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If you’re traveling this holiday weekend, you should know how to make the most of inevitable delays.
Last year more than 11,300 flights were disrupted during the Easter season, between April 14 and April 17, according to flight compensation company AirHelp. This year, with Passover and Easter both falling on the weekend of April 1, delays and cancellations are expected once again.
“We urge passengers to read up on their rights for disruptions, luggage issues, and overbooked flights to ensure that they are not missing out on compensation they may become legally entitled to claim if they experience disruptions while traveling during Easter weekend,” Henrik Zillmer, CEO of AirHelp said.
According to AirHelp, 92% of passengers don’t know their rights when flying, and much of $5,300,000 available to them in compensation due to flight delays and cancellations that weekend remained unclaimed. Here are some holiday flying tips to help you travel in comfort and avoid leaving money on the table if things go south:
Bumped from a flight? Here’s how to make the most of it
The practice of bumping travelers off of overbooked flights was the target of intense scrutiny in 2017 after a video of a screaming, bloodied passenger being forcibly removed from an oversold United Airlines UAL, +2.30% flight went viral. The practice of overbooking flights is completely legal (and common) -- but that doesn’t mean travelers have no recourse.
Customers who are “involuntarily denied boarding” of an aircraft on domestic flights (even if they’re already on the plane) are entitled to 200% of their one-way fare in compensation (no more than $675) in cash if their delay is more than one hour but less than two, according to a federal regulation. If the delay is more than two hours, they are entitled to 400% of a one-way fare (but no more than $1,350) in cash. If you are bumped off the flight, be sure to negotiate, politely, with the employees at your gate to get the most compensation possible.
Read more: How the Trump administration is looking to change rules protecting air travelers
Airlines cannot hold you on the tarmac for longer than three hours
Earlier this month, bad weather on the East Coast grounded more than 3,000 flights a day and delayed hundreds more. Although bad weather is not anticipated for the upcoming weekend, passengers should be aware of their rights when it comes to plane delays. Airlines are not allowed to hold passengers on the tarmac for more than three hours at a time. They are also required to provide food and water if the delay exceeds one hour. Unfortunately for passengers, if airlines break this rule, the airline itself is fined and passengers don’t get any monetary compensation.
Stay on top of weather delays
In the case of unexpected weather delays, check if there are still ways to get to your final destination. Travel experts recommend downloading an airline’s app to re-book quickly before alternative flights fill up and consider using a travel agent to advise on rarely-booked or complicated travel routes. Having travel insurance can also help avoid extra costs and fees associated with a cancelled flight.
Also see: Mile-high workouts and sleeping pods could come to new Qantas jet ‘cargo class’
Passengers on delayed flights to the EU are entitled to cash
Flying internationally this holiday weekend? If you experience a delay of more than three hours, you are entitled to compensation of between 250 and 600 euros depending on the distance of the flight and the length of the delay. AirHelp recommends keep your boarding pass and all of your receipts in case the delay causes you to spend extra money. If your delay forces you to miss out on a prepaid reservation or incur unanticipated costs, you may be able to claim reimbursement for those expenses as well.
Avoid common fees
Flight fees are on the rise. Amenities that used to be complimentary, like food and drinks and carry-on items, are now costing consumers due to the “unbundling” of services — a practice that saves airlines money and hits unsuspecting passengers in the wallet, consumer advocates say.
That unbundling lets airlines advertise rock bottom ticket prices, but many of those deals aren’t as good as they sound. Passengers often end up paying tacked-on fees for “amenities” that were once included in the ticket price. Make sure you are aware of what is included in your base ticket price. KAYAK, for example, launched a new search option in 2017 that breaks down ticket prices by cabin class, so travelers can check out the exact difference between classes — an economy versus basic economy seat, for example — and what’s included in each. KAYAK also added a baggage fee calculator that shows the difference in cost when traveling with zero, one or two bags.