Airlines are beginning to allow change fee waivers for flights in the path of Hurricane Irene. The Wall Street Journal has issued the first notice of these changes. Check directly with your airlines to see what waivers are available.
Earlier this week, many airlines began waiving change fees for travel to the Caribbean and in the coastal Southeast. On Thursday, carriers extended those waivers to flights to and from Virginia and destinations as far north as Portland, Maine.
Delta Air Lines Inc. said Thursday it would allow one-time changes for passengers with booked flights from Friday to Monday, both to and from New York, Boston, Norfolk, Va., and eight other cities. American Airlines parent AMR Corp. said it would waive ticket-change fees for 14 potentially affected cities and allow flyers to rebook as late as Sept. 4. United Continental Holdings Inc. has wiped away change fees for East Coast travelers with flights starting Friday at a 16 airports.
Check for current airline waivers here:
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Continental Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Spirit Airlines: Go to their website and download a pdf file of hurricane changes.
United Airlines
USAirways
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
