Airlines

Updated airline policies for change/fee waivers due to flight reduction mandate

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And end to the government shutdown may be closer to reality.

But the Federal Aviation Administration has not yet lifted mandated flight reductions at the busiest airports around the country that in place to try reduce stress on the air traffic control system.

As a result, massive flight cancelations and delays are still a major issue.

As the day begins, Flightaware.com is reporting more than 1,100 flight cancellations for today (Tuesday) and about 600 delays.

But that is likely to increase over the course of the day, especially with weather issues in some parts of the country.

Updated airline refund/change fee waiver policies

Airlines are updating their travel advisories and travel alerts on a rolling basis to reflect the flights they have canceled in response to flight reduction mandates.

Refunds are available if you choose not to fly. Be sure to read the details about rebooking, as there are restrictions about when your flight was booked, and when you choose to fly.

And of course, keep checking back, as the policies are being updated each day.

Alaska Airlines: policies apply for flights scheduled through November 17. If you’re not requesting a refund, you can rebook to fly by November 24.

American Airlines is offering refunds and waiving changes fees for travel to/through or from more than 20 airports for flighs sheduled through November 15. The change fee waiver applies to rebooked flights through November 17.

Delta Air Lines: If you were scheduled to travel by 15, 2025, the change fee waiver applies to rebooked flights that occur by November 17.

See the updated cancel and fee waiver policy for Frontier Airlines here.

JetBlue‘s updated policies on refunds and flight reduction fee waivers are listed here.

Southwest Airlines updated policies are listed here.

The Spirit Airlines policy is posted here.

United Airlines policy is posted here.


Shutdown fallout: FAA will reduce air traffic by 10%. Starting Friday

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As if air travel wasn’t stressful enough…

On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation announced a decision to reduce air traffic by 10% at 40 “high-volume” markets across the country starting Friday.

Unless, that is, the government shutdown concludes before then.

Which could be a stretch.

The FAA didn’t say which markets would be affected, but not long after the announcement, airlines began sharing how they planned to respond to the directive.

In a memo to employees and on social media, United Airlines said the reductions will start on Friday, November 7.

“United’s long-haul international flying and our hub-to-hub flying will not be impacted by this schedule reduction direction from the FAA,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in the memo, “Instead, we will focus our schedule reductions on regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hubs.”

He added that customers traveling during this period will be eligible for a refund if they do not wish to fly – even if their flight isn’t impacted. That includes non-refundable tickets and those customers with basic economy tickets.

American Airlines also shared a statement.

“While we are awaiting additional information from the FAA to determine which flights will be impacted, we expect the vast majority of our customers’ travel will be unaffected. As schedule changes are made, we will proactively reach out to customers who are impacted,” the airline said on Wednesday evening.

Southwest Airlines said it is evaluating how the planned FAA flight reductions will affect its schedule. “We know that these FAA-imposed cancellations can impact an important moment in your life. We appreciate your understanding,” the airline said in a statement.

Other airlines are making plans as well and we’ll no doubt learn a lot more on Thursday.

In the meantime if, like us, you have a flight scheduled in the next few days, keep an eye on your inbox, your airline app and on the news.

Wee Delft Blue house marks KLM’s 106 birthday

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If you fly on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as a Business Class passenger on an intercontinental flight, you’ll get to choose a tiny Delft Blue house from a cart rolled down the aisle towards the end of the flight.

Don’t pass up the offer.

KLM has been gifting these miniature gin-filled houses representing special buildings in the Netherlands and beyond to business class passengers since the 1950s. And the small buildings have become treasured and collectible souvenirs.

Many travelers are determined to collect them all. Of course, there’s an app to help with that. And some of the very early houses and limited edition issues can fetch quite a lot of money.

Since 1994, the number of houses matches KLM’s age. And each year on October 7, KLM’s birthday, a new house is added to the collection.

This year is KLM’s 106th birthday, and the newest KLM miniature Delft Blue house portrays the former sexton’s residence, Villa Reameau, located next to Lieden’s Pieterskerk church. The Pilgrims stayed here for twelve years before they set sail on the Mayflower to America in 1620. And the building is now the home of the Pilgrim Museum.

Travel tidbits from airlines, airports & the U.S. governnment shutdown

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U.S. government shutdown is affecting air travel. Already.

The U.S. government shutdown is beginning to take a toll on air travel.

TSA workers, air traffic controllers and others – already working longer hours due to staffing shortages – are now working without paychecks and the fallout is clear.

Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there’s been a slight increase in the number of sick calls from TSA workers and air traffic controllers since the shutdown began.

And that may be the reason Hollywood Burbank Airport had no air traffic controllers scheduled to work Monday evening. And why several East Coast airports had issues with air traffic control staffing.

Take a look at the FAA’s National Airspace System Status chart. You’ll notice under that the cause for many of the delays is currently listed as “staffing.”

If the shutdown continues, this list will grow.

Help for airport workers on the job without pay

The 2019 government shutdown lasted 35 days, during which time employees of TSA, the FAA and Customs and Border Protection (among others) had to work without pay.

During that time, airports and airlines and community groups set up food pantries and free meals for those unpaid workers.

It’s happening again.

During the shutdown, the Allegheny County Authority (ACAA), the operator of Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is providing free meals to working U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees.

The first meals were provided at both Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Allegheny County Airport (AGC) on Friday, Oct. 3. The plan is to provide meals twice a week for the duration of the shutdown.

According to PIT officials, airport concessions partners are contributing by helping to prepare the meals at a discounted rate. Participants include Air Ventures, Beer Code, Bruegger’s Bagels, Chick-fil-A, Jimmy John’s, Local Craft, Shake Shack, and Wellington, with more to come.

Currently, the meals will be distributed across all shifts on Tuesdays and Thursdays at PIT and AGC.

And at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), TSA workers are getting support.

If the shutdown continues, starting October 11, 2025, TSA workers will be offered several benefits, including complimentary parking during their shifts; two meal vouchers per shift (one voucher per shift for part-time workers); and discounts or special meals from ATL concessionaries.

Any other airports doing this? Let us know.

JetBlue’s new special celebrating Puerto Rico

One of JetBlue‘s Airbus A320s now bears a special livery, Isla del Bluencanto, designed by Puerto Rican artist Juan Gutiérrez Rovira, also known as The Stencil Network. 

The design was chosen by a public vote and celebrates Puerto Rico’s rich culture and spirit and showcases iconic symbols of Puerto Rican heritage.

Look for the jibaro figure on the tail; fruits and flora of the island, on the body of the aircraft; and the phrase “Somos Boruca” – We are Puerto Rico – on the plane’s underbelly,

Air New Zealand’s Prime Day deals

Amazon’s October Prime Days include some travel deals, including some great fares to New Zealand with Air New Zealand’s Prime Day fares.

From October 7 to 9, the airline is offering round-trip flights to Auckland for as low as $825 in the economy cabin. There are tempting fares in Premium Economy and Business Premier as well, and with departures from major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York and more.

News from Air Canada + Korean Air + More

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Air Canada flights on, then off

On Sunday afternoon, Air Canada said it was suspending its plan to resume limited flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge after striking flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) defied the government’s back-to-work order.

Instead, the airline says it now plans to resume flights on Monday evening.

Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or PAL continue to operate as normal, but for passengers with flights on other Air Canada flights, the carrier has this advice:

Customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and are strongly advised not to go the airport unless they have confirmed flights on other airlines. Air Canada will offer those with cancelled flights options, including obtaining a full refund or receiving a credit for future travel. The carrier will also offer to rebook customers on other carriers, although capacity is currently limited due to the peak summer travel season.

Cute Korean Air kits for kids

Korean Air has rolled out a charming new collection of amenities for kids that include a hooded beach towel, a memory foam neck pillow, slippers, socks, and an airplane keyring, as well as a coloring pack, a doodle book and a paper airplane.

The items available are adjusted by route length and season across short, medium, and long-haul flights.

Art tour of SEA Airport

The art collection at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was started back in the 1970s and is now one of the more extensive and valuable airport art collections in the United States.

Here’s a fun video put together by Seattle’s Museum of Flight that includes a tour of just a few of the pieces you’ll see when you visit the airport.

Air Canada braces for a strike

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Your options if you have an Air Canada ticket

Air Canada’s negotiations with CUPE, the union representing 10,000 flight attendants on Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, aren’t going well.

And if no agreements can be made, a strike is expected to begin Saturday, August 16 at 01:00 ET.

In preparation, the carrier began a “phased wind-down” of its operations on Thursday and will be canceling hundreds of flights by this weekend.

For those with booked flights, the airline is offering options for refunds, flight changes and alternate travel arrangements.

If you’re booked on Air Canada with plans to travel between August 15 and August 18, you can change your flight for free if you purchased an Air Canada ticket or redeemed points for an Aeroplan flight reward no later than August 13, 2025.

You can rebook for another date between August 21 and September 12, 2025, or cancel your itinerary and put the unused portion towards a future travel credit.

If you keep your current booking and your flight is cancelled due to the labor dispute, Air Canada says it will attempt to rebook you on another flight, including those operated by other airlines, but is warning travelers that due to the summer travel peak, “rebooking you within an acceptable timeframe is low. If your travel is disrupted, you can always choose a refund.”

Alaska Airlines grounds fleet for 3 hours

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Sunday evening turned troublesome for Alaska Airlines and thousands of its passengers when the carrier experienced an IT outage and issued a system-wide ground stop for Alaska Airlines and Horizons Air flights to address the issue.

The ground stop lasted just a few hours, but it may take days to get all affected passengers to their destinations.

“As we reposition our aircraft and crews, there will most likely be residual impacts to our flights. It will take some time to get our overall operations back to normal,” the airline said in a statement.

As of 4 am EST, Alaska Airlines had not posted a travel advisory on its site for affected travelers, but if you’ve got a flight booked on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air this week, be sure to check on the flight status before leaving home.

In June, Hawaiian Airlines, which became part of Alaska Airlines last September, reported a cybersecurity event that affected some of its IT systems, but no word yet if these incidents are related.

Donate to Texas flood relief & get bonus miles

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(Image courtesy American Airlines)

Individuals and organizations are doing what they can to help out with relief efforts for those affected by the catastrophic flooding in central Texas.

Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines is partnering with the American Red Cross, Airlink and Team Rubicon in relief efforts, assembling and sending care packages for responders and encouraging AAdvtange members to donate cash to the Red Cross by offering bonus AAdvantage miles.

Through July 18, AAdvantage members who donate a minimum of $25 to the Red Cross will receive 10 AAdvantage miles for every dollar donated.

Members can also donate AAdvantage miles through Miles for Social Good.

Below is a list of ways to donate airline frequent flier miles and/or cash to the Red Cross and to other organizations that offer relief efforts in various ways.

Donate frequent flier miles to the Red Cross and other groups

The Red Cross has a nice roundup page of partnerships and mileage donation pages for major airlines.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Members can donate miles to a wide variety of organizations, including an Alaska Airlines disaster relief pool by signing into their mileage accounts and choosing the ‘donate miles’ link.

Delta Air Lines Sky Miles members can donate Sky Miles through the Delta SkyWish program.

JetBlue TrueBlue members can donate their TrueBlue points to organizations such as World Central Kitchen and The American Red Cross.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards members can donate their points to organizations such as Airlink, the American Red Cross and Team Rubicon through the airline’s Points for a Purpose program.

United Airlines Mileage Plus members can donate miles to organizations such as Airlink and the American Red Cross starting at this page.

Swank new ways to fly + cool new places to fly to

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This week there was news about new planes with upgraded interiors and a bevy of “let’s go!” new routes.

Earlier this week we shared photos and notes about the new seasonal Edelweiss Air flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Zurich.

Alaska Airlines also announced that flights between Seattle and Rome will begin in May 2026. The carrier points out that the ‘Emerald City; will be connected to the ‘Eternal City’ for the first time.

With Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines recently launched flights to Tokyo Narita and in September will begin flying to Seoul, South Korea.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) celebrated new seasonal nonstop service to Athens Airport (ATH).

American Airlines woos with the ‘premium’ Boeing 787-9 aircraft

And this week, to much hoopla, American Airlines began flying one of its new 787-9P ‘premium’ aircraft, with an inaugural flight on June 5 from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Sadly, the Stuck at The Airport team, sadly, wasn’t on that first flight. But we look forward to hopping on board soon to experience all the new creature comforts.

Here’s a short video of the new interior that the airline shared a few weeks back.

And here’s an important public service announcement

(Image courtesy Clark County Dept of Aviation)

Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas and the #WhatsMyName Foundation introduced a safety campaign that is important to remember every time and anywhere you hail a rideshare.

The foundation was created to honor Sami Josephson, a young woman kidnapped and murdered by a fake rideshare driver in 2019. The campaign uses the letters of Sami’s name to spell out the tips that could save your life.

Here are the tips to remember:

S: Stop before you get in a vehicle and go over the safety rules in the app

A: Ask your driver “What’s my name?” to confirm that they are the driver assigned to you. (Don’t say, “Are you ….”)

M: Match the make, model and license plate of the car with the one displayed in your rideshare app.

I – Inform a friend or family member of your ride details. Rideshare apps offer a real-time tracking app. Use it.

Edelweiss Air lands in Seattle

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Lufthansa Group’s leisure airline, Edelweiss (operated by SWISS), touched down at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on Monday and was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute.

Edelweiss will now offer twice weekly summer seasonal service between SEA and Switzerland’s Zurich Airport (ZRH) on an Airbus A340-300 with 314 seats across three classes.

Edelweiss Business Class has 27 fully lie-flat seats. Economy Max includes 76 seats and there are 211 seats in Economy Class.

With this new flight, travelers can now travel from Seattle to Munich, Frankfurt and Zurich on Lufthansa Group flights.

SEA recently welcomed back SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) for flights between Seattle and Copenhagen after a ‘pause’ of 16 years and celebrated Alaska Airlines’ new flights on Hawaiian Airlines to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. So it’s been pretty busy around here.

But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a proper celebration for Edelweiss.

In addition to short celebratory speeches and a ribbon cutting, travelers waiting for the flight to depart were treated to a tasty snack of chocolate-covered pretzel sticks.

(Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss Air, with Lufthansa Group and SEA executives).