What to Do During a Flight Delay? Read on - DirectAsia.Com

With global warming, extreme weather events are getting more and more common. Typhoons and floods no doubt can disrupt our daily lives, and what’s worse is it can also wreck your holiday plans! Flight delays and cancellations are common during such situations, and no one likes that. But how do you stay cool and deal with what you can’t control?
 

• Get more information

Knowing what to do if your flight is delayed is especially important if you have a connecting flight.

If both your flights are on a single ticket, it will usually be fine as the airline will put you on the next available flight to your destination.

However, if you’ve made two separate bookings on different airlines, you will most likely not be compensated for missing your second flight. This is why it’s usually better to book your connecting flights as a single ticket since the airline will be able to make adjustments if there’s a delay.
 

• Find out about your entitlements

Flight delays are so common that some travellers take it as part and parcel of the flying experience. However, the service of different airlines is usually highlighted in situations like this. Pretty much, you can expect nothing if it is a delay on a budget flight.

However, for full-service airlines, you can expect some of them to offer snacks and drinks while commuters wait in the check-in lounge. If your flight is delayed for a longer period of time, some airlines may also offer food vouchers or even a hotel room if the flight is delayed until the next day.

You might also want to check up your travel insurance to find out what’s covered during such a delay. For instance, DirectAsia pays out $100 for every 6 hours of delay on any public transport if the delay was due to reasons included in our list of circumstances.

So how do you claim insurance for flight delay?

In order to make a claim, most insurers will need you to provide some proof of delay, a letter from the airline and fulfil certain conditions. If you anticipate a long delay, you could make use of the time to get ready these documents and proof so that your claiming process will be smooth. For DirectAsia, these include the following conditions:

• You must have checked in for the transport in accordance with the original itinerary.
• You must provide us with a written confirmation from the carrier of the delay or cancellation, the reason for the delay or cancellation and length of the delay.
• For this cover, travel delay includes diversion of your public transport, an overbooked public transport where the carrier did not permit you to travel or a missed travel connection due to a delay caused by the public transport on which you were travelling.
   

• Find a way to relax

Since a flight delay is not quite within one’s control, there’s really no point feeling angry or frustrated about it. Always treat the airline staff with respect and remind yourself that it’s not their fault as well. It’s all about your attitude that can make the flight delay more enjoyable.

One way you can get around making the delay more comfortable is to try to get a lounge pass. If it’s a full-service flight you are flying with, you should be able to ask for a lounge pass. Airline lounges will have hot food, free drinks and WiFi-access to help you pass your time in a more relaxed manner. Not all airlines would do it though, but it might help if you have a frequent flyer pass or is a member of the airline.

Certain credit cards like American Express might have their own airport lounges too, and it’ll never be too much of an effort to simply ask their reception if you might be able to use the lounge for free.
 

• Get Productive

If you are the kind who hates to waste time, using the extra time during the delay to do something productive can help you to pass the time easily. Have some work to do? Simply plug in your laptop to get working. Haven’t planned for your itinerary at your holiday destination? Now is the best time to do it. Since we are living in a digital age, there’s quite a lot you can accomplish on free wifi access, so by thinking of this extra pocket of time as a way to finish some tasks on your to-do list can help you stay positive.

Nobody likes to face a flight delay but your attitude and how you handle it can change your entire experience. Always remember to get a reliable travel insurance before you fly! Get a happier travel insurance quote with DirectAsia now!