An airline schedule change is not uncommon. An airline might decide to reduce its frequency of flying to a certain destination, or it could make changes in the departure time of a flight to optimize the utilization of its aircraft. A flight booked several months in advance may undergo a number of changes, so this is something to stay mindful of if you’re an advanced planner! Carriers may wait up until a few weeks or months prior to a flight’s departure to decide on its operation. Schedule changes are often caused due to less demand, changes in equipment, switching of aircraft, bad weather conditions, new flights added or old flights removed, and a host of other reasons.

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Generally speaking, a major schedule change (also referred to as a significant delay) is when your flight time is changed by more than 6 hours. Most airlines follow this definition but each airline has its own definition.

A Minor schedule change is usually when your flight time is changed by less than 6 hours. Again, every airline has its own definition,

If you have been impacted by a schedule change and you booked your ticket with CheapFlightsFares, contact us for assistance to find out what your options are.

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Passengers often find themselves in the midst of a schedule change. It’s always in your best interest to stay abreast of any changes in your flight schedule, even if it’s a minor one. Airlines may inform you via email or via mobile notifications if you opted in for notifications. Should your flight plans change on you because the airline makes a chance, here are some options to help you plan:

• Let it be – Sometimes the schedule changes are so minor that they don’t require any action on your part, so you may choose to do nothing about it. You can just accept the change and look forward to boarding the flight. While some airlines need you to acknowledge the change and subsequently accept it, others may simply put you on a new flight. This is why it’s always a good idea to double and triple-check your flight information at least 24 hours before you think you’re departing!
  
• Claim a refund – In circumstances where the change is major (or considered a significant delay of more than 6 hours), the airline may try to rebook you on another flight. You can choose to accept the new flights in these cases, but if it’s too much of a hassle or simply doesn’t work with your schedule, you should be entitled to a refund for your flight’s costs.
  
• Take a detour – A major airline schedule change can be a chance for you to get rebooked on a different flight and maybe even route through a place you’ve always wanted to go - or to visit a friend or family member. This may be the best way to use any schedule changes to your advantage, so research what options are available on the airline you’re flying and see if a detour will work out to your benefit?

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According to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), a passenger is entitled to a full refund in the original mode of payment if their flight has been canceled or a 'significant' schedule change has been made. Speaking of which, a majority of air carriers have a clearly defined set of policies regarding what should be considered as a ‘significant’ schedule change.
When the time of your departure, arrival, and connecting flight varies by one to two hours or if your flight has been changed to a connecting flight from the original non-stop flight – air carriers generally count it as a significant change.
If your flight schedule undergoes a major change, it’s best to review your airline’s policies (or contracts of carriage) to understand what is covered under schedule changes and whether or not you’re eligible for a refund. Once you know your specific options, get in touch with the airline or online travel agency where you booked your flight for assistance with your booking request(s).
One other thing to note, the DOT also requires air carriers to process refunds to eligible passengers promptly. By prompt, they’re saying a passenger should receive their refund within seven business days if payment was made by credit card and within 20 days in case of payment made by cheque or cash.

Q. What to do if your flight is delayed?

Though, it may look like it is the worst thing that could happen to you. But, as every cloud has a silver lining, so does the flight delay (or cancellation) have. You can make the most of this situation (read opportunity) by upgrading your flight to a better one, that too without paying anything extra. Say, for instance, how’d you like your one-stop flight to be switched with a non-stop one?

If there’s a significant change (or delay) in your itinerary:
If your flight is delayed significantly, first things first, you should be in the know about your rights completely. Almost every airline has the policy to accommodate the passenger on the best flight according to their schedule. In such a scenario, you should go online and check which other flight of the respective airline suits you best as per your schedule. You need not worry if the new flight is available at a higher price than what you paid. The airline will put you on the flight irrespective of the cost if a seat is available. After you’ve made up your mind, you should immediately make a call to the respective airline (or the online travel agency you’ve booked through) to have your itinerary changed. 
In case there is no flight available that suits your schedule, the second option you have at your disposal is to claim a refund. However, every airline has its own ‘significant’ change policy. So, it’s best to be aware of the same to be eligible for a refund.

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A. If a flight is canceled by the airline, customers will usually have the option to rebook their trip on an alternate flight or get a full refund. If you booked your flight with CheapFlightFares, our team will be in touch with you if your flight is canceled. If you would like to speak to one of our agents about your options, please contact us.

If your flight is canceled, and you don’t want to rebook:
As per federal law, if the airline cancels a flight whatsoever the reason is, and the passenger doesn’t want to be rebooked on another flight of the airline; a passenger is eligible for a refund in such a scenario. Airlines often refrain from telling passengers about the refund option and persuade them to go for a voucher instead. It’s of utmost importance to know about your rights and take charge. If the airline stonewalls your refund request and instead pushes you for a voucher, there are three options available.
The first being to hang up and make a call again. More often than not, it depends on an agent’s discretion whether or not to provide a refund. You may stand a better chance to lay your hands on a refund with one agent than the other. Be amiable, polite, and mindful that it’s not the agent’s fault. The second option is to approach the DOT and file a complaint. And, the last one is to dispute the charge with your credit card. A majority of banks take the guarantee that if you didn’t receive what you paid for, you can dispute the charge and get the reimbursement by credit card. If the airline denies giving you a refund, there is a chargeback option.

If your flight is Canceled, and the airline moves you to another one:
You were scheduled to fly, say on Thursday, but the airline has Canceled that flight and booked you on the flight scheduled to depart on Friday. Or, it could be that the air carrier has stopped operating on that route altogether you made the booking for and you’re put on another flight. In such a scenario, the solution is similar to that of the ‘significant change (or delay) in your itinerary’. You can check options available online for the new flight, call the airline and request to be moved to the new flight that’s suitable for your schedule. You can also demand a refund but then you won’t get to fly at all.

If your flight is Canceled, for the airline is no longer flying on that route:
If you’ve booked with a major airline and the airline has stopped flying on that specific route, it will reroute you in all likelihood on another flight operated by one of its multiple codeshare partners. However, that’s not the case with low-cost carriers. Because of their limited partner network, they won’t be able to reroute you and might wind up canceling your flight altogether if they stopped flying on that specific route. This case calls for you to ask for a refund from the airline.

If your flight is Canceled, for the airline goes out of business:
It’s not every day that airlines go broke but going by the past, there have been a couple of times when carriers went out of business. Unfortunately, in such a scenario, it’s next to impossible to get a refund from the carrier.

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If the airline isn’t going bust, yet cancels your flight and is unable to reroute or put you on another flight, you’ll get your hands on a refund for the amount you paid. But there are other expenses as well that are borne when you’re traveling, such as separately purchased connecting flight(s), non-refundable rooms, or recreational pursuits. Well, you don’t have to sweat over them either if you made the payment for your flight tickets via a credit card that has travel protection. Owing to the trip canceling policies of the card companies, you could get all the aforementioned expenses covered. All you have to do is to get through with the card services, know what all is covered by them and then, go for a claim.

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