To paraphrase one of the great horror movies from the 80s … “It’s baaaack!” After a short respite, the Icelandic volcano is again affecting flights into and out of Europe.
Since it appears this might be an ongoing situation instead of an isolated occurrence, it is important to have a plan to save your European vacation should your outbound flight be canceled. Here’s the advice we give our travelers:
- Keep moving toward your final destination. When your flight is canceled, there are now literally hundreds of people vying for a small number of seats leaving your current airport and flying to your destination. Since most airlines fly only once, or maybe twice, a day to most European cities, it can take days for the backlog to clear. Instead of getting in line for these few seats, consider flying to a different airport in Europe.The average European airport may have dozens of departures a day to your final destination. Instead trying to get one of fifteen empty seats traveling from the U.S. to your final Europe destination, you are now trying to get on one of fifteen planes. Much better odds. And with the number of budget airlines in Europe, even if you have to purchase a ticket you might save money over paying airport prices for meals and accommodation while you wait in the US for your rescheduled flight.
- Think outside the box. We’ve grown accustom in the US to waiting on our airline to get us to where we want to go. Sometimes you can still get there by flying to an alternative airport then driving or taking a train to your final destination. While slightly delayed, your vacation is saved.
- Semper Gumby! Stay flexible. Remember there are literally hundreds of people trying to do the same thing you are. The ones who are the most flexible and the most reasonable to the airlines staff will be the ones who get the best service and the flights.
- Join the Club! If you are not already a member, buy a day pass to the airline club lounge. When numerous flights are canceled, you can spend hours waiting in line or on hold to speak with an airline representative. Most club lounges have customer service desks to assist you. While you may wait in a line there, your wait will be minutes instead of hours.
Here is a practical example of using these suggestions to save your vacation.
Your non-stop flight to Edinburgh is canceled because the airport is temporarily closed.
- Option 1: fly to London, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfort or any other major European hub. From there, you can fly to Edinburgh when the airport re-opens. If the airport remains closed, you can still take a train to Edinburgh and your vacation is saved.
- Option 2: fly to just about any airport in Britain. From there, you are less than a day’s drive or a few hours by train away from Edinburgh.
By giving the airline multiple options for your revised destination, you may fly on the same day as originally scheduled and almost assuredly on the next day. Remember that your goal is to save as much of your vacation as possible. Missing a few hours or, at worst, a day is better than spending your entire vacation in an airport.
One last thought. It is situations like these when the few extra dollars you might spend on a high-touch, high-service travel provider or travel agent really pays dividends. They can be making alternative arrangements for you while the rest of the people on your flight are still waiting to talk to an airline customer service representative.
And just in case nothing works, make certain you protect your vacation investment with travel insurance. Let’s face it. Stuff happens!
