Flight cancelled? Now what?

As much as we’d hope that it never happens, flight cancellations can take place at any time. While we can’t control whether it does happen or not, we can prepare ourselves on what to do in the event of one.

To get some insight from someone who deals with flight cancellations regularly, we spoke with the Vice President of our Western Region, Tony Ghodsi. Here’s what he had to say:

"Generally, there are two types of flight delays/cancellations. One is due to weather conditions/Air Traffic Control stoppages and the other is the airline-related problems. The airlines do not assume any responsibility unless the delay/cancellation is due to their own operational deficiencies. In the cases where the cancellation is caused by reasons outside their control, the carriers will do their best to re-schedule and accommodate their affected customers by placing them on their own next available flight(s) onward to each final destination.

In terms of all the airline-related cancellations, by and large, the airlines’ first inclination would be to reschedule their passengers on their own next available flight if possible. If not, they will look into other carriers to protect the travelers. They sometimes make the flight reservation on the new carrier and issue the e-ticket as well. However, on a few occasions they issue a so-called “FIM” (Flight Interruption Manifest) which would act as a physical substitute for a ticket on the new carrier.

In all the situations mentioned above, the best course of action would be for the clients to first check with the carrier if at all possible and get a sense of how they are prepared to proceed. If the solution is satisfactory, that would certainly be ideal. If not, they are advised to contact EWA so that we can come up with the most straight-forward plan, ensuring the most convenience and the least amount of stress under the circumstances."