Ana’s Travel Tips: Delays and cancellations

You’ve probably been there: a delayed or cancelled flight. Earlier this week I added a new one to my list: emergency landing. So what do you do? Below are a few of my tips for handling unexpected travel delays.

During the delay/cancellation:

Get food – Add being hungry to any situation and all of a sudden things feel worse. If you’re delayed (even by a little), grab yourself a snack or meal. And if you’re not hungry, buy something you can put inside your purse/backpack for later.

Use your time wisely – Upon arrival or hearing news of the delay, begin figuring out your plan B. This is especially true if you need to arrive to your destination by a certain time. Consider all modes of transportation: planes, trains, cars, ferry.

Speak in Spanish – If you’re calling into the 1-800 number and you know Spanish, use it. That line gets you to an agent almost immediately, which is much faster than the English line. It’s a little trick I learned working my corporate job!

Get tech savvy – I mentioned this previously… download the app! The app will provide you the latest updates on delays and cancellations. Also, check your email.  That is how you’ll learn about vouchers and other official information.

Before you travel to alleviate delays:

Buffer days – If you are able to, add a travel or buffer day to your itinerary on either or both ends of your trip.

Choose layovers wisely – If you must have a layover, choose a layover location that is closest to your destination. That way, in case of a delay or cancelation, you have options to get to your destination quickly through other modes of transportation.

Hope these tips help you better plan and handle those travel mishaps.

For more travel tips, check out these posts:

Ana’s Travel Tips: Getting through the airport
Ana’s Travel Tips: Preparing to travel to a new city