blizzard

What to do if you’re stuck at the airport

January 25, 2016Harriet BaskasMuseums, Weatherairport restaurants, blizzard, food, stuck at the airport

After canceling thousands of flights over the weekend due to a giant blizzard, airlines will attempt to get passengers back in the air and to their destinations on Monday.

But more than 1,300 flights are canceled across the country today and a lot of people will likely find themselves without canceled flights, but still stuck at the airport.

Here are two things to do if you’re left at the gate with time on your hands.

1. Explore.

Lots of airports have art exhibits displaying the work of national or local artists. Some have full-blown aviation museums (SFO & MKE), and many have an exhibit case or two filled with tidbits of local history. San Francisco International Airport has both an aviation museum and an exhibit program that mounts 20 exhibits around the airport at any one time.

Right now the SFO Museum has exhibits about football, vintage purses and Toy Story.

Aliens – Courtesy of Pixar Animation Studios

2. Eat

While you weren’t paying attention, airports across the country have upped their game when it comes to food. Take a walk, inspect all the menus and take yourself out for a nice meal.

And if you’re lucky enough to be stuck in Chicago at O’Hare or Midway Airports, keep in mind that both airports are celebrating Airport Restaurant Week through February 2.

Blizzard brings #AirportSnowdown

January 23, 2016Harriet BaskasWeather#airportsnowdown, airport snow, blizzard, Winter Storm Jonas

Airlines have canceled thousands of flights in response to the blizzard roaring up the east coast, leaving some airports pretty empty, with nothing to do but clear the snow from the runways and engage in an on-line throwdown tagged, appropriately enough as an #AirportSnowdown

The next #AirportThrowdown is here! Share your #blizzard2016 pictures & #traveltips with us using #AirportSnowdown

— The Voice of Airports (@airportscouncil) January 22, 2016

@airportscouncil we are in! #airportsnowdown @DTWeetin #blizzard2016 #ncwx pic.twitter.com/TCSYx3sPzS

— RDU Airport (@RDUAirport) January 22, 2016

Even though we aren't in the path of #Blizzard2016, our Maintenance crews are always ready for the #AirportSnowdown pic.twitter.com/bGuU69W32f

— DTW Airport (@DTWeetin) January 22, 2016

Snow melters are being positioned around #BWI aircraft ramp areas. pic.twitter.com/dPkNJT3gXG

— BWI Marshall Airport (@BWI_Airport) January 22, 2016

Still no snow at PIT, but trucks/plows/brooms & award-winning crews are ready to go! #Jonas #airportsnowdown pic.twitter.com/t3FUdadPFk

— Pittsburgh International Airport (@PITairport) January 22, 2016

The only thing we'll be salting for #blizzard2016… #winterinMiami #airportthrowdown #airportsnowdown pic.twitter.com/oW6HrDDG00

— Miami Int'l Airport (@iflymia) January 22, 2016

Flights canceled as blizzard heads for the Northeast

January 26, 2015Harriet BaskasWeatherairline cancelations, Airlines, blizzard, flight cancelations, Juno, weather

Airlines have already canceled thousands of flights to, through and from the northeast and other parts of the country today in advance of a giant storm expected to break snowfall records.

Change fee waivers for flights scheduled through Wednesday have are also being offered by many airlines.

Here’s a list of links to many airline travel alerts.

Many international flights scheduled to arrive in the United States on the east coast are going to be canceled or diverted as well, so be sure to check with your airline before heading out.

Travel Tidbits: blizzard, extra points and free Wi-Fi

February 7, 2013Harriet BaskasAdvisories, Air Travel, Airline policies, free Wi-Fi, Shopping, Wi-Fiairline miles, blizzard, EWR, free Wi-Fi, JFK, LGA, Nemo

Thanks to Storm Nemo, on Thursday evening I was one of the hundreds of thousands of travelers who had to cancel important weekend plans that involved flying to the east coast.

Then I had to sit on the phone for hours trying to work out a new and, it turns out, quite expensive new plan.

For those of you still trying to figure out your options, here’s a link to a list of many of the change-fee waiver policies airlines have posted.

In other news…. Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport announced that it is the latest airport to join the Thanks Again program, which offers travelers frequent flyer miles or points for qualifying purchases made at the airport for things such as parking, food and retail items. Travelers at DFW will also be able to get points or miles for stays at the airport hotels, such as the Grand Hyatt, and at Paradise 4 Paws, the airport’s pet hotel.

170 other airports already participate in the Thanks Again program – which requires a simple sign-up and registration of a credit-card.

And during the month of February passengers at John F. Kennedy (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark Liberty International (EWR) airports – as well as passengers at some New York City subway stations – will be able to get complimentary Boingo Wi-Fi sessions courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line, which is celebrating a new ship, the Norwegian Breakaway.

That should come in handy if you end up stuck at one of those airports – or in the city – this weekend due to Storm Nemo.

Storm Nemo on the way; airlines waive change fees

February 6, 2013Harriet BaskasCancellations, WeatherAirline change fees, blizzard, fee waivers, Storm Nemo

Updated: February 7, 2013

Another winter storm – named Nemo – is on the way and airlines are getting ready for it by issuing weather-related fee waivers and encouraging travelers to change their flight dates, postpone travel or re-route their trips to and from a long list of cities in the northeast.

Here’s are links to most of the airline waiver policies:

Airports digging out from blizzard; will travelers get to fly?

December 28, 2010Harriet BaskasAdvisories, Air Travel, Airport guides, Airport shops, Weatherairport apps, blizzard, snowstorm, stuck at the airport

After a frightful day of snow and wind – and then more snow and more wind – New York area airports finally reopened on Monday afternoon.

Now the real “fun” begins as airlines try to reposition planes and find seats for travelers who have been stuck at airports around the country.

Here are some of the stories that have come out of the storm.

From the Wall Street Journal: Snow Keeps City at Standstill

From the Star Ledger: Hundreds of Stranded Newark Airport passengers hope to rebook flights

From the Christian Science Monitor: LaGuardia airport and others reopen, but stranded fliers still face ordeals

You get the picture…

Want to find out when you or someone you’ve been waiting for will get on a plane?

Make sure you’re signed up for all methods of flight status alerts and are following your airline and your airport on Facebook and Twitter – if they’re there.

Now that planes are moving, it should start getting easier to rebook and/or confirm a flight. Try doing it online yourself before getting on the phone or on a long line, which can take hours. Several airlines are re-booking travelers via Twitter, so give that a try as well. Keep in mind though, that it will take several days for get everyone where they’re going, so if you’re heading to an airport, take along some food, activities to keep you busy, a charged cell-phone, good humor and lots of patience. While you wait, my USA TODAY airport guides and assorted apps from airlines, airports and third-party entities may help you find amenities, shops and restaurants.

And if you’ve missed the event you were heading to in the first place, ask for a refund, take out your calendar and start making a new post-blizzard plan.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner…

Blizzard 2010: tools and tips for those stuck at the airport

December 27, 2010Harriet BaskasAir Travel, Airport guides, Airports, Stuck at the Airportblizzard, snowstorm, stuck at the airport

With an east coast blizzard underway on Sunday evening, trains, buses, cars and airplanes were at a standstill and several airports in the New York region closed down entirely.

The cancellation of thousands of flights to and from the east coast means major disruption elsewhere as well, so traveling anywhere on Monday and Tuesday – and no doubt later in the week – will be no picnic.

For those of you stuck at an airport or trying to figure out how to avoid ending up that way, here are some tools and tips that may be useful.

*Take the waiver. If you’re scheduled to fly in the next few days and your flight hasn’t already been canceled, chances are your airline is offering to let you change flight plans without a change fee. Do it. When planes do start flying, you’ll have a reserved seat while travelers from all these canceled flights will be working their way up standby lists.

*Make sure you’re signed up to receive all the Twitter, Facebook, email and text alerts being sent out by airlines and airports on your itinerary. In many cases that information is more up-to-date than the information available inside the airport.

*Bookmark airport websites, download airport and airline apps (i.e. GateGuru, Flightstats.com) and the airport guides I created for USA TODAY. In this case, information will definitely be power – or at least useful in helping you keep up-to- date and knowledgeable about your surroundings.

(Finding a power outlet and keeping your cell phone or laptop charged while you’re hanging out at the airport might be a challenge – so ask someone to do this for you at home as well.)

*Make sure you have supplies: if you’re going to the airport, be sure to bring snacks, books and other items to keep you entertained, a charged cell-phone, a change of clothing, something you can sit on (and perhaps sleep on) and a bucket of good humor and patience. A lot of this is going to be out of everyone’s control.