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Subscribe to RSSWith Hurricane Irene barreling through the Caribbean and toward the East Coast, let’s take a look at what airlines are doing to help if the storm interrupts your travel plans.
Editor's note: This information is accurate as of Thursday morning — please visit your individual airline’s website to see when and if fee-waiving has been extended to include the East Coast.
JetBlue
JetBlue will waive change-fees for guests traveling to or through the Caribbean, as well as most destinations along the East Coast (including Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, West Palm Beach, the New York metro area, the Boston metro area, the Washington metro area, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, and Portland).
Continental
For airports in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos, change-fees and fare differences will be waived if travel occurs before September 2. After that, change-fees will be waived, but fare differences may still apply. Refunds are only given if a flight is canceled or delayed by more than two hours.
American Airlines
For airports in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Haiti, and Turks and Caicos, change-fees will be waived.
Delta
For airports in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Bahamas, change-fees will be waived for travel on or before today. The new trip must be taken by August 28.
United
For customers who have already started their trips, change-fees are waived as long as they fly within seven days of the original travel dates. Full refunds are given if a flight is canceled.
US Airways
Change fees will be waived for airports in the Caribbean and as far north as Richmond, Va. If you are scheduled to fly to Virginia, North Carolina, or South Carolina this Saturday or Sunday, flights may be rescheduled for today or tomorrow.
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Leave a Comment:
As if I believe for even a split second that the airlines will not manage to not only take the loss off their taxes but also get some sort of compensation beyond that.
Actually, Ray, at least Southwest Airlines changed our tickets with no fees after canceling our Saturday flight, but they won't take it "off their taxes", they just won't report additional revenues if they don't collect it.
the people are worried getting ready..i dont blame them better to be safe,but during all the storming there will be an excuse to raise the gasoline prices and other things like a (hey look over there)type tactic what a rotten shame.
My father was left to wait at MIA (Miami International Airport) for hours on Wednesday, due to good ol' Irene. They said the flight was delayed and kept him there for 6 hours, each 2 hours saying "it's coming, just wait" and then "oh, yes, they re-scheduled again but for sure, you will be departing." Yes, he was left there to wait for 6 hours!
It's a disgrace that AA would keep an elderly, diabetic man without having access to his diabetes medication (which was in his luggage), and stringing him along with lies about the flight's status. At 4 PM, they finally confessed that they were not flying out after all even though the airport in DR was open (they're the only airline to fly to the Dominican Republic so they have a monopoly), and after returning his baggage to him, they said "oh, and by the way, we will NOT issue a refund or a credit". What the hell is that?!
Thank goodness he used a travel agent and she helped him get a credit so he will end up flying out on Monday instead, but this shows how AA treats its customers like dogs even when the fault lies with them! Rotten customer service doesn't even begin to describe them!
Congratulations passengers: You will now be put on stand-by flight status when trying to change flights, and likely marooned in the airport for hours until enough spare seats can be found to accommodate all of you, probably done via a lottery system.
We thank you for choosing Rightupthefriggin'ass Airlines.