There's a big probability that if you traveled this summer over one of the hottest holidays, your flight was either delayed or completely canceled.
Demand has increased in 2022, making up for losses from the epidemic years, although some airlines have been forced to reduce capacity during the summer because of employee shortages and airline problems.
In the spring, Danny Finkel, chief travel officer at TripActions, told TheStreet that "demand has outstripped supply, and when you combine that with, say, summer thunderstorms, it causes the domino effect that passengers are currently managing."
The issue became so serious earlier in August that the Transportation Department required the airlines to develop a plan to secure their customers.
On August 19, Pete Buttigieg, the secretary of transportation, announced that by the Friday before Labor Day, the government would introduce an "interactive dashboard" for travelers to compare the services each American airline provides for delays and cancellations.
The big American airlines have now started to make public adjustments to their policies the day before the dashboard goes live.
New rebooking policies
Source – Shutterstock. Southwest Airlines and JetBlue planes await their next flight at LaGuardia Airport
United Airlines (UAL) guarantees that passengers will receive the next flight with available seats in the same cabin as originally purchased at no additional cost and commits to keeping passengers informed about rebooking alternatives.
If there are tickets available and the delay or cancellation is due to a United problem, United will book passengers on a flight with a partner airline if they request it, but only if there are seats available.
If some cancellations or delays extend longer than three hours, passengers will receive a digital or printed meal voucher.
United will provide you with a voucher for a partner hotel if a delay or cancellation to your home city necessitates you to remain an extra night. If the partner hotel is already booked, United will pay you up to $200 to find another lodging. Additionally, a voucher for the cost of the taxi to the hotel is available.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) has a comparable rebooking policy, but unlike United, there is no "same cabin" requirement, thus you might be able to receive an upgraded seat at no extra cost.
The food and hotel voucher rules of Southwest are essentially the same as those of United, although the airline also provides some assistance for overnight housing, even if the cancellation is beyond its control.
JetBlue (JBLU) offers a free rebooking, a refund, and, "when practicable," a rebooking on the following flight operated by a partner airline.
When there is a three-hour delay or more, you can probably afford to buy a few candy bars and a small bottle of water at the airport convenience store because JetBlue's meal vouchers have a $12 cap, including taxes and fees.
For guests who are stranded overnight, JetBlue also provides hotel accommodations at the airport hotels. JetBlue will refund you if the airport hotels are not available as long as you have your receipts.
Flight delays/cancellations surge in 2022
Source – Shutterstock. Flights cancellation status on flights information board in an airport
The number of flights that arrive on time is at its lowest level since 2014. The percentage of delayed flights is likewise at its highest level since 2014 – 20.7%.
Only the pandemic year of 2020 (264,754) had more flight cancellations during the previous ten years than 2022 (106,037), although the year has four more months to go.
In reality, 2014 is the following closest year for flight cancellations (89,625).
According to Bureau of Transportation statistics, the problem has become far worse in 2022 than it was even in 2021 (41,469) when the epidemic was still raging.
We won't leave you stranded as well – below, you'll find some helpful tips for convenient travel!
Source – Shutterstock. An impressive view of happy travelers in the mountains
Have you ever heard something about off-site parking? If not, we recommend you take a closer look at this part of the article, as this information will be handy for those who prefer to travel by air and get to the airport by their own car.
Most people suppose that parking at the airport is the fastest and most convenient option for them. However, it's not actually true. We'll explain to you why.
To be true, being in a terminal parking lot isn't convenient at all. Although on-site airport parking is the nearest place where you can leave your vehicle for the period of a trip, you can face the following difficulties:
- You will need to find a spot in a crowded lot,
- You will need to carry the luggage all the way through the parking lot,
- You must pay expensive fees without great service.
Sounds not good, right? However, we found an excellent solution for you - in this case, off-site parking can become a savior for you. So if you're trying to find a parking spot with great service nearby the airport you're flying from and don't want to leave there the most significant part of your budget, pay attention to this option.
How does it work?
Source – Shutterstock. Closeup of the empty parking lots near trade center
Obviously, people who chose a car as a way to get to the airport want to leave their vehicle safely while traveling and not to face the problems we described above. So what can off-site airport parking offer its customers?
Although a few miles usually separate such parking from the airport, you shouldn't worry about this. Off-site parking provides free shuttles going back and forth between the parking lot and the airport. Thanks to this, it removes any worries about getting stuck in traffic on the way to the airport during peak times. So all you need to do is choose the best time for you and inform the parking lot staff.
How does it work? Actually, everything is straightforward: when you come to the entrance, the staff will remove your luggage from your car and load it onto the shuttle, which will take you and your bags to the terminal. Then, the vehicle will be parked securely.
In addition, this type of parking is much cheaper, and this is good news, as nobody wants to waste money. Therefore, off-site parking is the perfect option to receive excellent service and save money at the same time.
Want to find some great offers? You don't need to go somewhere - just find it right here!
Source – Shutterstock. View from the window of the orange and white wing of an airplane flying over a country
We're glad to inform you that you can find this solution right here. Our booking platform, ParkingNearAirports.io, offers the best prices on airport car parking and bundles hotel and parking packages. Besides, we provide the services for top cruise ports in Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, and Texas.
Our platform allows you to reserve a parking spot through a few clicks within the application. As a result, customers receive a booking confirmation and a guaranteed parking spot upon arrival at the off-airport lot. Besides, if plans change, you can cancel hassle-free and receive a refund.
To understand it better, we would like to give you an example. Let's imagine that you live in San Diego, California. If you're planning a trip to Atlanta, Georgia, you can use the services of cheap parking near San Diego Airport. If you're coming from Atlanta, the situation is the same - you can choose Hartsfield Jackson Airport economy parking. So it just depends on the place you're flying from.
Also, ParkingNearAirports.io offers its customers special airport parking coupons. With the help of these coupons, you can make the price for parking even two times less. So don't forget to use them to save as much money as possible.
You can find all the necessary and helpful information connected with the off-site airport parking on our official website. Enjoy traveling!
