A nor'easter disrupted more than 5,000 flights. What to do when a storm hits before your trip
A group trip has a start time and it does not wait. The last weekend of September showed how fast a normal travel day can fall apart.
By the Group Travel Explained team
- A nor'easter on September 27 disrupted more than 5,000 US flights in one day.
- Flights far from the storm were hit too.
- Most group trips do not refund the days you miss.
- Arrive a day early and take the first flight of the day.
What happened
On Sunday, September 27, a nor'easter hit the East Coast with strong winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding. AirHelp counted more than 5,000 flights delayed or cancelled across the United States that day. Boston Logan and New York LaGuardia were hit hardest, and more than 150,000 homes and businesses in New Jersey and New York lost power. KTLA reported that the disruption reached flights across the country, including at Los Angeles.
That last part matters. Your flight does not have to pass through the storm. Planes and crews that are stuck in Boston in the morning are missing in Denver in the afternoon.
If you were flying to a group trip that day
Anyone due to meet a group on Sunday or Monday had a real chance of missing the start. Most group trips do not refund days you miss, and the group moves on without you. There is a short list of things that protect you.
Five habits that make storms boring
- Land a day early. This is the big one. If the trip starts Saturday, arrive Friday. You get a buffer for delays and a night to sleep off the flight.
- Take the first flight of the day. Early flights are less exposed to delays that pile up through the day.
- Watch for a travel waiver. When a big storm is forecast, airlines often let you move your flight for free. Check your airline's travel alerts page two or three days out, and move before the crowd does.
- Know your refund right. In the US, if the airline cancels your flight and you choose not to travel, you are owed a refund, not just a credit.
- Buy insurance with trip delay and trip interruption cover. Delay cover pays for meals and a hotel while you wait. Interruption cover can pay for the part of a trip you miss.
If you are already stuck
- Rebook in the airline's app while you stand in the line. The app is usually faster.
- Message your trip leader straight away with your new arrival time.
- Ask the trip company how to reach the group if you land late. Many will arrange or point you to a transfer.
- Keep every receipt for your insurance claim.
One more thing to know this month: from October 19 the rules on what US airlines owe you during some delays are changing. We covered that in a separate post.