So , you ’re one of the thousands of people currently stay in airport oblivion asthe FAA grapples with staffing dearth . You ’ve watched in alarm as flight board flip from green to red . You ’re commonplace and just want to get where you necessitate to go .
What do you do ?
whole step 1 : Cry .
It ’s hunky-dory . Let it out — your emotion of rage and frustration are valid . Shake a fist in the general direction of Washington , D.C. , and the orange chupacabra in flush .
Step 2 : Preserve your phone battery .
Sure , you probably packed a ready to hand battery charger andexternal batteryfor character just like this . But those only last so long , and battling for liberal outlets at aerodrome is the last affair you want to do while on the phone with airline common carrier . It ca n’t hurt to switch on battery saver way , diminish brightness , and kill power - guzzle apps . Here’sa ready to hand guideto all the things that could be drain your smartphone assault and battery .
stair 3 : Know your rights , flex those fingers , and get dialing .
Unlike in Europe , the U.S. does n’t have the good protections or compensation policies in the event of a delay or cancelled flight of stairs . There ’s a probability your airline bearer will assure you ’re out of fortune , as unfortunatelythere are no Union rule saying airlines have to recompense you . While they typically will in instances where it ’s the airway ’s fault , like with mechanically skillful nonstarter , but in type like today where labour issues are the source of a job , an airline may choose to cite “ force majeure”—basically an ‘ human action of god ’ out of their ascendance .
Still , it ’s an extremely bad aspect and sorry business for airlines if tons of people fire up Twitter and publicly blast airlines for being lousy . And if line to verbalise to an agent are stretching down the terminal , your best bet is to call up your airline ’s client armed service and hang up in there until someone solution . check that to ask for a refund or , bar that , food and accommodation voucher .
Also , do a few breathing practice session and plaster your adult smile on your facial expression before utter to a repp . Sometimes if you ask nicely , you could get rebooked on an alternate airway at no superfluous fee . However , no airline is necessarily obligated to do that . That tell , if you ’ve rack up a crapton of level and miles as part of a allegiance computer program , feel free ( within reason ) to brandish that around — it is a fact of late stage capitalism that gamey - status members will get serve first .
If you ca n’t find a free broker at the counter , and if angry - tweeting has n’t panned out , here ’s a list with impinging information for most of the major U.S. carriers :
American Airlines : 800 - 433 - 7300
Delta Airlines : 800 - 221 - 1212
Jet Blue : 800 - 538 - 2583
United Airlines : 800 - 864 - 8331
Southwest Airlines : 800 - 435 - 9792
Spirit Airlines : 801 - 401 - 2222
Step 4 : Call your acknowledgment board ship’s company .
If that does n’t mold and you befall to hold your flight on a change of location - oriented acknowledgment identity card ( particularly if it ’s an airline rewards card ) , you might have some protections already built in . It bet on the case-by-case carte du jour , but some amount with construct - in traveling insurance for delayed or cancelled flights , lost luggage , or even death . Here ’s aconvenient list of reference cardswith these features . And if you do n’t have one of these cards , but locomote a hatful , you might desire to considergetting one .
Step 5 : If you have n’t already , download your airline business ’s app .
Not all airway apps are adequate . But in the event of tenacious course and clip spent on - hold on the phone , sometimes a carrier ’s app will get you quicker flight of steps status information . If you ’re really prosperous , it might even have you transfer your travel plan in the app itself .
Step 6 : Drink .
You ’ve done all the things . You ’ve either been successful and are now boarding a young flight of steps , or you ’ve puzzle some meter to kill . Either way , airports have bars and bars have booze ( as well as other beverages for the non - drinkers among us ) . Hopefully you have a meal verifier that you could expend to corrupt yourself your beverage of choice , raise an ironical glass to our fat cat corporate overlords , and sympathize with your fellow stranded traveler .
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