Jim Eagles: Cancelling out the risk of flight delays

Delays may not happen often when you're flying - but when they do they can wreck the whole trip.

So is there anything you can do to avoid being held up? Often, not much. You can't do a lot to prevent your airport being fog-bound. And you can't help it if your airline overbooks and, to their surprise, all the passengers turn up.

But there are a few things you can do to lessen the risk.

Air New Zealand has a couple of suggestions for avoiding hold-ups.

For a start, it advises passengers to keep in touch with what's happening in the air.

One way of doing that is through services such as Air NZ's Text Express. If you are an airpoints member you can organise for the airline to send you an automatic text alert if a flight you are booked on is delayed by more than 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can text in your flight number and you'll get back the latest information on that flight.

Another option is to keep an eye on arrival and departure information through airport websites or airline information lines.

Air NZ also strongly recommends checking in early.

"Reasons for being bumped can range from arriving late to the need to offload passengers due to aircraft weight restrictions," says a spokesperson.

"Checking in on time minimises the risk of missing a flight or being offloaded."

There are additional helpful suggestions on the website of the United States Department of Transport's aviation consumer protection division.

Most airline trips are uneventful, it points out, but "airlines don't guarantee their schedules and you should realise this when planning your trip".

Some things, such as bad weather, are outside the airlines' control. Others, such as mechanical problems, are impossible to predict.

"Nevertheless," the department says, "you can take steps to reduce your chances of encountering most problems and limit their effects."

First, the department advises, a departure early in the day is less likely to be delayed than a flight late in the day "due in part to the ripple effects of delays throughout the day".

Furthermore, if an early flight is delayed or cancelled, it will be easier to find alternatives.

"If you book the last flight of the day and it is cancelled, you could get stuck overnight."

Second, in general you are least likely to be delayed on non-stop flights. "A connection [change of planes] always involves the possibility of a misconnection."

The department strongly advises anyone booking a flight connection to "always check the amount of time between flights. Ask yourself what will happen if the first flight is delayed".

Third, it says, some airports are more congested than others and their flights at peak times are more likely to be delayed.

Within New Zealand, travellers don't have much choice about airports but overseas it is a different story and you can often avoid problem airports and problem times.

In the US, for instance, airlines are required to make available information about the on-time performance of any flight so customers can make a judgment call.

There is a huge amount of flight delay information available on the website of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics which can serve as a guide to decision-making.

Fourth, passengers are advised to call their airline well ahead of departure time to check on its status.

"Also, make sure your airline's record of your reservation contains a telephone number where you can be reached, or you will lose any opportunity of being called about a delay or flight change."

If the flight is delayed, passengers should try to find out how late it will be in order to evaluate their options including booking another flight. "But," the department says, "keep in mind that it is sometimes difficult for airlines to estimate the total duration of a delay in its early stages."

It also points out that if a delay is caused by bad weather all flights will probably be affected so there is not much point in changing. But if it is a mechanical problem or the delay is caused by a previous flight arriving late "you might be better off trying to arrange another flight".

Fifth, passengers are advised that "it is sometimes easier doing this by phone rather than at a ticket counter" where queues may be long.

Sixth, it is a good idea to get your original airline to endorse your ticket to a new carrier "which could save a fare increase". If you have an electronic ticket that will necessitate getting paper documentation. "Remember, however, that there is no rule requiring and airline to do this."

The department's last word is that anyone planning an important trip should not try to cut things too fine.

"If the purpose of your trip is to close a potentially lucrative business deal, to give a speech or lecture, to attend a family function, or to be present at any time-sensitive event, you might want to allow a little extra time and take an earlier flight," it says.

"In other words, airline delays and cancellations are not unusual, and defensive planning is a good idea when time is your most important consideration."

Further information:

You can get information about Air NZ's Text Express service on 0800 247 764.

Auckland International Airport's departure board website can be accessed by following the link below.

Airline information line numbers are listed in the For Your Information box on this page.

The United States Department of Transport's aviation consumer protection division offers advice on avoiding delays on their website (see below).

The US Bureau of Transportation Statistics carries information on the reliability of flights (see below).