Airlines Cancel Flights, Offer Waiver Restrictions
September 23, 2005
Airlines Cancel Flights, Offer Waiver Restrictions
September 23, 2005 – At least five airlines have announced flight cancellations in Texas due to Hurricane Rita and more than a dozen carriers have waived restrictions to help affected travelers, according to USA Today. For airline customers with travel plans to or through Texas, every major airline with service to the state has instituted weather waiver policies, meant to allow fliers in Rita’s path to change plans without fees or penalties.
Here’s a list of the latest waiver policies from U.S. airlines:
(Last updated: Thursday 5:40 p.m. ET; Next update, by 10 a.m. ET Friday. )
AirTran Airways
Affected destinations: Houston.
Cancellations:AirTran Airways will operate three extra flights Thursday from Houston to Atlanta, Ga., in addition to its regularly scheduled flights. The airline has canceled all flights into and out of Houston from Friday through at least 5 p.m. CT on Saturday.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 23-24.
Waiver policy: Customers may adjust their travel dates without change or cancellation fees or fare adjustments. Travel must occur within seven days of the original travel date; Or, customers may cancel their travel plans and place the remaining fares in a credit account for use one year from original date of purchase. Any change or cancellation fees will be waived..
For more information: Visit AirTran’s Web site, or call 800-AIR-TRAN.
Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air
Affected destinations: The Texas cities of Austin, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Houston, Killeen, McAllen, and San Antonio.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 21-27.
Waiver policy: Customers will be allowed one change without fees or penalties. If customers reschedule travel after Oct. 3, then change fees will apply to the new travel dates. A full refund can be offered if the passenger does not wish to travel or does not have new dates of travel.
For more information: Visit Alaska’s Web site, or call 800-252-7522.
America West
Affected Texas destinations: Houston Sept. 22-25.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 22-25.
Waiver policy: The airline is waiving change fees in most situations for tickets reissued by Oct. 31. The are some exceptions, which are spelled out on the airline’s website
For more information: Visit America West’s Web site, or call 800-2FLY-AWA.
American Airlines
Cancellations: AA says flights to Houston Hobby will be canceled after 2 p.m. CT Thursday, and after 7:09 p.m. CT on Thursday.
Affected Texas destinations: Corpus Christi, Houston, McAllen.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 21-26.
Waiver policy: One ticketed change is allowed with no fee or penalty. Re-ticketed travel must be completed by Sept. 26.
For more information: Visit American’s Web site, or call 800-433-7300.
ATA Airlines
Affected destinations: Houston.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 20-25.
Waiver policy: Customers may change travel dates (not routing) with no change fees or fare penalties, as long as rescheduled travel is in the original fare class and within 14 days of the original date of travel. If the original fare class is not available, customers may travel standby, as long as the routing is the same and rescheduled travel is within 14 days of the original date of travel.
For more information: Visit ATA’s Web site, or call 800-435-9282.
Continental Airlines
Affected destinations: All cities in Texas and Louisiana.
Cancellations: Continental says it expects to operate only a reduced Houston schedule on Friday morning, and will cease flight operations at Houston at noon. All Continental Airlines flights from Houston on Friday afternoon and Saturday are being cancelled. All Continental Express flights from Houston on Friday and Saturday are being cancelled. Flights are expected to resume Sunday morning. Throughout the weekend, all flights not involving Houston should operate normally. The best way to check the status of a particular flight is to visit continental.com .
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 19-27. Waiver policy: Customers have the option to reschedule or reroute travel once, without a penalty. Travel must be rescheduled or reissued by Oct. 3. A change to your origin or destination city may result in additional charges. If your flight has been cancelled, a refund to the original form of payment can be requested. .
For more information: Visit Continental’s Web site, or call 800-525-0280.
Delta Air Lines
Affected Texas destinations: Austin, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Houston, Killeen, San Antonio.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 21-25.
Waiver policy: Fees additional charges are waived for a one-time change, provided that tickets are reissued by Sept. 28 and travel is completed no later than Sept. 29. Changes to origins and destinations may result in an increase in fare. Any difference in fare between your original ticket and the new ticket will be collected at the time of booking.
For more information: Visit Delta’s Web site, or call 800-221-1212.
Frontier Airlines
Affected Texas destinations: Corpus Christi, Houston.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 21-25.
Waiver policy: Tickets on cancelled flights may be extended with a one-time waiver of no penalty and no fare difference if travel is rebooked into the same city. Passengers scheduled to Houston may change their flight dates by Sept. 30, with travel no later than Oct. 14. For travel after Oct. 14, Frontier will make a one-time exception to waive the change fee only; any fare difference will be collected.
For more information: Visit Frontier’s Web site, or call 800-432-1359.
Midwest Airlines
Cancelled flights: Flights in and out of Houston have been cancelled for Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning. Affected destinations: Houston.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 22-25.
Waiver policy: If you have a reservation on a cancelled flight, you may reschedule once with no administrative fee within one year of ticket issue date. You may also change your routing. Fare differences will be charged if applicable.
For more information: Visit Midwest’s Web site, or call 800-452-2022 .
Northwest Airlines
Affected destinations in Texas and Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Houston, Lafayette, Lake Charles, McAllen, New Orleans.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 21-27.
Waiver policy: Passengers may reschedule their travel as originally booked without penalty or administrative change fees, subject to availability. New travel must commence on or before Oct. 3.
For more information: Visit Northwest’s Web site, or call 800-225-2525.
Southwest Airlines
Affected destinations for Dennis: Corpus Christi, Houston.
Cancellations: Southwest Airlines will discontinue our scheduled flight service to/from Houston Hobby and Corpus Christi on Friday after noon CT. The carrier anticipates resuming service by mid-morning on Sunday, but the airline says on its website that its "ability to restart our service will be contingent upon the storm’s movement; the condition of the airport; as well as the subsequent conditions of the airport runways and airport services."
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: July 8-11, dates vary by destination.
Waiver policy: Southwest never charges a change fee. Customers wanting to alter their travel plans may rebook in the original class of service or travel standby (within 14 days of their original date of travel between the original city-pairs and in accordance with our accommodation procedures) without paying any difference in fare.
For more information: Visit Southwest’s Web site, or call 800-435-9792.
United Airlines
Affected Texas destinations: Austin, Houston, San Antonio.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 22-25.
Waiver policy: All changes must be made by midnight of your original travel date. Customers with wholly unused tickets may make one change to their travel plans without change fees or advance purchase requirement for the same or a new itinerary. Rescheduled travel may be subject to higher fares if it does not meet original rule and booking codes restrictions or is a new itinerary. For customers already en route and would like to return early, rules and restrictions regarding standard change fees, advance purchase, day or time applications, and/or minimum stay or Saturday night-stay requirements have been waived.
For more information: Visit United’s Web site, or call 800-241-6522.
US Airways
Affected Texas destinations : Houston.
Waivers apply to travel on these dates: Sept. 21-24.
Waiver policy: Customers’ entire itinerary can be moved forward or delayed, up to seven days from the scheduled origination date. The length of the trip cannot be changed. Or, the full value of wholly unused tickets can be applied toward the purchase of a ticket to an alternate destination, with travel to originate within seven days of the scheduled origination date.
For more information: Visit US Airways’ Web site, or call 800-428-4322.