connecting flights will be missed. If the first leg of your journey is delayed an hour, you might miss a connecting flight you have scheduled.
    • Talk to an airline representative about getting another connecting flight if you are concerned you will miss your existing connection.
  3. Ask about baggage. Airlines have different procedures regarding checked luggage when flights are delayed or cancelled. You should receive instructions from an agent or customer service representative.
  4. Consider any children you are traveling with. Babies and small children have feeding and sleeping schedules that may be interrupted. Your level of coping will be affected by ensuring their needs are met quickly and with a minimum of fuss.
    • Keep infant formula and baby food in your carry-on luggage so you can adjust how and when to feed the children in your care.
    • Feed children while waiting out the delay so that they do not get hungry or cranky.
    • Find a gift shop that sells snacks, or look for healthy options at restaurants and snack bars near the boarding gate.
    • Ask for help if you need it; the attendants will realize your need if you voice it and many will do their best to point you in the right direction of food, toilets, and other basic needs.
  5. Make yourself comfortable. There is little you can do when a flight is delayed. See it as an opportunity to catch up on quiet time, reminding yourself that getting panicked or anxious won't improve the situation. Try to take the delay in your stride.
    • Read a book or a magazine, listen to music or get something to eat while you wait for your delayed flight.
  6. Call anyone who was planning to pick you up at your arrival airport to inform them of the delay. If friends, family members or business contacts were expecting you at a certain time, let them know your flight has been delayed.
    • Ask friends and family to watch the flight details online themselves, for any flight you take. This will help them to realize as quickly as you that you're delayed.

Rerouting

  1. Look for other flight options if your flight is delayed due to mechanical, ongoing natural disaster or airline problems and you really need to get to your destination on time. If you are supposed to be at a wedding without fail, see if there are other travel options available.
    • Ask your airline to re-book you onto another flight or endorse your ticket towards another airline. Airlines are not required to do this, but you can always ask.
    • Explain why it is important to get there. You will get more sympathy if you can prove that you are going to an event that won't happen again, like a wedding or a funeral.

Coping with Flight Cancellations

  1. Stay focused. Delays are hard to cope with but cancellations can make you sweat, worrying about whether or not you will reach your destination. You will get there if you stay focused and attentive. This means to reschedule, alerting people at the other end of changes in plans and staying alert for updates.
  2. Re-book your flight. The airline will try to get you on the next available flight to your destination.
    • Talk to your travel agent, if you used one to book your flight. Your agent might have access to more information than you do, and can get you re-booked more quickly.
    • Call your travel insurance company if you purchased insurance when you booked your trip. They can help you re-book over the phone.
  3. Find out if the airline will provide a hotel room, if you are stranded overnight.
  4. Ask for a refund. If you do not want to have your flight re-booked, the airline can refund you the cost of your ticket.
  5. Contact people at the other end to alert them to the change of plans. If you had an urgent meeting to make, consider asking to use a business lounge and attending the meeting virtually by Skype or telephone. Make use of technology––it's better than nothing.

Trapped On the Plane When It's Delayed

  1. Be prepared for a long wait. This is a most harrowing experience an air traveler can experience. The air grows stale, the toilets gets filthier and food runs out. Everyone's patience grows thin. In this case, focus on staying calm and keeping cool and hydrated.
    • Fill your water bottle at the first sign of a delay. Drink sparingly but regularly.
    • Distract children with games, reading, electronic devices, etc.
    • Talk to other passengers about positive things. Acknowledge their stress and feelings and gently remind them that worrying won't improve the situation and never underestimate the power of kindness. You might find distraction in relieving others' worries through finding little ways to alleviate their discomfort, like bringing them water or telling them a story. It helps to pass the time!
    • Walk around regularly to stretch your legs. Encourage others to do likewise.
    • Bring lack of hygiene issues to the attention of the attendants, realizing that they are also subject to the limitations of the facilities.
    • Tell the attendant if anybody appears ill, violent or in distress. It might be useful to find the principal attendant to get things dealt with swiftly.
  2. Stay polite but firm about your situation when released from the airplane. Again, realize that you are among many people who also want resolution of their issues. Be concise, polite and offer to be flexible about connections, etc. If you are so tired, angry and fed up that you know you will blow your top, consider returning the following day after sleeping, especially when you are in your hometown or have accommodations already sorted.

Your Attitude Matters

  1. Realize that everyone is suffering from the delay or cancellation too; the flight crew and every other passenger. When tempers flare, some people consider their needs to be more important than everyone else's and this can set people off, arguing and complaining. It may be difficult staying calm and polite, but it will win you more responsiveness from those in a position to help you. Air rage is ugly. People are naturally inclined to help those who help them by being friendly, patient and understanding. Use that knowledge for your own benefit.



Tips

  • Book early flights when you are planning your trips, if possible. Early flights are less likely to be delayed due to other flight delays before them, and you will still have the whole day to re-book if your flight is cancelled. Many organizations require their staff to fly to destinations the night before a meeting in order to avoid such issues as fog or traffic congestion; if your company endorses this approach, make the most of it!
  • Remember that airlines are not required to compensate you for flight delays or cancellations, unless you are bumped off an overbooked flight. Some airlines will offer you discounts or extra help in the name of customer service, but it is not legally required. Therefore, it pays to be polite (and insured).
  • Try to avoid flying in and out of the world's busiest airports. Delays and cancellations are more likely when a high volume of flights are coming and going. Most airlines will publish their performance statistics. You can also find this information with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

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Sources and Citations

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