Hey it’s me, JaQuay again…

Listen, one of the worst calls a travel agent can receive is that the airlines canceled a client’s flight for a trip they’ve planned months for.

Most of the time, when I get that call, they are typically in the city of their layover flight.

I can even tell you what city this happens the most, and that’s Miami, FL, Charlotte, NC, and Dallas, TX.

These airports are hubs for lots of major airlines, and this is where the gridlock can occur.

Now if the cancellation is not due to the weather, you definitely have to do these things to give you a better chance of making it to your destination.

Let me make this clear, these are tips I’ve given to hundreds of travelers, and only a dozen of travelers have had to use them, by no means am I saying it will work every time.

Let me share this scenario with you in case you’ve never encountered a canceled flight before:

My client boarded their early morning flight on time, then they arrived at their layover city on time, and were patiently waiting for their flight to arrive.

The departure time was approaching, and they got a notification from the airline that the flight was delayed.

Then they got another notification that the flight was canceled.

She’d read my helpful instructions included with her travel docs on what to do when that happens, and proceeded to stay calm.

She called me just to tell me she was doing exactly what I instructed and she wasn’t in distress.

Here’s what I tell all my clients to do:

  • Do not leave the airport.
  • Do not panic
  • Stay calm and respectful
  • Get to the nearest customer service desk for that airline.
  • Stand in the long line for others waiting to get the next instructions from the airline’s desk.
  • Follow their instructions to the “T’ and do not get frustrated.
  • You will either receive a voucher, a ticket for another airline, or simply be placed on the next flight.

If you panic, get upset, leave the airport you are throwing in the towel too soon.

The first thing is to follow that long line to the airline’s customer service desk and stand in it and get comfortable.

If after standing in that long line, they tell you the next flight is the next day, then you need to make QUICK decision:

OPTION 1 —

Wait for the next flight, because you DO NOT want to miss your trip.

  • Ask the airline rep for a hotel comp if you are in a layover city and not your home city and the flight is the next day.
  • Contact the 24 Hour During Travel Number on your travel docs to do the following:
    • Call Before HOTEL CHECK IN TIME (3pm)
    • Let them know to contact your hotel to give them notice of your next day’s arrival (DO THIS IMMEDIATELY because the hotel will give away your room 7 hours after check in, and mark it a no show – insurance does not cover same day cancellations with hotels)
    • Ask the During Travel Helpline to add a day to your stay if possible, and change the return flight date as well. (If too pricey then keep everything the same).
    • Prepare to stay overnight at the airport if nearby hotels are all booked.
    • Keep watching for your airlines alerts and notifications the entire time, and take each one seriously.
    • Check other airlines at the airport and try to get on their next flight leaving that day.
    • Ask the canceled flight airline to give you a voucher to fly with another airline.
    • If they say no to the voucher, immediately go to the current airlines website and request a refund for the canceled flight, or ask the attendant to submit a refund request on your behalf.

OPTION 2 —

Don’t wait for the next flight, reschedule your getaway and return home.

  • Call the 24 Hour During Travel Line on your travel docs immediately so they can reschedule everything.
  • Do NOT cancel the trip, just RESCHEDULE to keep your insurance intact.
  • Have your new dates in your head before calling.
  • You want to call the 24 Hour During Travel Helpline before the hotel check in to avoid the hotel’s no show fees that aren’t covered by insurance.

Most people don’t return home.

They’ve done too much planning to return home over a flight delay or cancellation.

I have so many helpful tips on what to do when these unexpected delays happen.

CRUISE DEPARTURES

If you book a cruise in another state, arrive in that state 24 hours before the cruise sail date to avoid any flight cancellations or delays causing you to miss your cruise boarding time.

If your delay is the same amount of hours if you drove to the destination then go to the rental car area at the airport and tell them your situation and rent a car. (one way car rentals are higher) but this is for extreme emergencies.

DON’T GIVE UP!

Remember to always hold the airlines accountable for their cancellations and delays by sending emails and letters demanding your refund.

If the cancellation is due to weather then you wont get anywhere with this post.

Just decide quickly on what you want to do to avoid losing money.

Peace and Love,

JaQuay