Cancelled airline flights

[Beendare]

Just a heads up if you are flying for a hunt.
Check in your flight periodically before your flight. The airlines can cancal or change at their discretion.

My daughters 8 pm flight to Calgary (air canada) from SF intl was cancelled at 7:04pm less than an hiur before. She was travelling from school in palo alto which is 2 hrs in traffic so she was already in transit before getting notice.

My Alaska flights were changed but they gave me plenty of notice ( end of Aug)

We are in a whole new world of air travel. Any similar situations?

 

[jmez]

Got caught up in a Delta Pilot strike several years ago. They went on strike right before an Alaskan Moose hunt. We had to buy tickets on another airline on short notice and they cost a fortune. Delta started flying again the day we were to leave. I'll walk before I'd ever fly Delta again.

 

[durangobrad]

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to air travel and last minute delays or cancellations are a very real factor. This can happen from your major airlines all the way down to your bush flights. Weather, crews, maintenance, air traffic control all can be a factor in air travel. Ask someone who travels a lot for work.

 

[LostArra]

Got caught up in a Delta Pilot strike several years ago. They went on strike right before an Alaskan Moose hunt. We had to buy tickets on another airline on short notice and they cost a fortune. Delta started flying again the day we were to leave. I'll walk before I'd ever fly Delta again.

+1
Fishing trip to Alaska
I fly Alaskan Air to Ketchikan from Seattle without a hitch
My friends on Delta 30 min earlier. After an hour of flight time their plane turns around and returns to Seattle telling passengers that Ketchikan airport is closed due to weather while I am landing.
Pilot friend tells me that Delta didn't have either the plane avionics or crew to fly in low ceiling. Then why are they flying to Ketchikan??

Lesson learned. Fly Alaskan Air to Alaska. I'm sure they have hiccups too but it increases your odds of getting there.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ChrisC]

two days worth of cancelled flights trying to get from Anchorage to Kodiak. as I understand it, that's not too uncommon for the smaller airplanes to cancel if the weather isn't perfect. I was more upset with the local hotels egregious room rates just to grab a couple hours rest before heading back to the airport the next morning. They are well aware of the opportunity to take advantage of stranded passengers.

 

[VernAK]

I drive the Alcan as it's much easier on the nerves than the high capacity flights of today......not to mention all the colds/flu/disease in that aircraft.

 

[Beendare]

I can understand malfunctions or weather related delays... but now a carrier will cancel/ reschedule you if the plane is only 1/2 full

 

[durangobrad]

I can understand malfunctions or weather related delays... but now a carrier will cancel/ reschedule you if the plane is only 1/2 full

Im not familiar with any airlines that will do that. Would love to see some evidence?

 

[Pontius]

I can understand malfunctions or weather related delays... but now a carrier will cancel/ reschedule you if the plane is only 1/2 full

That is simply false. There is no incentive to do cancel, it leaves crews and aircraft out of position, interferes with scheduled maintenance, and negatively effects operational numbers that are reported to the DOT, numbers that are the basis for airline quality rankings. That said, when you book a ticket six months out, expect minor timing and equipment adjustments as the airline fine tunes the schedule about two months out.

 

[durangobrad]

That is simply false. There is no incentive to do cancel, it leaves crews and aircraft out of position, interferes with scheduled maintenance, and negatively effects operational numbers that are reported to the DOT, numbers that are the basis for airline quality rankings. That said, when you book a ticket six months out, expect minor timing and equipment adjustments as the airline fine tunes the schedule about two months out.

Thanks for chiming in, I though that was the case. I work for the airport here and we track cancellations and I have never seen that as a reason to cancel a flight. Things like this are closely monitored and regulated. Airlines are responsible for compensating passengers when a cancellation or delay occurs that is the airlines fault.

 

[Nickziegler]

I am flying delta from GB WI to Calgary for a BC goat hunt combo this Sept. Delta has changed the flight schedule multiple times. I picked the flight I did due to having enough time to clear customs on my way home. Well I now have an hour to clear and get my bags and myself to my connection. I contacted delta and they pretty much said tough...

 

[ArrowForester]

Thanks for chiming in, I though that was the case. I work for the airport here and we track cancellations and I have never seen that as a reason to cancel a flight. Things like this are closely monitored and regulated. Airlines are responsible for compensating passengers when a cancellation or delay occurs that is the airlines fault.

It would be nice to know that this is not true. It would also be nice to know how accurate all of the reported reasons for flight cancellation really are.

One experience that leaves me skeptical occurred in Detroit. We were at the gate about 10 minutes before boarding when we were told the flight was cancelled, no plane available. It was the last scheduled flight on that route for the night and there was a plane parked right outside connected to the jetway.

There were 15 of us there and 7 said that they were on the afternoon flight and it had been canceled due to low passenger volume so they were rebooked for the night flight. We were all rebooked for the morning flight and given a voucher for airport food and a cheap room. When we arrived the next morning we boarded the same plane that was connected to the jetway the night before. The passenger volume was up to 40 something and the flight departed only 30 minutes late.....

 

[Beendare]

To think these airlines dont manage these flights for maximum benefit is naive.

Edit; 6.19; ^^To clarify......This thread and some of the comments had me curious, so I've talked to a couple buddies that are pilots for United and SW. What I referred to as cancellations due to short flights, the airlines refer to as 'Consolidating' and this happens regularly months in advance. There are many reasons why the airline would cancel your flight on short notice; mechanical, weather, in flight crew problems, etc....but they don't cancel on short notice due to low passenger count.

 

[camping1601]

We flew a couple month ago and from the time my wife bought the tickets till the day we flew (months apart) our flight was changed four times.
Just last week my wife bought a ticket for Sep. and the next day they change the flight schedule.

 

[camping1601]

And think about what they charge if you want to change or cancel your flight.

 

[durangobrad]

To think these airlines dont manage these flights for maximum benefit is naive.

Well two people from the industry that have seen a few flights come and go have never seen it, so without some sort of proof I find it hard to believe.... Ive seen flights come and go that had less than 10% capacity.

 

[durangobrad]

Heres a good link to where you can track delays and cancellations by airlines, airport, etc...

Airline Delays, Cancellations and Tarmac Times | Bureau of Transportation Statistics

 

[colonel00]

Funny you should mention it, I'm heading to Calgary tomorrow. A month or two ago I had to head up there and my flight from Seattle to Calgary was cancelled just as I was getting to the gate from my connection. I will say that Alaska Air took care of me with a hotel and food vouchers and a $250 credit. That flight didn't even cost $250.