What actions can I take now if my upcoming flight would travel through very inclement weather?
The weather forecast for the Caribbean is not good right now. I'm scheduled to fly Friday night from San Francisco to Bogota and I have a layover for 4 hours in Panama City, Panama. While the weather in Bogota is fine, there are 3 hurricanes forming in the vicinity the of the Caribbean that is in the direct path of my flight.
I am covered by CSA insurance in the event that my flight is delayed more than 12 hours, or cancelled.
Is there any information, guide out there that can help me predict whether my flight would be cancelled, based on weather? Or does an airport sometimes give us prediction, or try to withhold information until it knows with certainty whether they plan to cancel/delay flights? eg. If it were possible for me to know that my flight would be cancelled with a "likely" probability, I would likely make other plans and not even go to the airport to wait and find out.
In the event that I decide to proceed with my travel plans, and it turns out my flight is delayed for over 12 hours, will I have to have waited at the airport for up to 12 hours if I only wanted to abort my plans only after I knew I would get reimbursed (trip is delayed over 12 hours)?
Best Answer
Consider:
- Weather en route is not a significant factor, the aircraft can simple fly around it, even major Hurricanes.
- What matters to you and the airline is weather conditions at the origin or destination airport. If the predicted conditions would allow the aircraft to takeoff or land, the flight will go.
- For predictable weather conditions, airlines will typically allow, or even encourage fee-free changes days in advance. For example, American opened their change window for Florida on Tuesday, 5 days ahead of Irma.
- In conditions such as in the current Caribbean, flights would not be delayed, they would be cancelled ahead of time.
If the airline cancels the flight and offers you a refund, take that option. If they cancel but the ticket is still non refundable and you decide not to go at all, then use your insurance.
Source: Experience, many times. Downvotes without comment are just unhelpful.
Pictures about "What actions can I take now if my upcoming flight would travel through very inclement weather?"
Can you reschedule a flight due to weather?
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In most cases, rain doesn't affect flights. Most rainy weather conditions don't cause any harm to the aircraft except in the most challenging situations. If the weather is too severe, the pilot's sight may be impeded, making departure risky and stopping the aircraft from flying.What is the link between extreme weather and climate change? - BBC News
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