2017-03-04

After spending long and agonising hours packing your travel bags, preparing for an ideal route to the airport, you reach the airport just to realise that your holiday flight has been delayed. Unfortunately, even the best plan can fall apart and delays & cancellation are some of the most exasperating travel experiences.

You don’t need to worry as you can take certain precautions to avoid such a situation and you can also consider some steps when you come across such a situation.

Make a smart choice for airline and airport

Just keep one important thing in your mind i.e. not all carriers are created equal. You can use the internet to make yourself familiar with the best and worst airlines and airports, trust me this will surely come handy.

Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport, London City Airport, Manchester Airport are some of the best international airports and they have the best records for on-time departures as well. As per the latest data, Hawaiian Airlines, British Airways, Alaska Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic are some of the popular carriers for on-time departures.


photo credit: planestories.iata.org

Contemplate your timing

If you are taking a flight early in the morning or after 11pm, then it surely increases the odds for on-time departure and above all you get to avoid the congestion of the peak hours. If your flight is later in the day, allow ample time for the airport staff and security: You cannot do anything about the flight delay, but make sure you have reached the gate on time.


photo credit: thestar.com

Track your flight

If you thought downloading the airline’s official app will help you in having the official updates, then you are wrong and you should not rely completely on the app alone.

Technology has certainly simplified things for us, so making the most of this advanced technology, you can download Flight+, it will send you automatic alerts if there are any delays, weather updates, and gate changes right on your smartphone. Above all, it also packs in flight boards for thousands of routes. You can also download various other flight-tracking apps such as Flightboard, FlightAware, and GateGuru.


photo credit: flightright.co.uk

Know how to book

In the event where your flight is cancelled or delayed, make sure to quickly call the airline. While everyone will be using their valuable time trying to get in touch with their loved ones, you can use that time to book another flight and reach your new gate.

While the airline is in the process of getting you to your destination, being rude to the person who is helping you out will not help you. Make sure you are polite because the person, who is helping you, didn’t cause the delay and he/she will surely get you around it.

You can further speed up the process by using a website – www.flightstats.com, through which you can find yourself an alternative flight before you call the airline.

photo credit: rd.com

Try to relax

If everything else fails, take your time to relax while you are at the airport. You can also download LoungeBuddy app, which will help you find free or pay-as-you-go airport lounges to check the emails or have your favourite snack.

photo credit: columbusdirect.com

Enjoy shopping

Even if you have a tight budget, you can still opt for window shopping at various duty-free shops and kiosks. Forgetting about the frustration of your flight delay and indulging in some window shopping will surely help you unwind.

photo credit: holidayhypermarket.co.uk

Make the most of Wi-Fi

Regardless of the place you are travelling to, most airports do offer free Wi-Fi if your flight is delayed. You can check your emails, catch up with your friends or family members on various social media channels. It is important to be careful about your security settings and do not try to access anything sensitive such as bank account.

photo credit: businessinsider.com

Explore the area

If your flight is delayed, you have plenty of free time. You can use this free time in exploring the nearby areas and if you are carrying your camera then it will surely help you in clicking some random images. Once you are out, you will be surprised that wandering is one of the best ways to kill time.

It is advisable not to travel too far from the airport. If you are travelling internationally, having your passport with you can come handy and also local currency.

photo credit: lightfield-forum.com

Finish the pending tasks

If your flight is delayed, then it gives you a perfect opportunity to finish off the pending tasks. That way when you reach your destination, you will be having plenty of time to enjoy with your loved ones as you have already knocked off your important emails and the assigned tasks.

Nowadays, all the airports are equipped with power stations, and at some airports you will even find work stations. Or you can buy a coffee and chill out at some café.

photo credit: sanignaciouuniversity.edu

Author Bio

Emma Brown is an extensive and experienced web-writer. I help people to have the most informative and appealing online presence. Content writing is my passion and Scaling Expectations is my basic motto, I live up to. I am a Mass Communication post graduate and written several article for sites like Followthesteps.

The post What to Do If Your Holiday Flight Is Delayed appeared first on Simply Holiday Deals.

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