Newark Airport garnered itself a most ignominious award: having more flight cancellations that any of the other 50 largest airports in the U.S in the month of June.
According to flight tracker FlightAware, more than 3,400 flights – 9.4% of all flights – at Newark Airport were cancelled this past month. To make matters even worse, nearly 11,000 flights (30.7%) were delayed, with an average delay time of over an hour.
What can you do about it? Not much. Industry experts warn that high numbers of cancellations and delays should be expected throughout the summer, as airlines grapple with significant pilot and staffing shortages.
If your flight is canceled, you’ll have some options, but they might not fit into your needs or schedule.
If your flight is canceled, the airline may offer another flight. However, if that doesn’t fit your needs, your airline is required by the U.S. Department of Transportation to offer you a full refund – even if your ticket is non-refundable. If the airline offers you a voucher or credit that you can use for future flights, you may still demand an actual cash refund, if you prefer that.
You can also be entitled to a full refund if your flight is significantly delayed, though this is a grey area. The U.S. Department of Transportation website doesn’t clearly define what a “significant delay” is, and DOT officials determine what qualifies on a case-by-case basis.