More than 1,600 U.S. flights have been canceled and nearly 5,800 more have been delayed as of 5:00 p.m. ET Monday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.
Strong weather moving through the Northeast, especially around New York, seems to be behind most of the issues.
The Federal Aviation Administration warned that flying in the New York metro area could be a little more chaotic this summer with fewer air traffic controllers available to handle flights than needed. As a result, airlines were preemptively asked to reduce their schedules in an effort to reduce the strain on the system.
Even still, when summer storms hit, flights are often delayed. That leaves planes out of place and the controller shortage could contribute to longer recovery times.
Several airlines have issued waivers for passengers in affected cities to rebook their itineraries.
Check their websites for more details.
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines is not currently offering weather waivers.
- United Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- JetBlue is not currently offering weather waivers.
- Spirit Airlines is not currently offering weather waivers.
- Frontier Airlines is not currently offering weather waivers.
If you’re traveling this summer and want to avoid similar headaches, it’s a good idea to consider some of the following guidelines when booking your tickets:
- Travel early. Delays and cancellations tend to build up throughout the day, so morning flights are usually less likely to be affected.
- Avoid connections if you can. The fewer flights you have to take, the less likely you are to run into problems.
- Consider buying travel insurance. If something goes wrong, trip insurance can help you recoup the costs if you need to rebook or spend the night somewhere unexpected.
Cruising Altitude:Airlines make bank from bag fees even if you hate them
If your flight is canceled for any reason, you’re entitled to a full refund if you choose not to travel on an alternative itinerary you’re offered, even if you originally booked a nonrefundable ticket.
Delays, however, can get a little more complicated. Weather-related delays are often not covered by airline compensation policies, because they’re typically considered outside the carrier’s control. That’s why the flexibility offered by waivers is especially important when bad weather rolls through. But the Department of Transportation has a dashboard that outlines the situations in which delayed passengers can be compensated by most airlines, and what they may be entitled to.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com
