Fort Worth-based American Airlines has canceled thousands of flights since Friday. And while the airline is getting back to normal for now, it’s the second time in the past few weeks that we’ve seen a major airline knocked offline by weather or other factors.
This time, we’re just approaching what’s typically the busiest travel week of the year.
Hundreds of American Airlines flights were either canceled or disrupted this past Halloween weekend due to weather and staffing issues.
Southwest Airlines canceled 2,000 flights last month during a holiday weekend, leaving many travelers stranded.
Thanksgiving travel could have similar travel frustrations in store as a Nov. 24 vaccination mandate for TSA and airline employees could impact the current labor shortage.
“I think they’re trying to prep as much as they can for the mass amounts of travel, but at the end of the day, they’re going to be struggling,” said Jordan Bradshaw, vice president of Northcutt Travel Agency.
Bradshaw said more people are flying, but their biggest concern is a cancellation. He suggests spending a little extra on travel insurance and paying close attention to cancellation policies while booking.
“With most travel insurance plans, they have travel protection which covers things like trip delay and lost baggage,” he said.
“It has a ton of different coverages that you can look into and it helps compensate you up to a certain level for any extra expenses you have. If you have to pay for a hotel overnight, it does help cover that.”
Bradshaw said travelers should also look out for the words “fully refundable” or “travel credit refund” when booking tickets. He also said travelers should stay away from economy tickets because though they’re the most affordable, they’re the most restrictive.