ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Over the weekend, travelers battled with airline companies over canceled and delayed flights.
Sunday, nearly 26 Southwest Airlines flights, both departing and arriving at Tampa International Airport, were impacted. And Southwest canceled more than 1,000 flights nationwide, according to flight tracker FlightAware.
Southwest took to the airline's official Twitter account saying Air Traffic Control issues have caused the cancelations, "ATC issues and disruptive weather have resulted in a high volume of cancellations throughout the weekend while we work to recover our operation."
And Tampa International Airport reported the weekend's flight delays stemmed from an FAA-imposed (Federal Aviation Administration) air traffic management program in response to bad weather to the north.
Travelers who were faced with delays and canceled flights this weekend are able to do something about it.
In the event that your flight is delayed, the U.S. Department of Transportation says you are not immediately entitled to money or other compensation from the airline. However, if customers are experiencing a long delay, you are able to ask your airline if they can provide a hotel room or pay for meals.
When a flight is delayed for more than 30 minutes, the airline must update all flight status displays and other sources of flight information at U.S. airports.
The USDOT also states that if your flight is delayed it is possible that you can switch to another flight. But, before you attempt to make the switch, check with the airline to see if you will be charged a fee or higher fare for changing your reservation.
When a flight is canceled, most airlines will alert you to rebook whether by email or text message and flyers can follow a link. Of course, you can always call the airline for help.
"If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation – even for non-refundable tickets," the USDOT said.
Although it doesn't happen often and it's not guaranteed, airlines can even put travelers on another airline's flight if they do not have any available flights of their own. Each airline has different rules, so simply asking the airline at the front desk in person or on the phone will lead you in the right direction.
The bottom line is, just ask. The USDOT says each airline has its own policies and you can never be sure how they will accommodate you given different circumstances.