NEW YORK (AP)- The Northeast blizzard was a reminder that bad weather can disrupt air travel even if the sky above your local airport is a clear blue.
Airlines these days are more inclined to cancel flights at the hint of a major storm than to try and outgun Mother Nature. They canceled more than 10,000 flights over several days because of the blizzard, in some cases hours before snow started falling. That's because of a government rule that imposes huge fines for long tarmac waits, along with lessons learned from previous massive storms.
Much attention was paid to travelers stranded in the major New York area airports while plows struggled to clear runways. But there were also plenty of inconvenienced travelers in cities like Dallas and San Francisco, far away from the snowflakes.
There are several steps passengers can take to deal with this new reality:
• If your flight is canceled due to bad weather, don't go to the airport. That is, unless you have a fondness for cots or uncomfortable airport floors or seats. During the blizzard, many people were stuck for days as the airports and airlines remained paralyzed by the snow.
• To avoid getting stranded, check your flight status early the day you're flying, and again right before you drive to the airport. That way, you can call the airline's customer service line from the comfort of your home if there's a problem.
• If you're already at the airport when your flight is canceled, put your legs and fingers to work. Walk over to customer service. While there, dial the customer service number. Odds are you'll get help over the phone before reaching the front of the line.
Airlines these days are more inclined to cancel flights at the hint of a major storm than to try and outgun Mother Nature. They canceled more than 10,000 flights over several days because of the blizzard, in some cases hours before snow started falling. That's because of a government rule that imposes huge fines for long tarmac waits, along with lessons learned from previous massive storms.
Much attention was paid to travelers stranded in the major New York area airports while plows struggled to clear runways. But there were also plenty of inconvenienced travelers in cities like Dallas and San Francisco, far away from the snowflakes.
There are several steps passengers can take to deal with this new reality:
• If your flight is canceled due to bad weather, don't go to the airport. That is, unless you have a fondness for cots or uncomfortable airport floors or seats. During the blizzard, many people were stuck for days as the airports and airlines remained paralyzed by the snow.
• To avoid getting stranded, check your flight status early the day you're flying, and again right before you drive to the airport. That way, you can call the airline's customer service line from the comfort of your home if there's a problem.
• If you're already at the airport when your flight is canceled, put your legs and fingers to work. Walk over to customer service. While there, dial the customer service number. Odds are you'll get help over the phone before reaching the front of the line.
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