Hearing your flight is cancelled can be incredibly frustrating and disappointing. You watch in
dismay as your carefully planned itineraries begin to fall apart The uncertainty and loss of
control in such situations can spoil your entire summer.
Well, brace yourself! Airlines were given a July 1 deadline to upgrade aircrafts with equipment
that supports 5G signals. But many aircrafts were unable to install the radio altimeters before the
deadline, making it impossible to land in low visibility. That prompted US Transportation
Secretary Pete Buttigieg to warn of summer air travel disruptions. So expect more cancellations.
FlightAware says 148 flights were cancelled July 5 adding to the 4881 flights within, into, or out
of the US that were delayed during the Fourth of July holiday.
This is no fun for Jamaicans and our Diaspora cousins who fly often in and out of the US,
especially during the holidays. We can’t tell folks not to fly. But we can offer a few suggestions
that may make the situation more tolerable. For one, try and book the first flight of the day to
improve your odds of avoiding cancellations. Statistically, such flights there are less likely to be
cancelled. Secondly, taking a direct rather than a connecting flight helps you avoid delays or
cancellations.
Another useful tip is buying trip delay and cancellation insurance. It won’t prevent cancellations
but it will reimburse you for unforeseen expenses. If you cannot reach your destination at the
intended time because of a delayed flight, your insurance may cover meals, last-minute
accommodations and transportation costs. Your trip cancellation insurance may reimburse your
prepaid expenses for the intended trip.
There is no magic cure to get your flight back on schedule. But we pray these tips may help
lessen your stress when you have to travel.