Summer is “high season” for flight delays. What travelers should know

The summer travel season is in full swing, often bringing more flight delays and cancellations.

However, travelers may be out of luck when it comes to compensation for such interruptions, depending on the root cause and the specific airline policy, experts said.

“In general, in the U.S., airlines aren’t really obligated to pay you anything, at any time,” said Eric Napoli, chief legal officer of AirHelp, which helps passengers claim compensation for delayed or canceled flights.

Mid-June to late August typically marks “high season” for flight disruptions, Napoli said.

“This summer will see more planes in the sky, frequent severe weather and increased use of the nation’s airspace,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration. web page on summer trips.

Bad weather accounted for 66% of total flight delay minutes to date, according to FAA data through July 21. In 2023, the share in this time frame was around 72%.

That data likely includes the July 19 global IT outage that grounded thousands of flights.

“Volume” caused another 15 percent of delays this year, the FAA said.

Summer generally brings “higher passenger and flight volume” with school out and “millions of Americans” on vacation, Hayley Berg, chief economist at Hopper, wrote in a recent note. analysis of travel disorders.

Indeed, 8 of the 10 busiest travel days of 2024 were in June, July and August, according to the FAA data from Sunday.

There is generally a primary duty for airlines in relation to compensating passengers: Carriers owe a refund of the ticket price and fees if they cancel a flight or make a “substantial change” to the flight — regardless of the reason, according to US Department of Transport.

Consumers are eligible for a refund only if they choose not to accept an alternative option from the airline, such as rebooking on a different flight, the DOT said.

This obligation applies even to those who purchased tickets with a non-refundable price.

However, one key caveat: DOT does not currently define what constitutes a “significant” change. That determination is based on factors such as the length of the delay and the flight and special circumstances, the agency said.

Starting Oct. 28, airlines will have to “immediately” and automatically pay refunds to customers because of the Biden administration’s recently issued rule, which also defines a “significant” change as a delay of three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights.

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More generally, airline compensation policies vary for delays and cancellations.

A Department for Transport dashboard describes the promises of the major airlines to customers in case of cancellation or delays of more than three hours. (These carriers include: Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit and United.)

Airlines are “required to deliver” on those promises, the agency said.

For example, all airlines are committed to rebooking passengers on the same airline free of charge and providing a free meal if the cancellation results in a wait of at least three hours for a new flight. Most of them offer overnight hotel accommodation. But none offer cash compensation for a delay of three or more hours.

Importantly, these compensation policies only apply to “controllable” delays and cancellations, i.e. those attributable to airline operations. The same obligations may not apply to circumstances beyond their control, such as bad weather.

For example, the spate of delays and cancellations associated with last month’s global IT outage was considered a “controllable” event. A botched technology update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected Microsoft services used by several airlines.

Passengers flying abroad may have more rights depending on international rules, experts said.

For example, passengers flying to and from Europe generally have more rights to compensation due to European Union legislation, according to AirHelp.

Experts suggest a few ways to minimize the chances of flight disruptions and better deal with delays or cancellations if they do happen:

• Book the first flight of the day. Flights departing after 9 a.m. are twice as likely to be delayed as those scheduled between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m., according to Berg.
• Avoid connecting flights to reduce the chances of disruption. This will not always be possible, depending on factors such as the cost of the ticket, the airport and the destination. If you have a connection, allow enough time for a wait, Napoli said. At a minimum, travelers should leave a layover buffer of at least 45 minutes for domestic flights and 90 minutes for international travel, Berg said.
• Construction in a isolation day. Leave “wiggle room” at your destination so you don’t miss out on “big” events or plans in the event of a delay or cancellation, Berg said.
• Fly on days that are less busy. Travel on weekdays such as Tuesday or Wednesday tends to bring less flight traffic, Napoli said. Travelers may be less likely to see certain types of delays and have more open seats if they need to rebook. Tickets tend to be cheaper these days, too.
• Pack smart. Those with a carry-on or personal item should pack strategically in case of a delay or cancellation, Napoli said. For example, it might make sense to carry a change of clothes, snacks, electronics, valuables and a toothbrush if your purse isn’t available, she said.
• Multitasking while waiting. In the event of a delay or cancellation, use your time wisely, experts said. “Get in line to speak with an airline representative at the same time you call the customer service center,” Berg said. This way, you maximize your chances of speaking to a representative more quickly if multiple passengers are trying to get through at the same time.