Roberta Aguirre
Flight delays are a common occurrence, and it can be challenging to estimate their duration, especially in the early stages. While airlines are required to provide passengers with timely updates on flight status changes, it is also beneficial to set up your own alerts. With various tools and apps available, travellers can now receive real-time notifications about airport delays, flight arrivals and departures, and even parking information. This introduction will explore the different ways travellers can stay informed about airport delays and take the necessary actions to make their journey as smooth as possible.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Alert Sources | Websites, telephone reservation systems, flight status displays, apps, emails, text messages |
| Alert Types | Notifications about flight arrivals and departures, airport delays, weather at a particular destination, parking, price changes |
| Alert Timing | For flights scheduled within 7 days, updates must be provided within 30 minutes of the airline becoming aware of a status change; for flights scheduled more than a week in the future, notifications should be provided as soon as possible |
| Additional Features | Syncing flight information to device calendars, receiving alerts about gate changes, tracking flight progress on a map |
| Tools and Platforms | Google Assistant, Gmail, Flight Tracker, Flight Status Notification Tool (FSN-T), FlightView, Skyscanner, Hopper |
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What You'll Learn
Airlines are required to inform passengers of delays
Airlines are required to provide passengers with information about changes in the status of their flight in a timely manner. If a flight is scheduled to depart within seven days, the airline must provide status updates within 30 minutes of becoming aware of a status change. This information must be provided on the airline's website and telephone reservation system. The airline must also update all flight status displays and other sources of flight information at the relevant airport within 30 minutes. For flights scheduled more than a week in the future, notification should be provided to passengers as soon as possible.
While airlines want to get passengers to their destinations on time, bad weather and mechanical issues can cause delays and cancellations. During the early stages of a delay, it can be difficult for an airline to estimate how long it will be, and unexpected developments can cause a delay to become longer than anticipated. Some airlines specifically list other delay reasons that are considered outside of their control, such as passenger illness, crew duty limitations, and acts of God. These reasons are outlined in the airline's customer service plan or contract of carriage.
If your flight is cancelled or significantly changed, you may be entitled to a refund or the option to rebook. Significant changes include domestic departure or arrival times changing by more than three hours, or more than six hours for international flights, and airport changes. If your baggage is significantly delayed, you may be entitled to reimbursement if it is not delivered within 12 hours of a domestic flight or 15-30 hours of an international flight, provided that a mishandled baggage report is filed.
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Use a flight alerts app
Flight-tracking apps are a great way to receive airport delay alerts. One such app is FlightAware, which is available on the App Store and Google Play. It allows you to track planes in real-time and check the status of your flight, including any delays. Users have reported that the app notified them of delays before the airline did. However, the app has been criticised for its disruptive manual update reminders.
Another highly recommended option is Flighty, which is described as the "best flight tracking app" by a user with 15 years and 650,000 miles of business travel experience. It provides real-time updates, instant alerts, and delay predictions, allowing users to rebook quickly. One user reported that Flighty notified them of a delay before the airline, enabling them to rebook and make their meeting on time.
In addition to these, there are other flight-tracking apps available, such as FlightView, which provide tools to track trips and flights, view progress on a map, and plan for weather-related delays.
These apps can be extremely useful for frequent travellers, pilots, and flight crew members, providing up-to-date information on flight statuses and delays, and enabling users to take quick action when necessary.
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Use Google Assistant
Google Assistant can notify you when your flight is expected to be delayed. To use this feature, you will need to download the Google Assistant app on your phone and ensure you are logged in to your Gmail account. When you first download the app, you will be asked whether you want to receive notifications, including alerts, sounds, and icon badges. You should select "allow" to ensure you receive push notifications.
Google Assistant uses a combination of machine learning and historical flight status data to predict flight delays and can notify you before the airlines even confirm them. It will only send a notification if it is at least 85% confident that your flight will be delayed. You can ask questions like "Hey Google, is my flight on time?" or "What's the status of the American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Denver?" and Google Assistant will respond with the relevant information.
Google Assistant can also be synced with other smart devices, such as your laptop, TV, watch, or smart speaker. This allows you to receive notifications and updates across multiple devices.
In addition to flight delay alerts, Google Assistant can also provide updates on flight status, gate changes, and even parking information at the airport. It is a useful tool to stay informed and make your travel experience more efficient and stress-free.
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Use an airline's real-time automated system
Airline passengers can now receive real-time updates and alerts on their flights thanks to the advent of various airline-operated automated systems and third-party applications. These systems and apps can provide updates on delays, gate changes, and even the location of an incoming aircraft.
JetBlue, for example, uses a real-time automated system called the Flight Status Notification Tool (FSN-T). This system sends emails to the primary customer (the one who made the booking) with updates on any changes to their travel itinerary.
Another option is to use third-party applications such as Flighty, which can provide updates on delays and gate changes. Flighty claims to provide updates faster than both airport boards and airlines themselves. The app tracks the main causes of flight delays to predict hold-ups in advance, and it also provides official airport condition reports.
Flightview is another useful app that can be downloaded on Apple and Android devices. It is not limited to just one particular airline. To track a specific flight, users can enter the airline name or 3-letter code, the flight number, and the departure date.
Google Assistant is another option for receiving flight alerts. It can be downloaded on iOS and Android phones and synced with any smart device. Users can input their travel information, and the app will provide updates on the date, time, origin, destination, and airline of their next trip, as well as the on-time or delay status.
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Check the US Department of Transportation dashboard
The US Department of Transportation has created a dashboard to ensure travellers have easy access to information about services that US airlines provide to mitigate inconveniences caused by cancellations or delays within the airline's control. The dashboard indicates whether an airline has committed to providing a service or amenity to its customers with a green check mark or a red 'x'. While a red 'x' indicates that an airline has not made a commitment, these airlines may still provide services and amenities at their discretion. The dashboard also allows travellers to compare the amenities airlines commit to providing when choosing which airline to fly with.
A controllable flight cancellation or delay refers to a delay or cancellation caused by the airline, including maintenance or crew problems, cabin cleaning, baggage loading, and fueling. Airlines are required to adhere to the promises they make in their customer service plan, and the Department will hold airlines accountable if they fail to do so. It is important to note that these commitments do not impact your entitlement to a refund.
The Airline Customer Service Dashboard provides a summary of the commitments made by US airlines to address controllable delays and cancellations. Travellers can inquire about potential compensation, such as meals or hotel accommodations, directly with airline staff in the event of long delays or cancellations. While some airlines may offer these amenities, others may not, and the Department is working towards a rule that would mandate airlines to provide compensation and cover specific expenses when they are responsible for flight disruptions.
To stay informed about the status of your flight, airlines are required to provide timely updates through various channels. If your flight is scheduled to depart within seven days, you should receive status updates within 30 minutes of any changes. This information must be available on the airline's website and telephone reservation system, as well as on flight status displays and other sources of flight information at US airports controlled by the airline. For travel itinerary changes beyond one week, notification should be provided as soon as possible.
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Frequently asked questions
You can receive airport delay alerts through various websites and applications. Some of the most popular flight alert sites/applications are Skyscanner, Hopper, and Flightview. These applications can be downloaded on Apple and Android devices and are not limited to just one particular airline.
You can receive alerts about flight arrivals and departures, airport delays, weather at a particular destination, and parking. You can also set up alerts to know when the price increases or decreases for a specific flight.
Airlines are required to provide passengers with information about changes to their flight status in a timely manner. If the flight is scheduled to depart within 7 days, airlines are required to provide status updates 30 minutes (or sooner) after the airline becomes aware of a change.
