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Hi, and welcome to my Z Michelson Travel Podcast, a Zmax Travel radio production presented by Collage Travel Media Network. This is your space for inspiration, confidence in travel, and a little bit of luxury. So whether you're traveling across the world or simply dreaming about your next escape, I hope we can help guide you. And of course, I am Z. Michelson. I'm a travel advisor, a media host, and an advocate for all those who love to travel and who refuse to wait to see the world. Now, over the last few months, I have had a mini series on solo traveling and solo travelers. And I will be returning back to that soon. But in today's episode, here we are, the beginning of May of 2026. We are going to talk about some of those issues that are happening with travel in today's world, like flight cancellations and airlines shutting down, and some of your options. This might help ease your worries. Now, I got a lot of this research, courtesy of NBC and the AP, and of course, a lot more. So, as I say, we're gonna be talking about flight cancellations, and here's what some of the smart travelers will do next. Flight cancellations. Everybody hates those. I know I do. And it's not the usual weather delays. We're seeing something different happening right now. Airlines around the world are starting to cancel flights because of the... jet fuel costs. And of course, it's tied to the global tensions. Right? The world always affects everything. Not only are we having that issue, but we're also having an airlines that had shut down recently. So what does this mean for you? It means disruptions. It means confusion. And a whole lot of what do I do now? But here's the good news. You don't have to be a traveler standing in line at the airport looking overwhelmed. So today, what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna walk you through exactly what's happening, what your rights are, and how you can handle a canceled flight like a seasoned traveler. Okay, so let's take a look at the big picture. Right now, airlines are dealing with rising jet fuel prices due to the global instability, particularly in the Middle East. And when fuel costs go up, airlines have to make tough decisions. And one of those decisions are, unfortunately, cutting flights. Now, we're not talking about a few here or a few there. Some major airlines have already reduced tens of thousands of flights through the upcoming travel season. Now, here's what's a little interesting, and actually helpful for you as a traveler. These cancellations are often happening days or even weeks in advance, not last minute like weather delays. And that gives you something incredibly valuable. Time. Time to adjust, time to pivot, time to make smarter choices. We're not saying don't go on your trip. We're just saying there's time, time to pivot, and time to look into some of these things. Okay, so the first thing to do when your flight is canceled. I know a lot of people panic. Now, if you have a travel advisor and they've booked all of your transportation, let them know. You know, tell them that you're panicking. They will talk you off that ledge, believe you, me. So, all right. Your flights get canceled. What's your first move? Do not panic. And do not immediately run to the airport desk. Your first move is your phone. Open the airline app or website immediately. That is always going to be the fastest way to rebook, particularly with United States Airlines. Now, if you're flying internationally or on a non-US carrier, it can be a little more complicated. Not all airlines have great digital systems. So in that case, you wanna work multiple angles. What are the angles? Apple website. Customer service phone line. And that's where your travel advisor can come in handy. Because sometimes you don't have the time to sit on a hold and your travel advisor is there to help you. Airport desk if needed. But here's a pro tip. And this is very Z-style travel strategy. While everyone else is standing in line, you're already rebooking on your phone. That's right. Everybody's standing in line, you know the flight's been canceled or flights are being canceled, you're at the airport. Get on your phone. That's how you stay ahead. Now, a lot of people wonder about, do I rebook? Do I get a refund? What can you do? So let's talk about your options here. Because you absolutely do have them. In most cases, when your flight is canceled, you are entitled to one of two things. One, rebooking on the next available flight. Or two, a full refund if you decide not to travel. And here's where people get tripped up. Airlines may offer you a travel credit first. But in the United States, if your flight is canceled and you choose not to take an alternative, you are entitled to a full refund, not a credit, a refund. That includes your ticket, your baggage fees, and your seat upgrades. Anything you paid for and didn't use. That's right. Full refund. But that's in the United States, so keep that in mind. So don't feel pressured into accepting something that doesn't work for you. I mean, I have been on plenty of flights that have canceled. I have been put on different airlines because of their cancellations, and sometimes I did get a full refund. And sometimes I got upgraded on another flight. So remember that. You are entitled to a full refund if you're not gonna go with the alternative. Now, your rights depend on where you are. This is where things get really, really important, and honestly, it is a little confusing. Passengers' rights are not the same everywhere. They vary widely depending upon where you're flying from. Okay, let me break it down a little bit. Europe and the UK. Some of the strongest protections in the world. If your flight is canceled, you may be entitled not just to rebooking or a refund, but actually compensation in certain situations. And this applies even if, one, you're flying into Europe on a European airline, or two, departing from a European airport on any airline. Now, the United States and Canada, more limited protections. That's right, I said more limited protections. You'll get rebooking or refund, but not compensation? Mm, not typically. Other parts of the world. It varies widely. In some regions, you're relying more on the airline's policies than government regulations. So here's what I want you to start doing as a smart traveler. So before your trip, Google this. Passengers rights plus your departure country. That one simple step can completely change how you handle any of these disruptions. And of course, if you have a travel advisor. Sometimes having a travel advisor makes it a whole lot simpler. Now, here's another thing I want everybody to know. Document everything. Let me repeat that. Document everything. If there's one thing I want you to remember from this episode, it's this. Documentation is power. So when something goes wrong, you need to keep everything. And I mean, everything. You need to keep your boarding pass. You need to keep your receipts, your emails, your text messages, screenshots of the app. Even notes from phone calls. Yes. Write down who you spoke to and what they said. And sometimes the day and time that you spoke. And here's a big one that most travelers miss. Ask the airline for written confirmation of why your flight was canceled. You want me to repeat that? Ask the airline for written confirmation of why your flight was canceled. Because that reason can determine whether you're eligible for compensation, especially in places like Europe. I know these are only a few things and some of them sound a little bit confusing, but when you're traveling smarter, it's gonna help. Now, here's something that most people don't realize. You don't have to take the first flight offered. You know, how many times have you told,"Well, we, this flight's been canceled, but here's a flight you can go out at three o'clock in the morning and you just can't do that. This is one of the biggest mistakes travelers make. Your flight gets canceled. The airline offers you an alternative and you just take it. Put the brakes on. Not so fast. That first option is not always the best option. You wanna take a look at some of these things. Okay? Take a look at this. Other flight times, different routes, or nearby airports. Sometimes a better option is just a few clicks away. And yes, you can book a different flight yourself, but be careful. If you go that route, you may have to pay a difference upfront and reimbursement isn't guaranteed. So weigh that decision carefully. What do I mean by that? Okay. So your flight's been canceled, and I'm just gonna throw out an erroneous number. You paid$600 for the flight, you're going from point A to point B. However, you found another flight, and now that flight is$1,000. That's what I mean by being careful. You can't always upsell yourself. Be careful. You can't always upsell yourself and not expect to pay the difference. So weigh that decision carefully. I remember one time I was stuck. My flight was delayed getting into where I was going due to a snowstorm. We circled and circled the airport. The plane had to be rerouted, almost all the way back to where I came from. But they couldn't fly back to that airport because that airport at that timeframe closed down at night. So we had to land at a different airport, and then they had to take us to another location, not the one we were heading to. When we got to where we were going, based on what the airline though, I grabbed my bags, got a refund, and basically took a car home because that's how close I was to where I originated from. So weigh those decisions carefully. Now, a smart traveler strategy. Hmm. Let's wrap this up with how you travel smarter so this doesn't really derail your trip. Okay. Here's a couple of proven strategies. Book earlier flights in the day. More options if something goes wrong. What does that mean? Well, if you have a 6:00 AM flight and something goes wrong, you might be able to catch a two o'clock in the afternoon flight because there are more flights going on. Set up flight alerts. Oh, that's very, very important. There are apps that notify you before the airline even does. So the apps can say,"Well, these flights are being delayed, these flights are being canceled." So set up those flight alerts. Consider backup airports. Sometimes the best solution isn't your original airport. You know, and there are lots of airports that are kind of close. Right here in Orlando, of course, we have MCO, which is Orlando International, but we have another close airport called Sanford International. Sometimes I fly out of Sanford. Very easy. But again, I'm restricted to who flies in and out. Book directly with the airline. Remember, if you're dealing with a travel advisor, they will take care of this for you. But if you're doing your airlines yourselves, consider booking directly with the airline. Third party bookings can make everything harder to fix, and we all know who those third parties are. Sometimes you can't even get ahold of a person. You have to do everything over the internet. And this one matters more than people think. Be kind. Everybody's kind of in the same boat. Things are being canceled. Those people are trying to do their best trying to get you back on a plane or trying to get you your refund. So be nice. Remember, you catch more flies with honey than you do salt. Airline agents are dealing with hundreds and hundreds of stressed out travelers, so try to be calm and try to be respectful traveler. Um, they often get better help, believe it or not. So what's the bottom line? I know we're, we're living in a world right now that has some confusion going on with airlines and flights and cancellations and fuel increases. So try to be calm. I know sometimes it's not that easy. But flight cancellations are becoming more and more common and not just because of the weather, but because of all these global pressures like the fuel course, like I just said. But travelers who come out on top, they're the ones who are prepared. They know their rights. They act quickly and they don't just accept the first option. They find the best option. And remember, being nice also helps. So if you're acting quickly and you know your rights, you don't have to be snotty about it. Just know that there are other options out there for you and that you can discuss it calmly with those airline agents. And that's how you travel differently. That's how you travel smarter. And that's exactly what we do here. Well, thank you for this episode. I know that the world is a little bit crazy right now. I will be returning back to my miniseries on solo traveling. But if you love this episode, make sure you follow me, the Z. Michaelson Travel Podcast, and share it with someone who always seems to get stuck at the airport. I think they'll appreciate it. So until next time, travel well, travel smart and don't wait for permission to see the world. Thank you for listening today. I am Z. Michaelson. And like I always say, shoot for those stars, and if you only get to the moon, at least you made the trip. Happy travel adventures.