Airline travel tips: How can you avoid all those cancellations? What are your rights?

Some airlines are canceling anywhere from 5% to 50% of their flights on any given day, creating massive issues for thousands of travelers. Is there any way to avoid these problems? And what are your traveler rights? The Sum takes a look.

TO SUM IT UP

• Airlines are canceling or changing hundreds of flights every day, leaving thousands of travelers in the lurch.

• In some cases, individual companies have canceled upwards of 800 to 1,800 flights in a single day, which is the equivalent of roughly 10% to 20% of all of their scheduled departures.

THE BACKGROUND

Why airlines can’t resume normal flight service:

• They laid off employees at the start of the pandemic and didn’t have new recruits lined up to fill those spots when needed.

• Training flight crews, including pilots and attendants, takes several months, so new personnel can’t just be added to the rotation.

• Because of relaxed mask mandates, crew members are calling in sick with COVID-19, leading to more shortages.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

• Without adequate flight crews, airlines have no choice but to cancel flights or move passengers to different ones.

• Many passengers end up spending more money due to cancellations or changes they had no say in.

• Some passengers are even paying to travel to their destinations early just in case flights get canceled or moved.

WHY IT MATTERS

• If canceled or changed flights become the norm, consumers might change the way they travel entirely.

• Consumers are trying out other forms of transportation, like cars, trains, or buses, and building in extra time to travel in order to anticipate delays.

• Some airlines may see a decline in customers if they get the reputation of being totally unreliable.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

• The airline must offer you a refund if your flight is canceled for any reason.

• You’re entitled to a refund after “a significant change or delay.” However, that’s up for interpretation.

• Airlines are required to send a credit to your credit card company within 7 days of receiving a completed refund application.

• That refund may take up to 30 days to show up in a statement.

NO MATTER WHAT

• Be patient and kind to staff and fellow travelers.

• Build in extra time to travel days and trips in general.

• Bring all of your items in carry-on bags if you can to avoid losing luggage.

• Have any documents you need easily accessible.

SOURCES

• Inc.: In the Midst of Hundreds of Canceled Flights, Delta Air Lines Did Something Completely Unexpected. It’s What Every Company Should Do
• Simple Flying: Around 360 Air Canada Toronto Pearson Flights Were Canceled In 1st Week Of June
• NBC News: Airlines cancel hundreds of flights before summer travel season because of pilot shortage
• The Street: Why Are Flights Being Cancelled?

READ MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE SUM

The Sum breaks down complex economic issues and how they impact your life in just a few minutes a day. Follow thesum.news on Instagram for the full story.

This story was originally published August 11, 2022 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Airline travel tips: How can you avoid all those cancellations? What are your rights?."

The Sum

mahoningmatters

The Sum breaks down complex economic issues and how they impact your life in just a few minutes a day. Follow @thesum.news on Instagram for the full story.