How to Avoid Getting Stranded at the Airport

If you’re a frequent flier, chances are good that you’ve been stranded at an airport at one time or another--and the longer the stranding, the worse the travel nightmare. The airline industry seems to keep getting worse, and travelers are left to fend for themselves more often than not. Sometimes, there’s just nothing to do except bunker down with a thick novel and try to drown out the screaming kids and irate passengers. But sometimes you can take action, turning a potential travel nightmare into one that’s a little less horrendous. Here are a few tips.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Get a seat. Airlines are chronically overbooked, and they frequently sell more seats than they actually have, to mitigate the effect of cancellations. If everyone shows up, however, someone has to be left behind. If you’re one of the unlucky passengers to not be assigned a seat number--and if not enough volunteers can be found to skip the flight—you’ll have to be rebooked. To maximize your chances of getting a seat assignment, check in as early as you can--most airlines will let you check in online 24 hours in advance. If you’re at a hotel, you can usually check in at the business center, or have the front desk do it for you. If checking in online isn’t possible, grit your teeth and get yourself to the airport in plenty of time.

2. Volunteer, if you can. If you don’t mind spending a few more hours in the airport, or if you can take a flight the next day, you can volunteer to give up your seat in an overbooked situation. You’ll usually be offered several hundred dollars in cash or travel vouchers, as well as accommodations overnight if necessary. This might be the way to make the best of a bad situation, and should at least have you out of the airport if not at your intended destination.

3. Travel light--really light. If there are delays in your flight, or if you suspect your flight is going to be canceled, you can increase your chances of getting home by getting on standby on a different flight--or asking to be rebooked entirely. However, if you’ve checked luggage, airlines usually can’t rebook you, and you sometimes can’t get on standby. Sticking to carry-on luggage will allow you to switch flights at a moment’s notice--and this can make all the difference when your travel plans get complicated.

4. Work the line, and the phone. You know the scene: a flight is canceled, and there’s a mad dash to the counter to get rebooked. If you’re not at the front of the line, your chances of getting on the next flight--or a flight at all on that day--decrease significantly. Always try to sit close to the counter so you can be first in line if something happens to your flight. Miss your chance? Whip out your phone. Sometimes you can get served faster simply by calling the airline (but keep your place in line, just in case). Always carry the airline’s phone number with you in case you need to rearrange your flights.

5. Relax and be polite. Irate passengers normally take out their fury on innocent customer service representatives or gate agents, who usually aren’t the ones responsible for flight delays and cancellations. A polite word and smile at the start of any conversation with these well-connected people can gain you lots of points, points that may come in very handy when it comes to doling out the last few seats on another flight.