How can I know if the flight will be cancelled?
Oct 20th, 2009, 10:17 AM
#1
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How can I know if the flight will be cancelled?
I have an AA reservation, and more then half of the seats are shown as available. The flight is at the beginning of January. When will it be known if they cancel it? Or will it happen even if the plane is half-full?
Oct 20th, 2009, 12:07 PM
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It's an urban legend that flights are cancelled if there are too few passengers. Think about it. That would set in motion a whole series of problems. That plane, when it gets to its destination, has to go somewhere else. What would happen to the passengers on that flight? There may be flight crew that have to use that flight to get to their destination. AA may be booked to carry cargo on that flight.
They'll cancel the flight if the weather gets bad, or if a mechanical problem crops up that they can't fix.
They'll cancel the flight if the weather gets bad, or if a mechanical problem crops up that they can't fix.
Oct 20th, 2009, 02:10 PM
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Very very unlikely, as explained by Jeff_Costa_Rica.
Back in Spring, I flew AA from london heathrow to Boston. My flight had 38 economy passengers (it sits 200+ in economy). It took 5 minutes to board and deplane all the passengers.
Back in Spring, I flew AA from london heathrow to Boston. My flight had 38 economy passengers (it sits 200+ in economy). It took 5 minutes to board and deplane all the passengers.
Oct 21st, 2009, 08:39 AM
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It is urban legend for major US airlines in general, but it can be real in other parts of the world. For example, earlier this year, China Airline and Cathay Pacific were both canceling a lot of their flights between HKG and TPE on the day of travel or just a day or two before.
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Oct 22nd, 2009, 08:13 AM
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I don't think you can presume anything. You never know when the airlines will change their schedules.
We fly regularly BOS/CDG. Air France used to have three non-stop flights daily in each direction. Now, they have only one. AA used to have two or more non-stop flights daily in each direction. Now, they have only one some months and none during the winter months.
We fly regularly BOS/CDG. Air France used to have three non-stop flights daily in each direction. Now, they have only one. AA used to have two or more non-stop flights daily in each direction. Now, they have only one some months and none during the winter months.
Oct 22nd, 2009, 08:40 PM
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If the flight is eliminated from the schedule between now and January, it will, effectively, be cancelled.
We really appreciated the Air France non-stop CDG/BOS leaving at 4:30. Last time we booked this, it was later eliminated from the schedule. We were rebooked to the 1:30 return, but had that changed to the 7:30 return. The following year, the only return flight available (and currently) was 1:30. Flights are no longer scheduled for 4:30 or 7:30.
As mentioned, AA no long has non-stop flights BOS/CDG during the winter months. So, now, rather than leaving in the evening and arriving in Paris in the morning, flight leave Boston 9-10AM for 5-6 hour connections in NYC, Miami, Dallas...and coming home, some of the connections are actually overnight!
When our AA flight was changed, we were not notified. I found out by checking my confirmation number regularly on the website. The alternatives were unacceptable, so we postponed our trip.
Air France, on the other hand, did notify us of the change in our booking, then gave us the opportunity to choose alternate times/dates or cancel with no penalty.
We really appreciated the Air France non-stop CDG/BOS leaving at 4:30. Last time we booked this, it was later eliminated from the schedule. We were rebooked to the 1:30 return, but had that changed to the 7:30 return. The following year, the only return flight available (and currently) was 1:30. Flights are no longer scheduled for 4:30 or 7:30.
As mentioned, AA no long has non-stop flights BOS/CDG during the winter months. So, now, rather than leaving in the evening and arriving in Paris in the morning, flight leave Boston 9-10AM for 5-6 hour connections in NYC, Miami, Dallas...and coming home, some of the connections are actually overnight!
When our AA flight was changed, we were not notified. I found out by checking my confirmation number regularly on the website. The alternatives were unacceptable, so we postponed our trip.
Air France, on the other hand, did notify us of the change in our booking, then gave us the opportunity to choose alternate times/dates or cancel with no penalty.
