Travel Deal of the Day (February 3, 2010)

As this has been a bad winter weather season on the East Coast, it is important to note that the best way to be reaccomodated when there is a flight cancellation at the airport is by thinking outside the box. Most people, after arriving at the airport and having a flight cancelled, automatically go to the gate to wait in line to speak with a gate agent. This can often be the wrong thing to do. More often than not, the line is huge, and by the time you arrive at the front of the line, you have few options as those people ahead of you booked the best alternatives. Instead of waiting in line at the gate, here are two alternatives:

(1) Call the airline from your cell phone. You will often get through to a representative quicker than if you stand in line. (You can call while standing in line in case standing in line would be quicker); AND/OR
(2) Go to the main airport ticketing counter or another gate to find a representative to reaccomodate you.

In situations of flight cancellations or bad weather, you want to be reaccomodated sooner rather than later to ensure you have the most possible options. These are a few ways to give you the best opportunity to find options during flight cancellations.

Travel Deal of the Day (February 14, 2008)

The recent bad weather in the Northeast and Midwest forced many airline cancellations. As has been mentioned in the past in this blog, bad weather brings very lenient airline and hotel cancellation policies, even on the most restrictive fares.

When bad weather occurs, most airlines and some hotels offer to waive cancellation fees even on the most restrictive fares/rates. Most airlines will allow you to change the date of your ticket (within a limited range of dates) or use the value of your ticket towards a completely new ticket even if your flight is not cancelled. If your flight is cancelled, most airlines will refund your fare, even if the ticket was a non-refundable ticket. Hotels will often waive the cancellation fee or allow you to change your dates when especially extreme weather occurs at the location of your hotel (or even, in some situations, at your home location when you are traveling from your home to that hotel).