Handle Flight Changes Like a Pro
The airline industry hasn't been able to get out of its way since travel picked back up post-covid. Between staffing issues, weather issues, current events, and more, flight delays are common these days!
We're seeing delays caused by airline operations or mechanical issues – but airlines scramble for a reason to blame it on the weather instead, so they don't have to compensate. (Sound familiar?)
On a flight from Vegas to Barbados earlier this year, we had two layovers in Charlotte and Miami. In Charlotte, the systems went down, so they had to punch us all in manually. Then they allowed two people on the flight with the same seat, so a battle ensued, and on TOP of that, a cargo strap broke in the luggage area, and they needed to repack and balance the plane.
By the time we departed Charlotte, we already were going to miss our connection in Miami.
The cherry on top came in the form of a nasty storm that kept us circling over Miami for a while before we could land. Luckily for us, we texted Upaway the second we landed, and they had us rebooked on a flight to Barbados for the following morning within minutes. When we got to the customer service desk for a hotel voucher, the agents told everyone they would not be supplying vouchers due to "weather." So, though weather played a part, it absolutely did not cause the missed connection.
We stood at the counter for over an hour, explaining the situation and why we deserved a hotel voucher. Unfortunately, the agent next to our agent was dealing with very unruly customers, so in contrast, our kindness and patience made our agent want to work harder to help us out. Unfortunately, the unruly customers walked away without a voucher, and we left with a free hotel and two meals —rule number one of dealing with flight chaos: Empathy, patience, and kindness.
You may not have the same luck as we did, so it is essential to try to get everything in writing so that you can file a claim after your trip.
Save screenshots, emails, receipts, etc.
You can submit a claim to cover the cost of hotels, meals, and transportation as long as you have proof that the delay not being weather-related.
If the customer relations team does not give you a solution you like the first time, it never hurts to push back and explain why you deserve more.
We have seen countless successes when kindly explaining why you deserve more compensation – kindness often yields kindness.
The biggest mistake travelers make nowadays is not having the right (or any) travel insurance for your trip.
Delays and cancellations are common, especially during peak travel, winter, and holiday seasons. So plan for the worst, hope for the best, and leave extra time!
Looking for more tips – or need support with flight changes?
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Photo by Anna Shvets