Travel News
Hurricane Earl Update: Labor Day Travel & East Coast Flights
Hurricane Earl Update: Labor Day Travel & East Coast Flights
Passengers flying to the East Coast this Labor Day weekend canexpect weather-related delays from Hurricane Earl.
The hurricane may be losing steam as it nears the eastern seaboard, but it still
will affect flight plans from Maine to North Carolina. Hurricane Earl brushed
the coast of North Carolina and is expected to continue northeast parallel to
the East Coast during the weekend.
Though Earl is expected to stay offshore, the hurricane may cause a flurry of
airline cancellations and delays because of high winds and heavy rain.
Passengers flying this weekend should be aware that not only might their flight
be canceled, but it also might take days to find an alternate flight, since most
airlines are running at capacity this weekend.
The airlines have stepped in to help imperiled Labor Day travelers. Most
airlines are waiving change fees, and in some cases, airlines are also waiving
the difference in price for passengers changing travel plans to avoid the storm.
However, there are deadlines and limitations to many of these waivers, so for
those who think their itinerary might be affected by the hurricane, it’s
imperative to check airline Web sites for updates.
As of Friday, most of the legacy carriers were offering
waivers for change fees. American Airlines was waiving fees for flights from
Thursday through Sunday for ticketed passengers heading toward airports along
the East Coast. Passengers have a week to rebook travel before penalties are
imposed.
U.S. Airways is also waiving fees for passengers going in or out of cities on
the East Coast. States including Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina are included in the waiver list.
Passengers can move their itineraries by a week to avoid the storm.
Continental Airlines is giving unfortunate travelers with weekend tickets to the
Caribbean a chance to reschedule their plans. Passengers have a year to make up
their lost tropical vacation.
United Airlines, AirTran Airways, and Delta Air Lines all posted travel warning
for airports along the East Coast for passengers traveling from Wednesday to
Sunday. The airlines are offering a onetime change to itineraries without a
fee.
Frontier Airlines is waiving change fees and fare differences until midnight on
Saturday for ticketed passengers heading toward select East Coast airports.
By Adriana Padilla for PeterGreenberg.com.
Related Links: Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch
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