Between bad weather, flight crew staffing shortages, and unexpected maintenance issues, chances are likely you could experience a flight cancellation if you’re flying this summer. While passengers obviously have no control over the situation, an article by Yahoo! Life says there are some “smart strategies you can take to mitigate your risk.”
To reduce your risk of having your travel plans disrupted, travel experts say you should do these five things:
Book early morning flights. Early departures, preferably the first flight of the day, are more likely to be delayed or cancelled because they have not been impacted by situations building throughout the day.
Fly nonstop. While this is not always possible, if there is a nonstop flight available, you should book it. Nonstop means less chance of having something happen along the way.
Choose bigger airports. Bigger is often better when it comes to flying. That’s because larger airports have more frequent flights, extra gates, larger maintenance crews, and maybe even spare aircraft. All this means your chances of getting the aircraft replaced or rebooked onto another flight are greater.
Check the flight’s on-time history. Before booking, see if the flight is frequently delayed or cancelled. Try to avoid choosing flights that statistically have trouble.
Research your airline. Look into the airline’s history as well. Is there a reputation for cancelled flights? It’s a good idea to also see if there are consumer complaints about failure to compensate passengers for delays and cancellations. The article reminds us that under new federal regulations, when a flight is canceled (or significantly delayed), you are entitled to either a refund or a rebooking. Details can be found on the U.S. Department of Transportation website.
What do you do when choosing a flight? Message The Seniors Trust on Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter) and let us know if you try to pick one that is least likely to be delayed or cancelled.
