LAS VEGAS (KLAS)– The holiday season is a time for travel, however, flying during that time can be fraught with delays and cancellations. A flight expert explained what one can do to help avoid these unfortunate situations.
Whether it’s extreme wind, thundershowers, rain, or snow, severe weather can really put a damper on travel plans.
Scott Keyes of Scott’s Cheap Flights said to book an early morning flight, they depart on time more consistently than afternoon or evening flights.
“The aircraft you’re going to be flying for early morning flight is already parked at the airport, it’s waiting for you,” said Keyes. “Whereas the afternoon or evening flight, that aircraft has to fly in, and if that flight gets canceled or delayed, then your fight is at risk.”
Another tip Keys suggests is to prioritize non-stop over connecting flights, as one out of every four flights gets delayed.
“If you’ve got a non-stop flight a two-hour delay is annoying, but a two-hour delay if you have a connecting flight, might mean you miss that connection,” he said.
Considering how full flights are nowadays, being put on a replacement flight could take a while. If a flight is canceled, Keyes said don’t stand in line at the airport for hours, don’t even call the airline’s main hotline.
“It’s actually to call the international airline hotline. American Airlines doesn’t just have a main USA hotline, Mexico, UK, Japan, Singapore, and you can call anyone of those numbers and get through to an agent far quicker, than to call the main U.S. hotline, especially if bad weather is causing a lot of cancellations,” he told 8 News Now.
If your flight is canceled, you’re entitled to a refund under the Department of Transportation regulations, even if you’ve purchased nonrefundable airline tickets. But, be prepared for hassles, and be patient.
