24 Things I Learned from a 24-Hour Flight Delay

From SmarterTravel

24 Things I Learned from a 24-Hour Flight Delay

✈

Good info.  Good suggestion to buy food and drinks before the airport concessions close if you choose to tough it out.   Have a book or something to occupy your time. 

A few more from personal experience:

1. Avoid booking the latest flight(s) of the day, when feasible.

2. Check out hotels/motels near the airport ahead of time.   When bad weather was moving in, we booked a nearby hotel with airport shuttle for the night before.  Free shuttle to airport next morning (tip, of course), and were allowed to leave the car at the hotel lot, $10.  Took a load of worry off. 

3. Same thing if you get stuck at the airport, know one or two you can call to book a room for overnight, have shuttle pick you up and take you back to your re-booked flight the next day.  Act quickly, don't waste time haggling with airline staff if things are uncertain and they can't give you an answer.

4. I looked up Southwest Airlines.  They have authority to arrange hotel and ground transportation, at their cost, when a delay is WITHIN their control, e.g. mechanical trouble/plane swaps.  When the delay is NOT WITHIN their control, e.g. weather, they are not obligated.   Good to know the "Contract of Carriage" of the airline you are flying.

Best thing about getting delayed in Vegas is a cheap Uber ride will get you over to a nice casino-lounge to wait out your time.     Not so much in Orlando.

It always amazes me how upset people get at the airlines for a weather delay.    Its not Delta's fault there is a blizzard in Chicago - but holy cow do people get beligerant with the airline staff.          

People that fly during the wintertime should expect a delay every now and then.