Wind, freezing rain and snow are predicted from the Northwest to the Northeast this week. Forecasters say vast swaths of the Central and Eastern United States could be hit with a blast of Arctic air that could ice runways and freeze roadways. Blizzard conditions are predicted for the Central and Northern Plains and Great Lakes regions. Parts of Wyoming will see windchill temperatures drop to 69 and 70 degrees below zero.
And it’s all just in time for the holiday travel rush.
Whether you are planning to travel by plane or by car over the Christmas weekend, you could face delays, cancellations and treacherous conditions.
The weather could create more chaos at airports, which AAA, the automobile association, said will be “packed” during the holidays. Nearly 7.2 million Americans are expected to fly between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, which is 14 percent more than last year and almost as many as in 2019, according to AAA.
Should you cancel your trip? What are your options if your flight is delayed or canceled? Here’s what you need to know if the holiday storm upsets your travel plans.
Know your rights
If the prospect of getting stuck is too daunting, many airlines, including United, American Airlines and JetBlue, are offering to rebook passengers on other flights without additional fees — if they are flying to or from areas that are expected to be hit by severe weather.
But first check the details with your carrier, because each airline has different parameters on when passengers can reschedule their flights.
If your flight is canceled, airlines are obligated by federal law to provide a full refund if the passenger requests it, said Scott Keyes, the founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, a service that tracks and emails airfare deals to customers. This is true even if a flight is canceled because of the weather.
“It’s still not your fault as a traveler, and you are still entitled to a full cash refund if you want one,” Mr. Keyes said.
If a flight is “significantly delayed,” airlines may also provide a refund if you decide not to fly, Mr. Keyes said, though they are not required to do so. Airlines define what a “significant delay” means though two or three hours for a domestic flight should be a good rule of thumb.
To know what your carrier’s policies are, consult the Department of Transportation’s online dashboard, which features 10 U.S. airlines with green check marks next to the services they offer when flights are delayed or canceled for reasons…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at NYT > Travel…