We’re nearing peak travel season in the summer and there’s already been a spate of worrisome events at airline companies, including Southwest’s computer glitch and pilots going on strike. The risk of flight cancellations and delays is worsened by the recent approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to cut back on flights at Delta, United, JetBlue, and American. Although this may be counterintuitive, this move from the FAA is to reduce the amount of last-minute scrambling and disruptions given the current situation among airlines.
Fewer flights often lead to higher prices and less flexibility if your flight is canceled. If this happens, though, you have some options. In the event of flight cancellation, the airline will most likely have already rebooked you on a different flight. If the new flights fit within your schedule, then you can choose to take the flight. If not, you can request a different flight at no additional charge. This could be advantageous if you’re bumped from a less-than-ideal itinerary. You could request another flight that doesn’t require an unreasonable departure time or try to go for a non-stop flight. Crews from canceled flights are reassigned to other flights, which may help the situation in less-popular destinations.
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