Historic winter storm Elliott continues its momentum across the US. US, threatening holiday travel plans for millions of Americans. The National Weather Service (opens in a new tab) (NWS) warns that this storm will produce widespread disruptive and potentially crippling impacts affecting up to 110 million people in the central and eastern United States.
Meanwhile, AAA (opens in a new tab) expects 2022 to be the “third busiest year for holiday travel” since the organization began collecting travel-related data in 2000, with 112.7 million people traveling 50 miles or more from home between Dec. 23 and January 2 a 14% increase over last year, with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly. Nearly 102 million Americans will drive to their vacation destinations. Another 3.6 million people will travel by bus, rail or cruise, 23% more than in 2021.
If you are in the sky, it is very likely that you will experience delays or cancellations of your scheduled flight to your vacation destination. So what should you expect in terms of weather-related disruptions and how can you get your money back if you’re affected?
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Winter Storm Warnings
NWS (opens in a new tab) expect record-breaking, life-threatening cold for the Great Plains and eventually the entire eastern half of the US by Friday. Widespread light to moderate snowfall and very strong winds will create blizzard conditions across the Midwest, crippling travel and straining infrastructure.
The Weather Channel (opens in a new tab) reports that the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will experience light freezing rain and localized snow, followed by strong winds, rain, or rain that will turn to snow. This pattern in the Northeast will precede a wave of very cold air that could cause a flash freeze, leading to icy and dangerous conditions.
Flight cancellation expectations
CBS News (opens in a new tab) reports that several airlines have announced plans for possible blizzard conditions, freezing temperatures and the threat of massive delays and cancellations. United Airlines said its operations team is monitoring the situation and will “adjust as necessary.” American Airlines is operating with “all hands on deck” to minimize passenger disruptions, specifically relying on de-icing crews that have been preparing for a winter storm situation since the summer.
Major airlines, including Southwest, American, Delta and others, have already begun offering vouchers to allow customers to rebook their flights without change fees.
Still, airlines don’t have a very customer-friendly track record, especially in a COVID-19 pandemic era of constant disruptions and staffing issues, which have created new levels of frustration for passengers. So fliers should still prepare for the worst.
How to get your refund
So your flight has been canceled or delayed, now what? Visit the US Department of Transportation (DoT) Airline Customer Service Dashboard. (opens in a new tab)where you can compare the return and refund policies of the 10 largest US airlines.
According to DoT information, Alaska, American, United, Delta and JetBlue are the top carriers in helping customers with disrupted travel. Frontier and Spirit are by far the worst.
Find your airline in the tables below and check if your disruption is covered by their policies.
(Image credit: US Department of Transportation)
(Image credit: US Department of Transportation)
Airline Customer Service List
Once you’ve determined whether your airline covers your situation, contact them through their respective customer service website:
More protections for airline passengers
Apart from the dashboard, the DoT has been quite aggressive this year in going after airlines for customer abuse.
In August, the DoT announced a pending rule (opens in a new tab) to strengthen protections for consumers seeking airline ticket refunds. The rule responded to years of complaints from consumers with nonrefundable tickets who did not travel because airlines canceled or significantly changed their flights or because consumers decided not to fly for pandemic-related reasons, such as health concerns.
The proposed rule requires consumers flying domestically or internationally to receive a full refund based on their original payment method, including cash, in any of the following circumstances:
- If your flight is cancelled.
- Provided that the departure or arrival time is delayed by at least three hours for domestic flights or at least six hours for international flights, if fliers choose not to take the flight.
- Every time you change the departure or arrival airport or increase the number of connections on an itinerary.
- If the original aircraft has to be replaced by another, but there is a big difference in the on-board amenities offered and the overall travel experience as a result.
More recently, the DoT fined six airlines (opens in a new tab) a total of $7.25 million in November for failing to provide timely refunds after customers canceled or significantly changed their flights.
