With the recent cancellations of hundreds of flights due to Boeing 737 inspections, AAA would like to offer the following tips to travelers who may find their flight has been canceled or delayed.

• Consider using a travel agent to book your trip.  Travel agents know the industry. In the event of a flight cancellation, delay or unexpected trip interruption, a travel agent can assist in making the necessary arrangments to get you to your destination.
  
  

• Know the limitations of your tickets. The airline’s contract of carriage does not require it to provide passengers with any additional services when flights are delayed or canceled due to bad weather. This is different from situations where flights are delayed for mechanical or other reasons.
  
  

• Check status before you leave the house. Check the airline website for cancelations or delays before leaving home and sign up for e-mail or text alerts from your carrier. When planning a trip, travelers can check up-to-date airline performance using the Air Travel Consumer Report Card. Travelers can also check a flight’s delay history at the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ Web site.
  

• Pack preparedess. Flight delays and cancelations are a fact of life for travelers. Come to the airport prepared for a delayed or canceled flight. That means bringing portable entertainment such as books, music or video games. In addition, make sure you have prescriptions, credit cards, your travel itinerary with flight numbers, driver’s license and/or passport, glasses, various electronics chargers and toiletries in a carry-on bag. In order to expedite the process of passing through security, remember the Transportation Security Administration’s 3-1-1 carry-on policy: Three-ounce bottles or less; one quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; one bag per passenger.
  

• Take the earliest flight. Flight delays often ripple through the system, so the first flight in the morning is less likely to be delayed. If the first flight is delayed, you will have a better chance of catching a flight scheduled later the same day.
  
  

• Know the numbers . Program numbers for your airline, hotel, car rental company, or your travel agent into your cell phone. In case you need to change your flight, you can call the airline directly rather than waiting in line at the ticket counter. Make sure you have the phone number for whoever is waiting for you at the airport so you can keep them posted about your situation.
  

• Ask about amenities. During extended flight delays, airline staffs on the ground have the discretion to provide food and hotel vouchers, phone cards and snack boxes, so make sure to ask.

Consumers can call, write or e-mail the ACPD to register their concerns about airline service. The ACPD may be called 24 hours a day at 202-366-2220 (TTY 202-366-0511) to record a complaint. Calls are returned Monday through Friday, generally between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET. Letters and e-mails will be reviewed and acknowledged and will be forwarded to an airline official for further consideration. E-mail comments to airconsumer@dot.gov.

The ACPD’s mailing address is:

Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 7th Street, S.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20590