topic Re: Stuck In Florida in Community Chat

Stuck In Florida

Jordan2 — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:34:21 GMT

My sister and her husband went to visit his elderly mother for her birthday as well as his two sisters and their spouses. Anyway she was due to take a 11:15 am flight into Kennedy airport today. We had a monsoon in NYC and her flight kept getting pushed back to finally 3:15 pm. Well she calls me at 7:00 telling me her flight was canceled, the next earliest flight is for Wednesday evening! They had to rent cars and motel rooms. The airline doesn't help you with anything, I asked if they offer you some kind of reimbursement for your troubles, she said no. If you can't find anywhere to stay are you suppose to take up residence in the terminal for three days?

Re: Stuck In Florida

kindred cats — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:44:23 GMT

Ya gotta love traveling by air...

Re: Stuck In Florida

kate2357 — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:46:05 GMT

I think for weather related delays most airlines don't offer too much help. And yes, many times you can be just stuck at the airport.

I was stuck for over 48 hours at an airport in Alaska due to bad weather. It was horrible as there was no place to sleep and the few food choices ran with reduced hours because of staffing issues and because they were afraid of running out of food.

Re: Stuck In Florida

Puppy Lips — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:48:42 GMT

If it is weather related, as that appears to be, the airlines owe you nothing. We have had flights cancelled that were supposedly "weather related," when there were clear skies from where we were to where we were going. In that case, we determined the airline was short staffed.

Your sister and brother in law may fair better to just rent a car and drive home.

Re: Stuck In Florida

aroc3435 — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:48:40 GMT

@Jordan2 Just a thought: Did they consider taking Amtrak?

I just came back from a planned trip to Gainesville, Florida roundtrip--took an Amtrak-provided Thruway bus from the station at Jacksonville to get to Gainsville and then the Thruway bus from Gainsville to the train to Jacksonville back to DC.

I've travelled from New Haven, CT to Miami and back and forth from DC to New Haven many times via Amtrak's Northeast Regional and Acela.

Sorry for your sister and brother-in-law's troubles.

Best,

aroc3435

Washington, DC

Re: Stuck In Florida

ROMARY — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:50:31 GMT

I wouldn't want to be in a plane, flying through dangerous storms.

So, better to be grounded, in the scheme of weather related things.

Better to be safe than sorry.

Wishing for better luck, and a decent place to stay.

Re: Stuck In Florida

Jordan2 — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 02:53:37 GMT

@aroc3435 I don't say anything, if it were me I would look for alternative modes of transportation to get home.

Re: Stuck In Florida

chrystaltree — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 03:19:45 GMT

That happened to us two summers ago, flying back from Myrtle Beach. We spent 25 hours in the airport. Hubby and I managed to get seats on another airline. The others in our group rented two cars and drove back to Boston. The airlines do help you book on other airlines but when a delay is weather related, they are all in the same boat.

Re: Stuck In Florida

Alter Ego — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 03:37:40 GMT

I assume they didn’t buy separate insurance - I certainly wouldn’t for the type of trip it sounds like they did. However, they may want to check the credit card they used to make the airfare purchase to see if there’s anything covered that way. I’m guessing everyone will be looking, but maybe it would cheaper to see if they could get a flight out tomorrow on a different airline vs paying for a hotel, food, etc. I do agree that may be faster/cheaper to just drive home.

Re: Stuck In Florida

ManyMeows — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 04:04:15 GMT

@Jordan2

🌩 It's an "Act of God" and the airlines can legally declare themselves NOT RESPONSIBLE.

Everyone better get out the Rosary Beads and start praying.

Re: Stuck In Florida

LindaSal — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 11:35:29 GMT

In general flying has become an absolute nightmare. We have flown multiple times in the last couple of years and not once without some sort of delay or canceled flight........

The airlines have become obnoxious.

Re: Stuck In Florida

kaydee50 — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 12:32:58 GMT

The airlines have no control over the weather. As others have said I would try Amtrak although they have been VERY busy and trains full. I would also consider driving home. Even with the drop off charge or mileage charge it would be cheaper and faster than waiting for another flight which might also get cancelled.

Good luck to them!

Re: Stuck In Florida

FiddleDeeDee — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:28:48 GMT

@Jordan2 In a nutshell, the airlines don't care. I won't get into the whole FAA, airlines, the profit they are pulling, the misery people now have due to NextGen.....flying is a necessary evil is how I look at it.

Family was stuck for a WEEK due to their flight from MD to London being cancelled. No assistance to move them to a different flight, different airport, nothing. They lost wages due to it, their children missed school and the cost for lodging at last minute was $$$$. I do remember airlines assisting when this happened; no more. Perhaps because it happens All. The. Time. instead of being an exception.

2 of my sons are stuck because their flights have been cancelled. This happened last year as well with the nightmare of flights that had to cancel (remember that mess?) and again, no help from the airlines in any way.

When we fly international, we always get insurance and we've had to use it due to canceled flights. One of our sons was in Italy and Greece 2 months ago and we made sure he had it as well; no issues but it was worth the peace of mind.