Air Travel and Weather

[thornton0511]

Okay everyone I need some expert advice about air travel and weather. We have a 6am flight leaving DFW this Friday morning and there is currently a winter storm headed that way. The forecast for the day of our flight is rain with a high of 39 and a low of 29 and 16mph winds. Are these the type of conditions that will delay or cancel flights? We cannot rebook for an earlier flight a day ahead at this time without a pretty hefty change fee. I am just trying to get all my little duckies in a row now to keep from possibly being a family stuck in an airport instead of in Disney. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

follow up question on post #19

 

[DebbieB]

Okay everyone I need some expert advice about air travel and weather. We have a 6am flight leaving DFW this Friday morning and there is currently a winter storm headed that way. The forecast for the day of our flight is rain with a high of 39 and a low of 29 and 16mph winds. Are these the type of conditions that will delay or cancel flights? We cannot rebook for an earlier flight a day ahead at this time without a pretty hefty change fee. I am just trying to get all my little duckies in a row now to keep from possibly being a family stuck in an airport instead of in Disney. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

Those conditions should not cancel flights. I flew 2 weeks ago, left in a heavy rainstorm, flight was bumpy, flight attendant could not get up to serve drinks, but we got there. Watch the forecast, if it gets bad the airlines will issue notices online that you can change flights without penalty.

 

[thornton0511]

Those conditions should not cancel flights. I flew 2 weeks ago, left in a heavy rainstorm, flight was bumpy, flight attendant could not get up to serve drinks, but we got there. Watch the forecast, if it gets bad the airlines will issue notices online that you can change flights without penalty.

Thanks for the reassurance . I am just a think 10 steps ahead kind of person and trying to be proactive. I wish the airline would just let us move our flight up now to keep from chaos last minute but that is not realistic at this point because its too early for anyone to make that call. The weather right now and for the next few days is beautiful. I wish I could have seen in the future months ago when I booked our flights lol

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Our flight over the summer (8am) was canceled because a 10 minute, rain storm blew in the night before and Air Tran had insufficient ground crews at Midway Airport in Chicago. It was a complete cluster. We ended up leaving 3 hours later on a connecting flight to Atlanta (we had a nonstop previously). Good luck. I hope everything works out for you!!!

 

[thornton0511]

Our flight over the summer (8am) was canceled because a 10 minute, rain storm blew in the night before and Air Tran had insufficient ground crews at Midway Airport in Chicago. It was a complete cluster. We ended up leaving 3 hours later on a connecting flight to Atlanta (we had a nonstop previously). Good luck. I hope everything works out for you!!!

Thank you!

 

[matheke]

I used to live in the DFW area. Have the weathermen down there gotten that good that they really know what is going to happen 5 days from now?

They could hardly guess the weather for the next day when I lived there. Don't put a lot of stock in these weather guessers until the last day or two.

I do know that if it gets cold (Below 32) DFW does have plenty of de-icing equipment and at most you may be delayed.

 

[thornton0511]

I used to live in the DFW area. Have the weathermen down there gotten that good that they really know what is going to happen 5 days from now?

They could hardly guess the weather for the next day when I lived there. Don't put a lot of stock in these weather guessers until the last day or two.

I do know that if it gets cold (Below 32) DFW does have plenty of de-icing equipment and at most you may be delayed.

this is so true! If you don't like the weather in east texas wait a few minutes because it forever changing . That is good to know about the de-icing equipment! I wasn't sure how prepared DFW would be about low temps

 

[bmr2454]

I've flown out of DFW many a time and they rarely cancel flights out of there! They just de-ice the plane if need be

 

[thornton0511]

I've flown out of DFW many a time and they rarely cancel flights out of there! They just de-ice the plane if need be

I know this sounds whiny but I am afraid of a delay too I know that planes can get delayed for more common things than weather and I booked the earliest flight possible in the morning to try to help that from happening.

 

[wisblue]

We once spent 8 hours past our scheduled departure time at MCO because of a mechanical problem with a plane and problems getting a different plane in.

Sometimes flights get delayed or cancelled because bad weather somewhere else screws up the movement of planes around the system.

Lots of things can happen with flights, so there's really no point worrying about them.

That is, though, one of the reasons I prefer earlier flights too. I figure that if something goes wrong there is a better chance you can get rescheduled or rerouted.

 

[ironz]

What you CAN do, is to keep an eye on it.
IF the weather forecast truly pans out to something that will affect flight operations, keep checking your airline's website.
They won't start doing waivers for weather this far out because the forecast is too unreliable. BUT, if, by Wed or Thursday they have decided to offer fee waivers for people to move flights, it will show up on the website, and you may be able to change to an earlier flight without a change fee. It sounds like (from your OP) that you have the flexibility yourself to move to an earlier flight, so it wouldn't hurt to be packed and ready to do so, if the situation unfolds in such a way that there is bad weather and they offer waivers.

Also...see a thread on the Transportation Board about "If your flight is delayed..."

 

[thornton0511]

We once spent 8 hours past our scheduled departure time at MCO because of a mechanical problem with a plane and problems getting a different plane in.

Sometimes flights get delayed or cancelled because bad weather somewhere else screws up the movement of planes around the system.

Lots of things can happen with flights, so there's really no point worrying about them.

That is, though, one of the reasons I prefer earlier flights too. I figure that if something goes wrong there is a better chance you can get rescheduled or rerouted.

Yup you are totally right! No reason at all to worry about things I have no control over Regardless of anything at least we will be on our way to Disney and that is better than not going to Disney

 

[thornton0511]

What you CAN do, is to keep an eye on it.
IF the weather forecast truly pans out to something that will affect flight operations, keep checking your airline's website.
They won't start doing waivers for weather this far out because the forecast is too unreliable. BUT, if, by Wed or Thursday they have decided to offer fee waivers for people to move flights, it will show up on the website, and you may be able to change to an earlier flight without a change fee. It sounds like (from your OP) that you have the flexibility yourself to move to an earlier flight, so it wouldn't hurt to be packed and ready to do so, if the situation unfolds in such a way that there is bad weather and they offer waivers.

Also...see a thread on the Transportation Board about "If your flight is delayed..."

We are in the planning mode now to be ready by Wednesday just in case we get the opportunity to go early and I will be watching the weather and the airline website like a hawk starting Tuesday evening and into Wednesday! Great advice on the the transportation board...I did not even think about that! Probably should have posted this thread there now that I think about it...

 

[JamesMom]

l live in DFW and last weekend with the freeze and sleet warnings American Airlines canceled hundreds of flights. Weather.com is predicting light wintry mix so you should be fine, providing the weather is actually that, but if there is ice or sleet, prepare for delays if not outright cancleations. I am keeping my fingers crossed for our trip on December 15.

 

[thornton0511]

l live in DFW and last weekend with the freeze and sleet warnings American Airlines canceled hundreds of flights. Weather.com is predicting light wintry mix so you should be fine, providing the weather is actually that, but if there is ice or sleet, prepare for delays if not outright cancleations. I am keeping my fingers crossed for our trip on December 15.

Yes this is what has me worried, if anything at all. We are flying American Airlines and the conditions seem similar to what they were expecting last week. We live about 2.5 hrs east of Dallas and it just ended up being cold and rainy here. Not sure how extreme it was there though and AA canceled flights That is what is so frustrating to me that its Sunday and if the weather is forecasted to be yucky on Friday why not let me bypass the storm all together and rebook now lol. Early bird gets the worm . I wonder if they do realize that the storm will be bad at what point this week will they make that call?

 

[DebbieB]

Yes this is what has me worried, if anything at all. We are flying American Airlines and the conditions seem similar to what they were expecting last week. We live about 2.5 hrs east of Dallas and it just ended up being cold and rainy here. Not sure how extreme it was there though and AA canceled flights That is what is so frustrating to me that its Sunday and if the weather is forecasted to be yucky on Friday why not let me bypass the storm all together and rebook now lol. Early bird gets the worm . I wonder if they do realize that the storm will be bad at what point this week will they make that call?

They usually do not do anything until the weather service issues watches or warnings. Typically not more than 2 days ahead.

 

[aubriee]

Okay everyone I need some expert advice about air travel and weather. We have a 6am flight leaving DFW this Friday morning and there is currently a winter storm headed that way. The forecast for the day of our flight is rain with a high of 39 and a low of 29 and 16mph winds. Are these the type of conditions that will delay or cancel flights? We cannot rebook for an earlier flight a day ahead at this time without a pretty hefty change fee. I am just trying to get all my little duckies in a row now to keep from possibly being a family stuck in an airport instead of in Disney. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

Hey, we too are flying out of DFW Friday at 0600. Are you on American flight #276? If so we'll be on the same flight. We're maybe an hour east of DFW (Terrell). Sounds like you guys are down around Tyler?

 

[thornton0511]

Hey, we too are flying out of DFW Friday at 0600. Are you on American flight #276? If so we'll be on the same flight. We're maybe an hour east of DFW (Terrell). Sounds like you guys are down around Tyler?

Oh my goodness yes! Wow what a small world. We live right outside of Longview. Really what are the chances of that...too funny. Well I hope for both of our sakes that the crazy weather does not affect our flight. We will have to keep each other informed and updated

 

[thornton0511]

I have a follow up question for anyone familiar with American Airlines. Will they wait until the very last minute to cancel a flight to keep from having to refund the cost of the ticket or will they cancel early enough to allow passengers the chance to make alternate travel arrangements....like a day in advance?

 

[DebbieB]

I have a follow up question for anyone familiar with American Airlines. Will they wait until the very last minute to cancel a flight to keep from having to refund the cost of the ticket or will they cancel early enough to allow passengers the chance to make alternate travel arrangements....like a day in advance?

If it's a major storm where the airport will be closed, they may cancel the day before.

Looking at weather.com, they are showing thunderstorms for Friday for Dallas. High of 37. Unless it changes, there should not be a weather issue where they will cancel in advance.