04/06/2025
THE TRUTH ABOUT MY CANCELLED FLIGHT LAST WEEK THAT TOOK ME MORE THAN 24 HOURS AND MULTIPLE FLIGHTS TO GET HOME (Long Post…)
Last week, I was scheduled to depart from San Antonio, Texas, for Washington, D.C., with a one-stop connecting flight in Atlanta. It was supposed to be a pretty standard, routine flight. Normally, I take an early morning nonstop flight because those are typically less likely to be canceled. However, that was not the case on this particular day.
To begin with, the weather was quite turbulent across the East Coast, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. In fact, the conditions were so concerning that our flight was delayed in Atlanta by more than three hours—most of that time spent waiting on the runway. Eventually, we turned back to return to the gate since passengers were getting hungry. The pilot politely allowed several people off the plane to grab something to eat. That was our first major hiccup, aside from the weather.
While waiting for the weather to clear, it was determined that even if we received clearance to depart for Reagan National Airport (DCA), we wouldn’t arrive before the cutoff time for final arrivals into D.C. As a result, the pilot considered alternative routes and received clearance to fly us into Dulles International Airport (IAD) instead. That was great—everyone was just happy we’d still get home that night.
But here’s where things took a turn. The delay, initially due to weather, soon shifted to a different issue—one that ultimately led to our flight being canceled.
While the passengers who had left the plane were ready to reboard, they weren’t allowed back on without checking in again. However, their tickets still reflected the original itinerary to DCA, which meant the system needed to be updated to show the new route to IAD. The gate agents soon realized they needed everyone to deplane and reboard with the corrected route from Atlanta (ATL) to Dulles (IAD).
That’s when they ran into IT technical issues while trying to make the change in their system—and they were unable to reboard us at all. Ultimately, the flight to IAD was canceled.
At that point, the gate representative explained that the cancellation was now due to a technical issue, and therefore, we all qualified for a hotel night and a meal voucher. We were told to head over to Gate A18 for customer service assistance. Unfortunately, the system still had the cancellation reason listed as “weather,” not “technical issue,” so things got even more confusing. Oh my!
Fortunately, I had several friends, relatives, and business partners in the area who were more than willing to host me for the night. Sadly, that wasn’t the case for many other passengers, who had to pay out of pocket for accommodations and meals.
It’s in situations like this that flight insurance is a true blessing—and why I always recommend it. Thankfully, I had purchased flight insurance, which provided several additional benefits and covered all of my out-of-pocket expenses.
If you ever find yourself in an unexpected airport delay, here are my top six recommendations:
1. If you’re a veteran, find the USO (Veteran Service Organization) office in the airport. Most major airports have them, and they typically provide snacks, bottled water, hot and cold drinks, comfortable chairs, light entertainment (TV, board games, or books), free Wi-Fi, and charging stations.
2. Locate the nearest airport chapel to stretch out and relax in a more peaceful, private setting compared to the crowded gate areas.
3. Call nearby family, friends, or business partners to see if they can host you for the night. Turn the inconvenience into a bonus mini-vacation and enjoy extra time with loved ones.
4. Find a nearby hotel that offers airport shuttle service and free breakfast. It’s a great way to start the next day refreshed and recharged.
5. Locate a Club Lounge. They are great if you are a premium member of your airline frequent flyer program or a premium card holder with cards like Anerican Express and Capital One.
6. For those who prefer not to leave the airport, Atlanta International Airport and other major airports offers sleep pods, day suites, and shower options. Click here for more info about the ATL: https://www.sleepinginairports.net/guides/atlanta-airport-guide.htm
Our Atlanta Airport Guide contains information about airport lounges, wifi, nearby hotels, hours of operation, facilities and things to do on a layover.
