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(CNN) — Delays and cancellations are affecting major airports across the country as the government shutdown — the longest in history — drags on.
Air traffic controller shortages have caused issues at numerous airports since the shutdown began more than a month ago, with ripple effects hitting flights almost everywhere. Now, the government has promised it will “reduce” air traffic at all the major airports because of the shutdown, beginning Friday, November 7.
Some US airlines, including Delta and United, are waiving fees for customers who want to change or cancel their plans because of Friday’s looming cuts. Passengers should check with their carriers for the latest on airlines’ plans to mitigate disruptions.
Keep in mind that in the United States, when an airline cancels your flight, you are entitled to a refund if you choose not to travel.
“If a flight does get canceled, travelers are owed a full refund for the ticket, full stop. If they are presented with a credit, they have the right to refuse and ask for monetary refund,” said Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for travel site Going.com, who was underlining Department of Transportation rules.
If your upcoming plans involve impacted US airports, “look to make alternative travel plans immediately,” said Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at AirHelp, an air passenger rights company.
With the busy holiday season approaching alongside looming shutdown-related cancellations, “competition for seats on open flights will likely be more fierce than normal,” Napoli said. “Travelers should consider looking at flights that are very early in the morning — as these are typically less delayed, too.”
Here’s more on what experts say you should do if your flight is delayed or canceled.
It starts long before you go to the airport
As bad as it is to find out your flight has been delayed for a long time, or worse, canceled, it’s better to find out from the comfort of home or a hotel room.
“Check your flight status before you go the airport. Most of these notifications are not happening at the last minute,” said Scott Keyes, the founder of Going.com. “Save yourself the drive to the airport.”
In this uncertain travel climate, it’s important that passengers closely monitor the routes they’re planning to travel, Napoli said.
“We recommend booking refundable tickets or purchasing travel insurance in case of any issues that come up,” he said.
Other tips from Keyes and Going.com:
Sign up for airlines’ text alerts on the status of flights when you buy your ticket. Also, download your carrier’s app.
Going.com suggests checking the National Airspace System status provided by the DOT, where ground stops, ground delays and air traffic control system announcements are listed.
Put your airline and flight number directly into a Google search bar to retrieve the flight status that way.
Check the website FlightAware for larger flight trends across the country.
Hop on waiver offers ahead of bad weather or other disruptions quickly. Early birds have the best choices of the remaining seats and flights.
If you’re at the airport already
If you’re at the airport, act with urgency. Quickly head to the airline agents’ desk. “It’s going to make a difference who arrives first. It’s first-come, first-serve. Positioning yourself close to the desk can pay off,” Keyes said.
You should also call up your carrier while you’re waiting. It might be faster to get through to a call center. “Whatever happens first, great,” he said.
Other tactics you can try:
Go to a self-serve kiosk, American Airlines and United Airlines advise.
Use social media to your advantage, the travel advice website Travel Lens suggests. Try politely contacting the airline via X or other platforms when calls aren’t going through.
Try an international call center for your carrier, Keyes suggests. Calls to US domestic numbers might have longer waits.
Attitude and research matter
Whether you’re dealing with an agent in person or over the phone, how you approach things can make a big difference.
“Honey attracts more flies than vinegar,” Keyes said. “Look at this from the airline agents’ perspective. … The agent is the one who has the most ability to help you. Asking nicely and sympathetically is far more likely to get what you want than being a jerk about it.”
And when it’s your turn to talk to an agent about making new arrangements: “Come prepared to offer your own options already. Doing your own research is absolutely helpful.”
Other considerations:
Book directly with an airline for easier solutions should trouble arise. If you’ve booked through a third-party site, you’ll have to deal through them when there’s a cancellation.
Avoid layovers when booking if possible, the consumer advocacy group US PIRG suggests. The more times you stop, the more chances for something to go wrong.
Regarding tarmac delays, airlines must provide working bathrooms the entire time, US PIRG says. “After two hours, you must have food and water. After three hours, you must be in the air or back in the airport — or the airline faces massive fines.”
Help from other airlines
Cooperation between airlines could work in your favor.
“When flights are canceled, many airlines have the option of putting you on another carrier’s flight because they have interline agreements,” Lousson Smith, product operations specialist at Going.com, told CNN Travel.
“This means, for example, if Delta is having service interruptions but American is running a flight to your destination, you may be able to get on that flight.”
Frequent flyer miles
Thanks to changes in frequent flyer programs over the past several years, airlines often still have flights available with miles even when demand is high during a weather event, Julian Kheel, founder and CEO of Points Path, told CNN Travel.
“You’ll need to be prepared to spend a lot of miles, and you may not get the best value for them,” Kheel said, but the cash savings could be significant.
“Most US airlines now allow you to cancel flights booked with frequent flyer miles without any fee or penalty right up until departure time. That means you can book multiple alternate flights on different airlines using your miles in case one of them ends up delayed or canceled.
“But don’t try to book alternate flights on the same airline, as duplicates can be automatically canceled. And don’t forget to cancel the remaining flights you don’t end up using so you can get your miles back.”
Trapped for the night
What do you do if you’re not going to be able to fly out until the next day and you’re not in your home city?
This depends on the specifics of your situation — in the US, for example, airlines aren’t legally required to put you up in a hotel. US-based airlines have their own individual policies for situations “within the airline’s control” that are tracked by the Department of Transportation, here.
According to the DOT, “a controllable flight cancellation or delay is essentially a delay or cancellation caused by the airline. Examples include: maintenance or crew problems; cabin cleaning; baggage loading; and fueling.” So weather events — or government shutdowns — typically would not fall into this category.
But requirements in other countries are different. In the United Kingdom, for example, you’ll likely be automatically entitled to food and drink vouchers and accommodation. You can read all the details at the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)’s website.
Your canceled flight will be covered by UK law if it was supposed to be departing from the UK, no matter who you were flying with.
And if your flight was supposed to be arriving in the UK, you’ll be covered by UK law as long as you were traveling on an EU or UK airline. This document from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority explains all the ins and outs of these rules.
Despite this, sometimes airlines can’t help everyone, and as the CAA says, “this can happen when staff are stretched during major disruptions.” The CAA advice is to organize “reasonable care and assistance yourself, then claim the cost back later. If you end up paying for things yourself, keep every receipt and do not spend more than is reasonable.”
Other things to consider:
Book your flight with a credit card, Smith said. “Many credit cards offer travel protections such as reimbursement if a flight cancellation forces you to get a hotel, meals, etc.”
Consider hunkering down at the airport if your flight is delayed but not canceled. A lot depends on your personal comfort level and the estimated wait time, Keyes said.
Check whether there is a hotel room available within the airport.
Try getting into an airport lounge if you can, where you can recharge your phone and rest more easily, the Points Guy advises.
Make safety your No. 1 priority. If extreme weather is causing air travel disruption, trying to make the journey by road could be hazardous, Keyes warns.
Refunds in the US
Airlines in the United States are now required to give passengers cash refunds if the airline cancels or significantly delays or changes a flight and the passenger chooses not to travel. See more from the Department of Transportation here.
Travel insurance and receipts
Travel insurance can be helpful to ensure reimbursement in a wide variety of circumstances. However, it doesn’t help in every situation.
“Many policies won’t cover shutdown-related disruptions outright, and because this is now a foreseen event, coverage would only apply if the plan was purchased before Oct. 1,” said Going.com’s Nastro, in an emailed statement outlining shutdown-related impacts on air travel.
She suggests checking on any protections offered by your credit card before purchasing additional coverage.
Be sure to save all of your receipts in case you need to file a claim with your insurer or your airline.
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