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| CRBJ Home > May 2007 | |||||
Plan ahead to limit waits at the airport, or worse, on the planeBy Betty Stark
Another planeload of air travelers held captive on the tarmac or just feet from the retracted JetWay. Another horror story of eight-hours-stranded, no food, no water, no functioning bathroom facilities. "How could this happen?" we demanded. "What about passengers' rights?" we wanted to know. Ah yes, passengers' rights. Here's an interesting if little-known fact about your rights once you board an airplane: Other than the right to compensation if you are involuntarily bumped or if luggage handlers send your checked bags to Madrid while you're headed to Missoula, you basically have no rights. Once you've secured your seatbelts low and tight across your lap and the aircraft has been pushed back from the gate, your chances of being treated like a human, in the event of a delay, would be better if you were, for example, a golden retriever or a cow stashed below deck in the hold. It's true: there are regulations that govern how long and under what conditions an airline can confine pets and livestock in the belly of the plane, but other than watered-down "customer care" proclamations, there's nothing that gives similar protection to beleaguered passengers in seats. Bottom line, when you buy an airline ticket, you have a seat on the plane. Whether that particular seat ever makes it to the destination you've booked is not part of the "contract of carriage," because airlines don't guarantee their schedules or that they'll get you where you want to go. Now that you understand the realities of air travel, it's time to move into survival mode. What, if anything, can you do to minimize chances that you'll be caught in the great maw of flight delays and cancellations? First, know thy airlines. Bad weather aside, not all airlines are created equal when it comes to knowing how to get in, offload and reload passengers, and get out within the gate time they've been allotted. To find out where your preferred carriers rank, look into their on-time performance history. This will tell you a lot about your chances of facing delays and cancellations. If your chosen airline has a consistently bad track record, consider switching to a different carrier. Find data on the overall efficiencies (or lack of) at your home airport and a nearby alternate airport too. Check the Department of Transportation's Air Travel Con-sumer Report (airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/delays.htm) for the airlines that do the best job of arriving on time, keeping track of checked luggage and accommodating booked passengers. Use FlightStats (www.flightstats.com/go/Home/home.do) to rate specific flights based on their on-time performance. Consider flying out of, to or through alternate airports (www.bestfares.com/travel/desks/story.asp?id=1808). Try to avoid booking smaller regional jets whenever possible. They are more prone to weather delays and cancellations and if you're traveling with carry-ons that you don't want to check, you'll find only minimal space in overhead bins. If you're flying out of a nonhub airport, try to avoid booking the last flight of the day, because if it's canceled, you'll have fewer options for rebooking on other carriers. It's important when traveling in survival mode to have a plan B. Armed with the knowledge that the airlines aren't legally bound to accept much responsibility for getting you where you need to go (unless they bump you involuntarily from an oversold flight), make sure you know what your options are if you're stranded. Ask your travel agent about alternatives and carry that information with you (make sure you have the agency's after-hours number too), or use online flight planning resources like Do Hop (www.dohop.com) or the Official Airline Guide (www.oag.com/oag/website/com/en/Home/Flight+Lookup/). Program your airline's toll-free numbers into your cell phone ahead of time so you can call them while you're in that long line of stranded passengers, wending your way to the airline counter. If you're an elite member of a frequent flyer plan, program that help desk number into your cell phone too. It might come in handy if you need to reroute and rebook a canceled flight. You'll have a strong advantage if you know whether or not the flight you're waiting for has left the ground (and that information can also be valuable for those awaiting your arrival). Be ahead of the game by knowing about weather-related airport delays around the country. Use your laptop or PDA to track airline flight departures and estimated arrival times, but don't rely on the airline Web site to give you accurate information. Instead, check out Flight Aware (www.flightaware.com), Flight Explorer (travel.flightexplorer.net/index.aspx) and Flight Arrivals (www.flightarrivals.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Flights). Here's another rule of survival mode: be realistic. It's a given that you'll eventually face lengthy airport delays. So why not pass the time in the comfort of an airport club lounge? Even if you're not a member, most clubs will let you in the door on a day pass, typically at a one-time cost of $25 to $50. Check your airline's Web site for details ahead of time for the location of the club in the airports you'll transit and the rules that govern one-time visits. If you're traveling business or first class, your visit might be free. As the number of air travelers continues to skyrocket and airlines experience more operational meltdowns, your chances of enjoying a carefree on-time flight will all but disappear. More than ever, it's important to travel in a constant state of preparedness. Know your options, have a solid Plan B, and pack plenty of patience along with your emergency snacks and bottled water. Betty Stark is a Madison travel industry consultant and business travel writer with 25 years' experience. travelingwriter1@aol.com madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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