Bad weather back up
Bags are packed for the getaway of your dreams, schedules are arranged, hours of sleep are lost and every detail is planned. You arrive at the airport two hours early, proceed through security...then disaster strikes, in the form of flashing letters on the arrival/departure screens: flight delayed - or worse: flight cancelled.
Terrible weather can affect air travel in any season, even on the clearest of days. Whether it's high winds, rain, sleet or snow, each year brings an array of delays that could severely cramp your travel plans. However, some simple planning ahead can help alleviate the frustration of last-minute itinerary changes and flight delays or cancellations so that a bad start caused by bad weather doesn't ruin your trip. Here are some top tips:
Find the forecast
Before you leave for travel of any kind, it's always a good idea to check the forecasts for your departure and destination city. For complete weather information and forecasts for just about any destination on earth, visit websites like the Weather Channel, World Weather or The Met Office. You can find weather maps, storm watch information and Seasonal travel information. Enter a post code, city or region to get the current forecasts, and you can even get 10-day local forecasts for destinations worldwide. For climate information on a particular region, a good place to look is WorldClimate.com.
Bad weather & flight statusBad weather almost anywhere can wreak havoc with an airline's entire route schedule, as crews and planes that are stranded at one airport never arrive at subsequent airports, and a ripple effect occurs. When you learn of weather delays in important hub cities, call your airline to inquire of potential delays on your flight. Reroute your connectionsSometimes the weather at your departure city and your destination can be fantastic, but your connecting city is a mess. Call ahead to see if you can reroute your connection flight through airports with no delays. Your itinerary might get complicated, but at least you won't be sleeping in an airport! Book morning flightsMorning flights are less likely to be delayed or cancelled than evening flights. The logistical effects of heavy weather accumulate as the day goes on and more and more flights are delayed or cancelled. Planes are more likely never to arrive, or to be put into the back of long lines for takeoff or landing as the day progresses. Fast thinkingIf you anticipate an unplanned layover, get to a telephone as quickly as possible to make hotel reservations, so have some pre – researched numbers to hand. Even better -- if you anticipate a layover in a connecting city further along on your itinerary, make a reservation immediately. If you wait until an entire airport's worth of stranded travellers are also scrambling to make reservations, chances are good that airport hotels will be sold out. Call your airline as often as you can. Airlines typically update flight status information on a "just in time" basis; that is, they don't change official status until it's absolutely certain that there will be a delay. So just because they told you your plane is on time at 2 p.m. doesn't mean it will be 30 minutes later. It is often much faster, more convenient and more successful to use an airline's direct number to make alternate arrangements than it is to stand in line. Not so long ago, this almost guaranteed you some satisfaction -- for better or worse, most travellers have figured this one out and the stampede to the phones or mobile phones being whipped out, often accompanies every flight status announcement. Departure screens scanningIf you anticipate a delay, check departure screens for your flight. If there is a delay, look for an airline representative and ask for instructions before you head to check in. If you hear about a delay before leaving for the airport, call the airline. For those with remote Internet access, most airlines now do real-time flight status updates on the Web. Don't strayIf you're already at the airport, gate agents may make important announcements not only concerning flight status, but of alternate flight options, lodging offers and more. Make sure you or someone in your travelling party stays near your gate to hear any important announcements. Travel insuranceIf you are considering purchasing travel insurance, understand that many travel insurance policies do not cover acts of God such as weather disasters. Check carefully with your provider before you buy. |
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