What to do if your flight was delayed or canceled in FAA chaos trends now
After thousands of travelers were stranded during an an hours-long FAA computer outage, many are seeking options to rebook, or refunds if they no longer wish to travel.
More than 2,700 US flights were cancelled on Wednesday and more than 8,000 flights were delayed, according to the tracking site FlightAware, and the disruptions could extend for days.
Anyone whose flight was cancelled is entitled to a full refund if they no longer wish to travel. For travelers who are experiencing delays, remedies vary by airline and could include options to rebook or seek a refund.
Staying calm and knowing your rights can go a long way if your flight plans are disrupted, experts say. Airline customers who believe their rights as passengers have been neglected can submit written complaints to the Department of Transportation.
Here's advice from travel experts for dealing with a flight delay or cancellation, and the latest information from each airline on refunds and rebooking:
After thousands of travelers were stranded during an an hours-long FAA computer outage, many are seeking options to rebook, or refunds if they no longer wish to travel
Most major US airlines are allowing anyone who planned to fly on Wednesday the option to rebook a ticket between the same two cities at no cost, even if their flight was not cancelled or delayed.
Southwest Airlines offered the most generous rebooking window, allowing anyone ticketed for Wednesday to rebook for a flight on or before January 25 at no additional cost.
Southwest also said in a statement to DailyMail.com that it will issue refunds to customers who 'choose not to travel due to a cancellation or significant delay.'
Likewise, United Airlines issued a wavier for all flights on Wednesday, allowing travelers to switch to another flight departing on or before next Monday at no extra cost.
United also said it is 'offering refunds for customers who no longer want to travel' and directed travelers to its website to request refunds.
Delta Air Lines also issued a fare difference wavier for all of its flights on Wednesday, allowing travelers to switch to another flight on or before Friday at no added cost.
Travelers wait in long TSA Checkpoint line at United Airlines Terminal 1 at O'Hare International Airport on Wednesday
A traveler looks at a flight information board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday in Arlington, Virginia
The airline said that the FAA disruption led to the cancelation of more than 130 Delta flights.
'We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience. Delta remains connected with our partners at the FAA at all levels as we work to mitigate impact,' the company said in a statement.
American Airlines had not released any information about rebooking policies on Wednesday afternoon, and did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.
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