Now that we’re out of winter storm season, barely (and yes, there was snow in Denver in May), it’s summer thunderstorm season. Translation: weather delays. When storms cause a delay, your cell phone may be your best friend.
From a traveler perspective, weather delays can be the worst. Because the airlines have less obligation to help with food and lodging vouchers and, unlike mechanical issues, weather affects a greater proportion of flights, which means longer lines at customer service.
The last two times I was in airports dealing with weather issues, Cincinnati and Chicago-O’Hare, lines were very long indeed. Once people got to the front of the line, it took the harried gate agents a long time to resolve each situation.
While cutting in line is not generally an option, there is a way to reduce your time when you get to the front of it — use your phone while you wait.
One option of course, is to call your travel agent, if you have one, who may be able to have you rebooked before you reach to a human in person.
For do-it-yourself-travelers (or in my case, since I am my own travel agent), the phone can help solve a lot of problems.
Have an airline customer service number handy. This is crucial. Directory assistance at best gives travelers a general number. Frequent flier elite members should have a phone number that is answered in a priority fashion. Sometimes credit cards have a travelers’ aid number staffed by travel agents. And remember that online travel agents also have 800 numbers that can help enormously — I visited the Orbitz travel agent center that deals with thousands of passenger issues every day.
Be as creative as possible. Look for other options. When you reach a human, don’t just ask the airline if they have, say, another flight to your connecting city? Ask if there’s any option to get to your destination?
Backtracking might be an option. I have personally returned from the Midwest via JFK. Yeah, it might be a long detour, but if you get home it’s better than nothing.
Try nearby airports. Remember, the person on the phone may not have much of a grasp of U.S. geography. (Many of them of course are not even in the U.S.) If you live between say, San Francisco and San Jose, or Milwaukee and Chicago, or even Washington and Philadelphia, and you can get yourself home from an alternative airport, ask about it.
Ask them to check other airlines; especially alliance members. If you fly enough to have a concept of what other airlines fly where you want to go, ask about those too. (Especially if it’s a partner carrier, as in Star Alliance.) If things are bad enough airlines may put you on any other available carrier.
No telephone reservations agent can open a closed airport or get you booked on a canceled flights, but they do have considerably more power and creativity than an automated kiosk.
Though, on days with bad weather delays telephone agents are likely to be stressed as well, at least they don’t have passengers literally breathing down their neck. So they are likely to be a little more relaxed and creative about helping you.
So then when you get up to the front of the line, you may be able to smile and tell the airport agent, “Well, I need you to print a boarding pass, but I think I have solved our problem.”
That would be a happy ending.
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
