Know Your Travel Rights

We’ve all been there. You get to the airport and sit down to wait for your flight and then wham! Flight Delayed! Or worse, your flight is totally cancelled. What the??? Now what? 

With staff shortages and fewer routes due to Covid, delays and cancelations are becoming more normal. Airlines are still trying their best, even if they are also still overbooking. 

• Next time, get to the airport earlier. Like 2 hours before your flight. 3 hours if you’re flying internationally. Or, just check in as soon as you can and hope you make it to the airport before the flight starts boarding.
• If you get bumped, make sure you’re comped. 
  • For flights that arrive one to two hours later than your scheduled arrival time, you’re entitled to the one-way fare of your ticket up to $400.
  • If you’re delayed two to four hours from your original scheduled arrival time, you’re entitled to 200% of the one-way fare, up to $700.
  • If you arrive more than four hours later than your scheduled arrival time you’re entitled to 400% of the one-way fare, up to $1400. If this requires an overnight stay in a hotel, the airline will almost always pay for it and also give you vouchers for meals.
  • Ask for cash, instead of vouchers. Cash works just as well and has no black-out dates or other stipulations. Plus, you can use it on another airline if you find a better deal, or blow it all on your trip when you finally get on it.
  • If your flight arrives an hour or less than your original arrival time, you aren’t entitled to anything, but that doesn’t mean you can’t maybe ask for miles, a free drink or something similar. Be nice about it though, because that’s really the only way the gate crew are going to want to do a little extra for you.
• Unfortunately, flight delay rules only apply to delays that result from a foreseen circumstance like a plane change. If the delay is weather-related, the airlines aren’t required to comp you at all. Anything they give you is up to the representative’s discretion.

Want to read more tips for traveling worldwide on a budget? Check out my blog at Shereen Travels Cheap or find me on Facebook or Twitter. You’ll also find product and website suggestions, packing tips, current deals and a whole lot more to help you travel better for less!