With flight delays and cancellations becoming increasingly common, it's important to know what your rights are as a passenger. Unfortunately, most people don't know what they're entitled to when their flight is delayed or canceled. And even if they do, they often don't bother to claim what's rightfully theirs. As an example, you will have to see if the insurance for your trunk luggage is refundable if the flight gets canceled.
Air travel can be a stressful experience especially if you are traveling with large luggage, and cancellations and delays are often out of your control. But there are some steps you can take to minimize the inconvenience. Here are some of the best sites and apps to help you deal with airline cancellations and delays
FlightAware
FlightAware is a flight tracking app that can help you stay up-to-date on the status of your flight. Through this app, you can also track the status of other flights so that you can plan your travel accordingly. You can also view real-time flight status and tracking information for any flight. It also provides airport delays and cancellation alerts and information to see which flights are delayed and why.
In addition, FlightAware offers a flight tracker widget so that you can track your flight right from your home screen. And if you're a premium member, you can access even more features, such as flight history and trip reports. FlightAware is a free app with some premium features available for purchase.
Another feature of FlightAware is its Misery Map. It shows which airports and flight routes are suffering from the most cancellations or delays. This can be helpful in deciding which flights to avoid.
Skycop
Skycop is an app that helps you get compensated for flight delays and cancellations. It's a free app that is available on both iOS and Android devices. To use Skycop, simply enter your flight details and the app will track your flight. If your flight is delayed, canceled or overbooked, the app will notify you and give you the option to file a claim. The app will also provide you with all the information that you need to file a claim, such as the EU regulation and contact information for the airline.
You can even check the status of your claim through the app and receive updates on when you can expect to receive your compensation. Skycop has a 90% success rate in getting compensation for its users.
LoungeBuddy
LoungeBuddy is an app that allows you to find and book airport lounges. If your flight is delayed or canceled, you can use LoungeBuddy to find a lounge at the airport where you're stranded.
Travelers who don't have credit card benefits or elite airline status may find it difficult to find an airport lounge in case of a layover. In such cases, they can use LoungeBuddy to book a one-time pass to an airport lounge. This will provide them with a place to relax, work, or get some rest before their next flight.
LoungeBuddy also allows you to view photos and reviews of lounges so you can find the best one for your needs. And if you're a member of certain loyalty programs, such as Priority Pass or LoungeKey, you can use the app to access your benefits and book lounge reservations. For travelers who are carrying large luggage, this feature is especially useful for them.
The way LoungeBuddy works is quite simple. You search for lounges by airport, amenities, or airline, and once you find a lounge that meets your needs, you book it through the app. LoungeBuddy also has a feature called "My Trips" which keeps track of your upcoming flights and provides information on which lounges are available at each airport. LoungeBuddy is a free app with some premium features available for purchase.
AirHelp
AirHelp is an app that can help you get compensation for delayed or canceled flights. It can also assist with lost baggage and overbooked flights. With AirHelp, you simply enter your flight information, and the app will tell you if you're eligible for compensation. If you are, it will file a claim on your behalf and work to get you compensated. AirHelp takes a 25% cut of any compensation you receive.
In addition to providing assistance with delayed or canceled flights, AirHelp can also help if your flight is overbooked. If you're bumped from your flight, the app will work to get you rebooked on another flight as well as compensate for the inconvenience. And if your baggage is lost or delayed, AirHelp will assist you in filing a claim with the airline.
Flight Tracker Pro
For those who hate advertisements on their apps, Flight Tracker Pro is a great option. It's an ad-free flight tracker app that provides real-time flight information.
With Flight Tracker Pro, you can track any flight in the world and get real-time updates on its status. The app also provides information on airport delays and weather conditions. And if you're a premium member, you have access to even more features, such as historical data and push notifications. Flight Tracker Pro is a paid app with some premium features available for purchase.
On your travels, the app will sync with your TripIt account, a feature that most business travelers will highly appreciate.
FlightRadar 24
FlightRadar 24, as the name indicates, is a flight tracker app that provides real-time information on flights around the world. It's one of the most popular flight tracking apps with over 2 million downloads. FlightRadar 24 shows a map of the world with all the planes currently in the air. You can zoom in on any area to see more details on specific flights. The app also provides information on the type of plane, its flight number, route, speed, altitude, estimated time of arrival and destination.
You can also look for individual flights by their flight number, airline or airport. If you select a particular airport, FlightRadar 24 will show you all the flights that are currently arriving and departing from that airport. Moreover, you can also check the delay statistics and weather conditions. You can also see the 3D view of a flight's pilot through augmented reality (AR). If you pay for its subscriptions, you can see more flight history and have access to more features.
Plane Finder
For Plane Finder, it is best if you use a screen as big as possible. Plane Finder's home page is a map of the world with all the real-time details of the current flights in the air. This includes both private and commercial flights.
Plane Finder has the ability to track a flight in real-time, and get information on an aircraft type, speed and altitude. You can use the search bar located at the top to find information on a specific flight. Additionally, there are several filters that you can use to display only the flights that you're interested in. You can even use their animated map to see all the flights in motion at a given time and date. If you happen to be interested in a particular airport, you can bookmark it to see it again and again without any trouble.
Flight Board
Flight Board is an app that gives you all the information about arrivals and departures of flights at any airport. It's designed like an old-fashioned airport flight board. The app provides information on delays, cancellations and gates for every flight.
Flight Board's interface is very user-friendly and easy to use. Simply enter the name of an airport, and the app will show you all the flights that are arriving and departing from that airport. You can also check the status of a flight by its flight number. The app covers over 16,000 airports and 1400 airlines worldwide and provides real-time updates on their status.
FlightView
FlightView is one of the easiest flight sites to use in case there are any cancellations or delays. When you launch the site, you will immediately see a search bar where you can enter the name of an airport, airline or flight number.
After you hit enter, the site will show you all the information about that particular flight. This includes its departure and arrival times, terminal and gate number, as well as any delays. The site also has a delay map that shows you all the flights that have been delayed in the past 24 hours.
Moreover, you can create a FlightView account for alerts to get notified about any changes to your flight's status. Through the account, you can even forward any flight itinerary to an email address where you can save it for later.
Conclusion
These are just some of the many apps and websites that can help you deal with airline cancellations and delays. With so many options available, there's no excuse to not be prepared for your next flight.
Now that you are prepared for any delays or cancellations, it is time to think of suitcases to bring with you especially if you need large luggage. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry as Royce and Rocket has the best packing cubes available. Check them out now!
