How to Cope with Flight Cutbacks
In recent months, the airline industry has suffered tremendously because of the soaring fuel prices in the world market. To recover their losses, many airlines have decided to charge consumers with additional fees and surcharges, on top of the increases in plane ticket prices. And it does not end here. In addition, flight cutbacks are being done without even informing the passengers that their flights have been cancelled.
In fact, domestic airlines are planning on cutting back flights by as much as 15 percent next year. This year, airlines have already cancelled a total of 65,000 flights to date and more can be expected considering the weak economy and high inflation rate.
Yes, it is quite inconvenient for you to discover at the last minute that your flight was cancelled for some unknown reason. In order to reduce the risk of being caught unprepared, consider the following tips:
- Confirm – it is recommended that you call your airline and inquire if your flight is still confirmed. Make sure you do this two weeks before your scheduled flight. In case the flight was cancelled, you can take the refunded money and still have a chance to make an advance ticket purchase. Since ticket prices are usually discounted if booked in advance, you might still enjoy affordable ticket rates.
- Contract of Carriage – in order to be prepared for possible flight cancellations, you should know whether your airline will refund your money or book you in another flight. This information can be found on the contract of carriage, given when you book and buy a plane ticket.
- Travel Agent – if you feel that you can not protect yourself from these cancellation disasters, it will probably wise to have a reliable travel agent who will take care of everything for you. You might pay extra booking fees but considering that your travel agent will relieve you of cancellation-related stress, it will be worth every penny.
