American Airlines and Delta were the first major airlines to allow travelers to change their flights ahead of the winter storm. Here’s who is eligible.
WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — A major winter storm is set to blast southern states starting Friday, and some airlines are trying to nudge travelers to change their flights.
Days ahead of the storm’s expected arrival, meteorologists have already started warning travelers to prepare for travel delays. The extremely cold airmass is forecast to drop heavy snow, ice, and freezing rain from Texas to the Carolinas, creating hazardous travel conditions, power outages, and tree damage, according to the National Weather Service.
Multiple airlines are heeding meteorologists’ warnings and have issued travel advisories and alerts ahead of the storm, dropping their flight change fees in hopes of lessening travel headaches when the storm hits.
American Airlines issued a travel alert on Tuesday, saying people scheduled to travel between Jan. 23 and 25 can reschedule their flights for a day between Jan. 21 and 28 free of charge. Flight change fees are waived only for travelers going to or from 34 eligible airports.
Delta Airlines recently announced it was also waiving its rebooking fee to travelers who change their flights on or before Jan. 28. The airline listed 41 eligible airports that are eligible for the waived fee, as long as travelers there book the same cabin of service. Travelers who change their flights after Jan. 28 will likely have to pay a fee.
Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, or JetBlue Airways have not issued travel advisories for the storm as of 10 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday.
What to do if your flight is canceled or delayed during the winter storm
Airlines must, regardless of the reason, offer a refund to travelers if it cancels or make significant changes to a flight, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That requirement includes travelers with non-refundable tickets, as long as the passenger does not accept an alternative offered by the airline, like rebooking a different flight.
Apart from a required refund, airlines aren’t required to issue money or other compensation under federal law, according to department officials.
Travelers experiencing long delays or canceled flights can ask airline staff if they will pay for meals, a hotel room, or compensate them for their time, but that would fall under each airline’s specific policies. Those policies may also only cover “controllable” issues, or delays and cancellations caused by the airline like maintenance problems, cabin cleaning, and fueling.
“If you have a problem obtaining a refund that you believe that you are entitled to receive, you may file a complaint with the DOT,” the department said on its website. “If you are an airline passenger with a disability looking for more information regarding your rights during air travel, please follow this link to our disability webpage.”