Changing flights due to anticipated bad weather?

[DVCFan1994]

Last year I was to fly from the northeast (PVD) on a Saturday, but it was cancelled due to a snowstorm. I was notified 6 hours before the flight. But this weather had been anticipated for days, though the severity of the storm kept increasing. Due to it being a school vacation period, flights were tough to come by, and we could not get out until Wednesday despite trying to change the moment we were notified of the cancellation.

My question is, do any airlines ever waive change fees PRIOR to the official cancellation of a flight? If I know a bad storm is coming in the day I'm scheduled to fly, is there any chance if I call 36-24 hours ahead they will let me change my flight in anticipation of the impending storm?

I know the airlines are at the mercy of the weather to a degree, I am not blaming them. I am just trying to think ahead about being more proactive, as this years trip is shorter than last years already, a weather delay would really cut it down further. We are luckily staying with family the first part of the trip so if we

 

[NJlauren]

Yes, check there websites a few days before and keep checking! This thanksgiving weekend I know flights were able to be moved as early as Tuesday morning for Wednesday as storms were expected, might have been earlier. It all depends on the airline but I know it can be done.

Jetblue I know posts free changes as soon as they think bad weather is coming its posted on their website. But even if it isn't posted call and ask it can't hurt.

 

[DebbieB]

Last year I was to fly from the northeast (PVD) on a Saturday, but it was cancelled due to a snowstorm. I was notified 6 hours before the flight. But this weather had been anticipated for days, though the severity of the storm kept increasing. Due to it being a school vacation period, flights were tough to come by, and we could not get out until Wednesday despite trying to change the moment we were notified of the cancellation. My question is, do any airlines ever waive change fees PRIOR to the official cancellation of a flight? If I know a bad storm is coming in the day I'm scheduled to fly, is there any chance if I call 36-24 hours ahead they will let me change my flight in anticipation of the impending storm? I know the airlines are at the mercy of the weather to a degree, I am not blaming them. I am just trying to think ahead about being more proactive, as this years trip is shorter than last years already, a weather delay would really cut it down further. We are luckily staying with family the first part of the trip so if we dde09had to go early we'd have somewhere to stay.

Yes, they will post a weather waiver notice on the airline website. It will state what airports and dates are included. If it's a major storm, they will post at least 24 hours in advance.

 

[goofy4tink]

Here's the problem with PVD....they seldom have weather issues. So....theybhildmout a fairly long time before making any changes. They're far enough south and close to the water that weather isn't usually an issue. I've seen Logan shut down, cut PVD open.

You can call the airline a few days prior to see what their policy will be. They may allow you to make a change without a fee.

 

[bumbershoot]

I was notified 6 hours before the flight. But this weather had been anticipated for days, though the severity of the storm kept increasing. Due to it being a school vacation period, flights were tough to come by, and we could not get out until Wednesday despite trying to change the moment we were notified of the cancellation.

Sicne it was anticipated and known to be coming, your airline very likely had a notice up about flights that would be affected. Even if it wasn't at *your* airport, if flights going through your airport were going to be cancelled/changed, you could possibly have checked the airline's site to see if info was up.

As the flight approaches, keep an eye on it. Don't (ever) wait for the airline to notify you of a change. Keep on it and be proactive. And the instant a notice goes up about something that will affect your flight, call them.

 

[sam_gordon]

Here's the problem with PVD....they seldom have weather issues. So....theybhildmout a fairly long time before making any changes. They're far enough south and close to the water that weather isn't usually an issue. I've seen Logan shut down, cut PVD open.

You can call the airline a few days prior to see what their policy will be. They may allow you to make a change without a fee.

What the hell is a theybhildmout? Is that a fantasy creature from Harry Potter?

Just poking fun goofy.

 

[kaytieeldr]

theybhildmout

= they hold out

What, you can't read goofy4tink English?

 

[DVCFan1994]

Sicne it was anticipated and known to be coming, your airline very likely had a notice up about flights that would be affected. Even if it wasn't at *your* airport, if flights going through your airport were going to be cancelled/changed, you could possibly have checked the airline's site to see if info was up. As the flight approaches, keep an eye on it. Don't (ever) wait for the airline to notify you of a change. Keep on it and be proactive. And the instant a notice goes up about something that will affect your flight, call them.

There definitely was not a notice up much before the cancellation. I checked the night before, and in the morning when I woke up. I went out for some last minutes items, and got a text from southwest around 11 am for a flight that was scheduled between 4 and 5 pm. I'm not complaining, like someone said PVD rarely has airport closures. But I did wonder after if I could have been more proactive, because once they did start canceling I was on hold for 3 hours trying to change flights, the online do it yourself system crashed completely. And I had to wait 4 days to get out.

I did know they make large scale announcements sometimes, I was more wondering has anyone gotten them to allow it before tons of cancellations start to pile up.

Thanks for the responses. I guess the lesson for this year is just give it a try and see what happens, the worst that happens is they say no, and even then I could keep trying if conditions continue to look poor. I just don't want to get stranded 4 days again

 

[palhockeymomof2]

There definitely was not a notice up much before the cancellation. I checked the night before, and in the morning when I woke up. I went out for some last minutes items, and got a text from southwest around 11 am for a flight that was scheduled between 4 and 5 pm. I'm not complaining, like someone said PVD rarely has airport closures. But I did wonder after if I could have been more proactive, because once they did start canceling I was on hold for 3 hours trying to change flights, the online do it yourself system crashed completely. And I had to wait 4 days to get out.

I did know they make large scale announcements sometimes, I was more wondering has anyone gotten them to allow it before tons of cancellations start to pile up.

Thanks for the responses. I guess the lesson for this year is just give it a try and see what happens, the worst that happens is they say no, and even then I could keep trying if conditions continue to look poor. I just don't want to get stranded 4 days again

We fly southwest out of Islip often to WDW or Ft Myers where my son lives....I've noticed over the years Southwest at least from Islip is very slow to put up on,their website that they are allowing changes due to weather....delta, jet blue etc out of JFK, LGA will have notice up but not southwest......what I did last year after calling the 800 number and getting no where ....was call SW customer service in TX ..there was a storm coming in and I had to be in key Largo for my sons wedding...they changed our flights to the day before

 

[Groomer Gal]

There was a storm Coming last December 14th ...we were flying into PVD and there was a weather alert about 5 pm the night before. I was sitting outside waiting to get into HDDR while I was on the phone with Southwest.
They did change our flight to an earlier one.....tried to put us in a connecting flight and I said no way no how.....I didn't want to get stuck in an airport in a strange city in a storm....they did indeed get us a direct flight.

So it can happen the night prior BUT it has to come from the national weather service or something like that....the flight we ended up on was the last flight of the day and I think we landed about noon. PVD was closed after that. It was already pretty nasty out and what normally took us 1 1/2 hours to get home took 4. (I would have stayed at a hotel nearby but my daughter was sick and our dog sitter couldn't stay another night )

 

[DVCFan1994]

There was a storm Coming last December 14th ...we were flying into PVD and there was a weather alert about 5 pm the night before. I was sitting outside waiting to get into HDDR while I was on the phone with Southwest. They did change our flight to an earlier one.....tried to put us in a connecting flight and I said no way no how.....I didn't want to get stuck in an airport in a strange city in a storm....they did indeed get us a direct flight. So it can happen the night prior BUT it has to come from the national weather service or something like that....the flight we ended up on was the last flight of the day and I think we landed about noon. PVD was closed after that. It was already pretty nasty out and what normally took us 1 1/2 hours to get home took 4. (I would have stayed at a hotel nearby but my daughter was sick and our dog sitter couldn't stay another night )

Good to know. Thanks for the information!

 

[goofy4tink]

What the hell is a theybhildmout? Is that a fantasy creature from Harry Potter?

Just poking fun goofy.

Damn. I hate using my iPad mini for posting! My phone does a better job!

= they hold out

What, you can't read goofy4tink English?

Who knew I had my own language. Sorry guys!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

I know there are many naysayers on this idea. In addition to trying to change my reservation over the phone, I would, if I had the time free, go to the airport and try to stand by early.

However I would not make a move that I would have to pay extra for.

If you are lucky there may be extra space on an earlier flight that the airline has trouble filling, and then they let you go on that flight.

 

[leebee]

Many years ago (7?) DD and I were scheduled to fly to WDW via USAir. Turns out our flight was on a day that a hurricane was expected in Orlando! I called USAir three days before our flight to see about changing, even though there was nothing officially posted. I basically said that we could travel up to 48 hours ahead of our scheduled flight and as a hurricane was expected on our travel day, did they want to change us to an earlier flight so they wouldn't have to worry about rescheduling us along with a bazillion other disgruntled travelers. USAir thought that was a swell idea, and DD and I had an extra day tacked on to the beginning of our vacation!