You are bound for a new assignment location. As soon as you arrive at the airport, you learn your flight is being delayed
nearly 2 hours because of a thunderstorm. This means you'll miss your connection. When you speak with the gate agent, she
informs you that the next connecting flight is overbooked. So, you go ahead with your trip as planned and hope to make the
subsequent flight on standby. But the jet is full. Now you're stranded overnight and waiting for yet another plane in the
morning. By the time you reach your destination, that 2-hour delay has caused you to lose an entire day.
While most air travel experiences are completely uneventful, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report—a monthly product of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings—roughly 25 percent
of all domestic flights in February 2006 experienced delays. Still, there are steps you can take to avoid or at least better
manage such postponements. Here, we are pleased to share several tips from the experts.
Avoiding glitches
Although you can't predict when snafus may happen, you can be prepared by building extra time into your schedule. You also
may take measures to reduce the likelihood of being on a late flight. Select an early departure time, which is less likely to be upset by "the ripple effect." Plus, if it's delayed, there will be more options for rerouting.
Choose a nonstop trip whenever possible. Each time you change planes or add a leg to your journey, the risk of something going awry is increased. If you must arrange
for a connection, make sure there is ample time between flights, enabling you to catch the second one even if you experience
a setback.
Call the airline early on the day of travel to determine your flight's status. If there is a problem, try to rebook over the telephone. Also, check the carrier's website
to see if it offers an automatic flight-notification service via cell phone, pager, handheld organizer, or computer. You may
be able to receive arrival and departure updates, delay alerts, gate information, and upgrade confirmations up to 4 hours
in advance.
Online Resources
|
Arrive well ahead of time. Traffic, long check-in lines, and busy security checkpoints can slow you down. Late-arrivals are more likely to miss flights
or get bumped from an overbooked plane. Most airlines require passengers to be checked in and at the gate 15 minutes prior
to departure for domestic flights, and 45 minutes for international flights. Get to the airport at least 90 minutes before a flight within the U.S. (or 1 hour earlier, if you're not checking baggage) and 2 hours in advance of an international excursion.
Dealing with delays
Always come to the airport equipped. Take your belongings in carry-on baggage, if possible. And don't forget to bring snack food, water, and a book, or something to keep you occupied should you get stuck in the airport
or on the tarmac.
If a delay announcement is made, find out when your plane is expected to depart. Should you visit a restaurant, return to
the gate frequently. Public address systems usually do not work outside of the gate area. Use the extra time to notify anyone who is expecting you at your arrival city. It's especially important to make hotels and car rental services aware of the circumstances so they
can hold your reservations.
Healthcare professionals trained in palliative care should experience a surge in career opportunities. Read about it on 
Take the company provided housing or take a housing stipend? Jeff Long describes how to find your next housing on 
