There are some travel lessons to be learned from the so-called Blizzard of 2015. Time Warner Cable News’ Valarie D’Elia filed this report.
The Blizzard of 2015 was great PR for FlightAware.com. The website tracked the thousands of flights that were grounded.
On any day, you can judge whether your flight will be on time by tracking the location of the inbound flight operating the same plane.
When a storm is bearing down, airlines usually waive the fees, and any fare differences. However, if you want to nix the trip altogether, you can get a full refund if the flight is cancelled.
Cover all your bases. Tweet the airline, check the website and stay on old-fashioned hold to confirm a new flight.
Taking a flight with a connection can trip you up, especially when there is a storm. Even those planes that connect in warm weather airports can be tangled up. So go non-stop. And remember, direct doesn’t always mean non-stop.
When your flight is cancelled and you still want to go, reschedule for a couple of days after the storm, to give airlines a chance to play catch up.
Not all hotels are sympathetic to your plight. Others, are super-customer friendly. For instance, several hotels in St. Pete/Clearwater are offering reduced rates into February for visitors stranded by the blizzard up north.
Cruise passengers booking flights to their port of embarkation through the cruise line are better off because agents are likely to hold your hand through the re-booking process.
Notify your car rental agency if your vehicle is snowed in to avoid getting charged for the extra days.
Finally, consider travel insurance if your credit card does not offer the same delay and cancellation perks.