5 Top Tips For Handling Flight Cancellations Like A Pro

Forbes Staff

Updated: Feb 28, 2024, 7:39am

Fiona Campbell
Forbes Staff

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The holiday season of 2022 will forever go down in Canadian history for all the wrong reasons: Cancelled flights, missing baggage and stranded or abandoned passengers as winter storms in B.C., Quebec and Ontario grounded planes and caused chaos for thousands of travellers from here to Mexico.

WestJet cancelled approximately 1,600 flights between December 2022 and mid-January 2023. Sunning cancelled 67 flights between December 15 and 31 and received 7,000 complaints for it. And just recently, a technical malfunction caused more than 500 Air Canada flights to be cancelled or delayed.

Those numbers are jarring but it’s even worse when one particular flight—yours—is cancelled and you watch your travel plans fall apart. Although there’s no secret potion to reinstate your flight as scheduled, there’s plenty you can do to make things manageable.

Why Are Flights Being Cancelled?

There’s no single cause for flight cancellations. Instead, it’s a perfect storm of compounding factors. Airlines are stretched to their limits, scheduling as many flights as possible to meet pent-up demand from the past few years. Together with airport construction, weather delays and staffing shortages, there’s no room for error and one small glitch can cause a domino effect.

In short, the return to travel after the COVID pandemic has been turbulent, pushing airlines to make tough operational decisions. After laying off crew members early in the pandemic or losing them for other reasons, airlines are still short-staffed and need time to rehire. Other airline staff, from gate agents to baggage handlers, also take longer to hire due to the extra security checks needed for airport personnel. Air traffic control is also short-staffed, impacting the number of flights able to be in the air at any given time.

When mechanical issues or extreme weather conditions arise, flights end up cancelled instead of delayed if there’s no wiggle room to call in extra staff.

While you can’t control the weather or a pilot shortage, here’s how to handle flight cancellations and make the best of a bad situation.

5 Tips On How To Handle Flight Cancellations

1. Improve Your Odds of Avoiding Cancellations

Smooth travel is never guaranteed, but choosing the right flight might add to your luck.

If you haven’t booked your flight yet, look for nonstop options. The fewer flight segments in your itinerary, the fewer chances there are for something to go wrong. When that’s not possible, choosing early flights is your next best bet. As the day goes on, minor issues create a domino effect, possibly leading to more substantial delays and cancellations.

If your flight is already booked, you might have the ability to switch to a safer option at no penalty. Depending on your airline, you may be able to do this for free.

Budget airlines have their place, but this might not be the time to test one out unless they have a proven track record. Choosing airlines with a lot of re-routing options multiplies your chances of finding a relatively convenient alternate schedule.

Keep an eye on your flight status and make changes if you’re flexible before your flight is cancelled—you’ll have more options before available seats are booked by other travellers. Your airline may even offer a fee waiver if operational issues are expected. For example, prior to the threatened WestJet pilot strike in May 2023, the airline offered passengers a one-time fee waver for cancellations or changes for flights.

2. Advocate for Yourself

Frequent travellers who get caught off guard by delays tend to quickly find solutions for one simple reason: They seek options through multiple paths rather than waiting for a single fix to be presented.

Seek support immediately and from multiple channels. You can call the airline while simultaneously standing in line for help at the airport and checking the airline’s app, then work with whichever rebooking option comes through first.

If you’re not at the airport and call wait times are astronomical, try dialing a different number. For example, call centres located in other English-speaking countries such as Australia or Singapore may have shorter wait times. For some airlines, Twitter support may also be available and can speed up response times.

In all cases, a few minutes of searching for alternate flights is worth the effort. Knowing which options are available is the best way to ask for exactly what you want instead of hoping an agent offers you something you can make work. Politely suggest what you’ve found instead of waiting for them to do research on your behalf.

Also keep in mind that some airlines may delay flights a few minutes at a time, which could keep you in limbo. If missing your connecting flight is inevitable, proactively ask to be rebooked if another option is available.

3. Know Your Rights

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) provides a comprehensive guide that outlines passenger rights and airline obligations if there is a flight delay or cancellation.

Changes made to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations in September 2022 offer further protection to travellers facing flight cancellations and delays. While the original rules stated that refunds were to be issued for disruptions that were within the airline’s control, airlines must now issue a full refund (if requested) for delays of three hours or more or a flight cancellation outside the airline’s control if the passenger can’t be accommodated on the next available flight (with the airline or a competitor) within 48 hours.

Examples of situations within an airline’s control include:

  • Staffing issues
  • Flight consolidations due to low demand
  • Disruptions due to scheduled maintenance
  • Safety issues identified during pre- or post-flight checks

Examples of situations outside of the airline’s control include:

  • Security incidents
  • Medical emergencies
  • Bad weather
  • Orders from applicable authorities

There are additional requirements for airlines including clear communications with passengers about the reason for the delay or cancellation, as well as any assistance and compensation they may be entitled to. Airlines must provide regular flight status updates every 30 minutes until a new departure time or flight arrangement has been confirmed, as well free food and drink, and overnight accommodation, if necessary.

Airlines are also required to pay compensation for inconvenience to a maximum of $1,000. The amount of compensation depends on how late the passenger arrives at their destination, compared to the arrival time indicated on their original ticket.

Large airlines must pay:

  • $400 if the passenger arrives three or more hours late, but less than six hours
  • $700 if the passenger arrives six or more hours late, but less than nine hours
  • $1,000 if the passenger arrives nine or more hours late.

Small airlines must pay:

  • $125 if the passenger arrives three or more hours late, but less than six hours
  • $250 if the passenger arrives six or more hours late, but less than nine hours
  • $500 if the passenger arrives nine or more hours late.

Even if you accept a ticket refund, you can still make a claim for inconvenience if the disruption was within the airline’s control.

4. Purchase Travel Insurance

While travel insurance can’t protect your flight from being cancelled, it may reimburse you for unexpected costs that arise if issues come up.

Trip delay insurance might kick in after a few hours, covering reasonable expenses you incur during the delay such as meals, overnight accommodations or transportation to a last-minute hotel. Trip cancellation insurance—meaning you can’t reach your destination at all—may reimburse prepaid costs from your original, intended vacation.

As you may expect, it’s too late to buy insurance once delays have already been announced, so you’ll need to make this purchase in advance. Our guide to travel insurance can help you make sense of different policy options so you can determine what type of coverage to buy in the future.

If you didn’t buy insurance, check the credit card you purchased your flight with. Several credit cards offer basic travel insurance as a built-in benefit to card members. Premium travel credit cards in particular may offer this perk, but a quick reference of your card benefits guide (typically found by logging into your online account) or a call to your card issuer can confirm what you’re eligible for.

Regardless of what insurance you have, you’ll need documentation for everything in order to process your claim so collect and save receipts along the way.

5. Handling Lost or Delayed Baggage

Even when you make it to your final destination, your bags might not. According to a recent study by Compare the Market, approximately 32% of Canadians surveyed reported losing luggage while flying. Thankfully, over 93% eventually retrieved their wayward bags.

Travelling carry-on only is the best way to avoid this issue, but that isn’t always possible. If you need to check bags, doing it smartly can improve your odds of you and your bags arriving together. Checking your luggage with plenty of time in advance can help baggage handlers get your bags to the plane in time to be loaded.

If you’re particularly worried, AirTags and other tracking devices can help you track down checked bags (including gate-checked carry-ons) in case they end up separated. Don’t want to invest in tracking devices? Make sure your bag’s identification tag has up-to-date contact information where you’ll actually be reachable—if your phone number doesn’t work abroad, list an email address instead.

For bags that are substantially delayed, this is another good time to read the fine print on your insurance policy or pull out your credit card benefits guide to see if you have coverage for lost or delayed luggage. Baggage delay insurance may cover the cost of essential purchases until your bag is delivered, such as a change of clothes, toiletries and more.

If your checked baggage is not returned within 21 days it is considered lost for the purpose of compensation. Lost luggage insurance reimburses the value of what you lost, assuming you can document what’s inside (pro tip: take a picture of the interior contents before you leave home). In both cases, monetary limits apply, so shop for replacements accordingly and consider leaving your valuables at home.

Almost 7% of Canadians surveyed by Compare the Market reported never seeing their bags again. Under the Montreal Convention of 1999 (revised in 2019), international flights are required to compensate passengers up to 1,288 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) units, or approximately $2,300 at the time of writing, for lost baggage. An airline may choose to pay more than this limit but they don’t have to. If the airline ignores your claim, you can initiate legal action as long as it’s within two years of your flight.

Last Resorts for Flight Cancellations

File a Complaint with the Airline

Filling out a form online doesn’t feel like you’re doing much, but it does ensure that your message gets sent to the right department rather than being shuffled around a generic email inbox. Keep your letter short and to the point, without letting emotion overtake things. Include your confirmation number or member number so the airline can verify delays or cancellations on their end and then be patient—you’re not the only passenger impacted by cancellations lately.

The chances of getting your flight refunded are slim to none if you accepted a replacement flight and asking for reimbursements is similarly fruitless (that’s what travel insurance is for.) You’re more likely to receive a voucher for future travel or bonus miles that you can use for future redemptions. The exact amount will likely vary depending on how long you were delayed, the ticket fare you purchased and if you hold elite status with the airline.

File a Complaint with the Regulator

If you’re not happy with the airline’s response, you can file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), tasked with regulating airline customer affairs. However, there’s a reported backlog of 33,000 complaints—and growing. While it takes approximately 19 business days to resolved a complaint, it takes upwards of a year for that complaint to reach an agency facilitator for review.

File a Credit Card Chargeback

credit card chargeback is when you request a refund from your card issuer after you’ve exhausted every other possibility. Card issuers will require documentation that you’re eligible for a cash refund and that you’ve already made reasonable efforts to get a refund directly from the vendor itself (in this case, usually an airline or travel agency).

Accepting a new flight itinerary (even if it is a day or two later than originally scheduled) may make you ineligible for a credit card chargeback. In this case, the airline provided the service you purchased according to the terms and conditions you agreed to when purchasing the ticket.

Bottom Line

Flight cancellations can be brutal, but being proactive can help you book flights with less chance of being cancelled or ensure you have insurance protections in case you later need to file a claim. Advocating for yourself can also help you get to where you want to be as quickly as possible while travel insurance can help reimburse for unexpected expenses along the way.

5 Top Tips For Handling Flight Cancellations Like A Pro FAQs

How much baggage insurance can I get?

The maximum coverage per person for baggage insurance on most travel insurance plans ranges from $250 to $3,000. Most travel insurance policies also have a per item coverage cap, such as one suitcase or piece of clothing.

Does travel insurance cover a missed connection?

If you have trip interruption insurance, which kicks in once you leave on your trip, you might have coverage due to a missed or delayed connection. This can reimburse you for meals and hotels and may also pay for transportation to the next leg of your trip. Policies can vary drastically, so it’s wise to carefully review coverage offered by the policy to avoid surprises later.

When is the best time to buy travel insurance?

The best time to buy travel insurance is once you’ve made all your bookings, such as your flight, hotel and any excursions. Then if you’re purchasing travel insurance with trip cancellation and interruption coverage, your entire travel investment is covered.

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