Flight cancellation--what to expect
 

We're scheduled to fly to Paris Tuesday and I'm wondering when we'll find out our flight has been cancelled. I've been monitoring the US Air flight status site and notice cancellation notices aren't posted on-line until hours before the flight--I'm thinking we'll be at the airport by then. Would be a waste to drive to the airport only to find out our flight is cancelled--of course I will call before we leave but what if??? When an airline cancels a flight is a full refund an option or does it depend on circumstance, carrier, etc.? Any thoughts, advice, experience?

US Air has posted their policy online.

http://www.usairways.com/TravelCenter/Advisories.aspx.

If you flight is canceled the airline will put you on the next available flight or offer you a full refund. If flights are still canceled as of Tuesday you should not expect to find an available flight for at least a few days, perhaps even a week or more.

Thank you, J62. I wondered about the full refund; our expectations for getting to Paris are pretty low at this point.

Can you imagine how many people are waiting for seats on flights? AnnMarie I know what the posted advisory says but USAIR might give you that refund now because they have thousands of Europeans stranded here who are begging for your seat(if it leaves at all).

Id at least call..

And plan on a long hold time.
This is just a mess..

I feel bad for everyone affected. Actually watching the news today I started thinking about back up plans for my late May trip should they be needed!

Great advice, thank you. I won't wait until Tuesday to call.

CarolA, I feel bad, too. We would gladly give up our seats for anyone trying to get home--I can't begin to imagine the nightmare people are going through right now. I hope your trip works out.

My husband was booked on a flight from Frankfurt home to the US tomorrow. Yesterday morning, the flight was still a go, but by late afternoon, it had been cancelled. The earliest flight I was able to re-book him on is on Wednesday. He's not amused, his office won't be happy, but there's nothing to be done.

We were to leave for Paris on Thursday...with another couple...now we don't know what will happen. I think maybe it will be next Friday before we go.

Keep in mind there are a lot of people who were supposed to go days ago and they will be waiting their turn for an open seat. Planes will be jam packed for the next couple of weeks due to this backlog. And God forbid that volcano could start up again while you are over there. Of course there are worse things in life than being stuck in Paris. But your extended vacation could get very expensive, depending on when Mother Nature decided to put a cork in it.

I wish you all the best of luck.

As P_M points out there are now a LOT of folks disrupted by this.

When the planes get jam packed so do the check in lines, security lines etc... allow extra time!

Some airlines are trying to get you over to Europe, as long as you're flexible, like not minding where in Europe you're getting to.

For example, while Continental cancelled most flights to Europe tonite, they are flying one 767-400 plus one 767-200 to Lisbon (regular schedule, only one 757-200). So, that's 409 seats vs 175 seats. And for Madrid, they're flying THREE 767-400s with total of 705 seats, vs originally scheduled two 757-200s for 350 seats.

Now, how are you getting to your destination from Lisbon or Madrid is your problem, of course.

rkkwan, I am trying to help my SIL find a way to get from Portgual to the US. Are my eyes deceiving me, or are there actual flights departing from Lisbon to Newark?

AnnMarie, I hope you are able to make it to Paris. :(

I, personally, would take advantage of any opportunity for a full refund and reschedule the trip. I'd rather do this to sit on the edge of my seat have to constantly make adjustments to hotel reservations and refigure everything.

And, as mentioned above, more could happen once you're there, making it impossible/difficult to get home and very expensive to cover a delay.

But, one can only wonder how losses the airlines are experiencing will impact future fares...

But...

more could happen on any day you are in Europe. I know people who were trapped by the 9/11 disaster. I know people who have been trapped by all kinds of things. I have a friend whose 2 daughters left Tuesday night for a 10 day trip in Italy with thier school (getting home could be fun)

So... there are no gurantees when you "reschedule"

For those of you trying to get too or from... They NY Times has an interactive map showing open and closed airports that they seem to update.

You can find it in this article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/wo.../19ash.html?hp

djkbooks, it's not fun. Yesterday, I decided to cancel our hotel in Paris because they require a three day advance notice for cancellation or be charged a two night stay. Train tickets require three days notice for a full, less 5% handling fee, refund. I will call the airline today--if I knew for certain we could get a full refund I would take it and move on to Plan B.

STW, thank you. This morning I read the volcano is spewing boulders and glass--incredible. I hope your SIL makes it home soon.

I know others are in far dire situations so my disappointment pales. We were going to Paris to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary--I think the situation is a metaphor for our life not being perfect, unpredictable, or, something along those lines!

LIS and MAD are not being affected by the ash at all. All regularly scheduled flights are flying, and as I mention, at least Continental is adding capacity to those cities.

In other words rkkwan, if one is stuck in Europe they should do the following:

Take the train to Spain as the ash rain will not affect the plane.

:-D

The problem is that buses and trains to the south are all full. Maybe one can try driving.

I'm just checking on the seatmap on today's CO65 from LIS. It actually has a few empty seats. So do the two flights from MAD.

lol, P_M!!! :-)

Ha, Pam - Nice!

Our family is currently on holiday in a little fishing village in Portugal. They wait in the long line to access the internet cafe. They find something available, but they cannot book anything online, so they have been to the Lisbon airport 3 times only to find they cannot get out. They found spots on the bus to Cali (sp) France for 500 euros pp, but when they call the seats are gone. My BIL is considering buying a car to drive to Cali and wait for a spot on the ferry to the UK (where they live). Madrid is a long way only to find out there is nothing. My nephews have exams and projects due (this is their university entrance year) but are hoping that the headmaster will be in the same situation as they are and not be penalized. Then there is the funeral...we are coming to grips with the fact that they may not be here on time. forgive me for rambling...we are heading home shortly.

Oh stw what a mess!! Surely they will cut some slack to your nephews. Please keep us posted and we'll hope for the best.

We are rescheduled for our Paris flight on AF Monday the 26th...we cancelled the Dordogne and Southern France itinerary but hoping we get at least Paris!

My docs are having us cancel our trip to Europe because of our respiratory issues, current infection, and possible compounding of everything by the ash & mess at all the airports. Have been contacting Hotwire, Orbitz, insurer, credit card companies, hotels, etc. Not fun, but health comes 1st. Hopefully we will get everything resolved & get our money back so we can plan other events that won't harm our health. :( It's ironic because we didn't want to go to China because of air quality issues & figured Europe would be fine. HA! As they say, "Man plans, got laughs."

OH, SeeTheWorld, I hope it all will be resolved soon for you!

STW, wishing you all the best. ((F))

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100504/...celand_volcano
I think everyone going to Europe(really any air flight) should have some contingency plans these days

I just "plan" to stay in Paris a little longer... but I probably won't get that lucky.

(I do have a "close to home" plan if the flight TO Europe is cancelled)

I was wondering what the latest was on volcanic interuptis. Thanks for the link.