Air is the best and fastest form of transportation with the widest of coverage and understandably. It also happens to be the most expensive. However, it comes with its own challenges. One of the biggest challenges with air travel is flight delays and flight cancellations.

While a flight delay may not be a big deal for some passengers, it is an issue for others because of what they are going for. Unfortunately, if you travel frequently, flight cancellations and delays are ugly demons that you will have to take head-on occasionally. So, being prepared for it will reduce the impact it will have on you whenever it rears its ugly head. Get prepared for flight delays by applying the tips right below.

1. Learn to arrive ahead of time

If you are travelling for an important occasion like a business meeting, don’t always plan your trip to arrive at the destination just 30 minutes or an hour before it begins. It is better to leave earlier. There is nothing wrong with arriving 3 to 4 hours before it begins. If you plan your trip this way, you may be unruffled by a 2-hour flight delay.

2. Reconfirm your flight schedule before leaving for the airport

You can call the airline or your consultant to reconfirm your schedule before leaving home. So, if there is a delay or cancellation, you can stay back. This is why it is necessary to check your emails regularly. Your airline may have sent you a notice on a slight flight delay. In fact, you can set your email accounts up on your smartphone to receive emails on your phone like SMS.

3. Find out your rights

For flight cancellations or delays, you are entitled to certain compensatory rights. You can only demand it if you know it. The airlines are usually silent on it so you should ask questions about it. Some common flight delay rights are hotel accommodation and meals. It is necessary to ask an airline service representative about your flight delay or flight cancellation rights.

Here is one of them. According to the EU flight delay compensation regulation, your airline should compensate you with an amount between €250 and €600 for a flight delay that is over 3 hours. In addition, they should provide meals and hotel accommodation where necessary. However, you may not get anything if the delay is below 3 hours. You may not also get anything if the delay or cancellation is for a reason that is beyond their control like bad weather.

4. You can buy a travel insurance policy

If you fly regularly, you may consider purchasing a travel insurance policy because most of them will compensate you for issues like medical emergencies, loss of baggage, and of course, flight delays or cancellations. You may seek your consultant’s advice on the best policy for you.


5. It often pays to remain calm

It is not uncommon for passengers to go into a fit of rage when their flight is cancelled or delayed. Unfortunately, flaring up and throwing tantrums won’t change anything. Flights are usually cancelled or delayed as a last resort. Yelling angrily will only make things worse for you. When others are lashing out at the representatives angrily, just remain calm. It is possible for some of the representatives to stop you out and compensate you later for remaining calm in such situations.

Flight delays, as well as cancellations, are inevitable at least for bad weather so it is better to prepare for them by applying some of the tips discussed above.