A massive winter storm made for a brutal travel day Sunday, with widespread cancellations and delays at some of the nation’s busiest airports.
More than 11,400 flights across the U.S. were canceled on Sunday, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.
As of Monday morning, FlightAware reported 53 delays and 34 cancellations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium said that as of Sunday morning, the storm is the highest experienced cancellation event since the pandemic.
Widespread snow, sleet, and freezing rain threatened nearly 180 million people in a path stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England, the National Weather Service said Saturday night.
After sweeping through the South, the storm moved into the Northeast on Sunday and was expected to dump about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) of snow from Washington through New York and Boston, according to the Associated Press.
What to do if your flight is canceled
If you’re already at the airport, get in line to speak to a customer service representative. If you’re still at home or at your hotel, call or go online to connect to your airline’s reservations staff. Either way, it helps to also research alternate flights while you wait to talk to an agent.
Most airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge, but it depends on the availability of open seats.
Other carriers’ flights aren’t always an option
You can, but airlines aren’t required to put you on another carrier’s flight. Some airlines, including most of the biggest carriers, say they can put you on a partner airline, but even then, it can be hit or miss.
You are owed a refund for a cancellation
If your flight was canceled and you no longer want to take the trip, or you’ve found another way to get to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money — even if you bought a non-refundable ticket. It doesn’t matter why the flight was canceled.
The airline might offer you a travel credit, but you are entitled to a full refund. You are also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades, or other extras that you didn’t get to use.
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