Skip to content
Trending
May 19, 2025Cable companies Charter and Cox agree to merge
EverydayRead
  • HOME
  • Business
  • Earnings
  • Economy
  • Finance
  • Lifestyle
EverydayRead
EverydayRead
  • HOME
  • Business
  • Earnings
  • Economy
  • Finance
  • Lifestyle
EverydayRead
  Finance  With Hurricane Helene disrupting travel, here’s what fliers need to know
Finance

With Hurricane Helene disrupting travel, here’s what fliers need to know

AdminAdmin—October 2, 20240

Men inspect the damage from flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 28, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina.

Sean Rayford | Getty Images News | Getty Images

As the Southeast U.S. recovers in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s destruction, consumers looking to change their air travel plans to or from affected areas without taking a financial hit may be out of luck, experts said.

“The big-picture issue that happens in U.S. air travel: When there is a significant disruption, air passengers have very, very limited rights” when it comes to compensation, said Eric Napoli, chief legal officer at AirHelp, an online service that assists airline passengers.

‘Catastrophic damage’

Asheville Mayor on Helene damage: No neighborhood has been spared, entering a 'desperate' situation

The North Carolina Department of Transportation urged people to avoid unnecessary travel in the western part of the state due to hundreds of road closures from downed trees, landslides and “catastrophic damage.”

What airlines owe passengers

Amid that destruction, travelers hoping to change flights for free or cancel their plans for a refund may find airlines unwilling to grant that financially flexibility.

Airlines do generally owe “prompt” refunds to passengers if they cancel or make a “significant change” to a flight, regardless of the reason, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That’s true even for consumers with non-refundable tickets.

More from Personal Finance:
Rent a car for a road trip, or drive your own?
5 ways to maximize your vacation days
What Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour says about ‘passion tourism’

However, weather-related events like Hurricane Helene are generally considered to be outside an airline’s control, meaning passengers have relatively few rights to compensation, experts said.

The airline’s duty in such cases generally depends on a passenger’s specific fare, such as economy or business class, Napoli said.

More stories

The Fed meets with uncertainty permeating the air. Here’s what to expect

May 7, 2025

Container explodes on cargo ship at China’s key Ningbo port

August 12, 2024

Online trading platform Webull soars 375% in second day on market after SPAC merger

April 15, 2025

China set to report retail sales and industrial production data for October

November 15, 2024

“There’s nothing [airlines] will do for you” if your conference was canceled and you don’t have a ticket that grants free cancellation or comes without fees for changes, he said.

Airlines make concessions in some cases

Damage to a store in Valdosta, Georgia, from Hurricane Helene.

Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Some airlines are making concessions tied to Hurricane Helene, though they vary by carrier and geography.

“All the rules are different,” said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet.

Many major U.S. carriers have dedicated webpages for travel alerts outlining their policies around specific events, she said.

For example, American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines have alerts about flooding in the Southeast. Many focus on areas around Asheville, North Carolina, and some parts of Georgia like the city of Valdosta.

United is waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers whose flight was affected by flooding and who choose to reschedule their flight, for example.

United’s policy comes with parameters: Passengers must have purchased their ticket before Sept. 26, for travel between Sept. 30 and Oct. 31, 2024; the new flight must be a United flight leaving by the end of 2024 and between the same cities as originally booked. Those who cancel can get a full refund.

American Airlines is also giving leeway to passengers scheduled to travel through Augusta, Georgia, between Sept. 29 and Oct. 4. They must book changes by Oct. 4.

Delta passengers scheduled to fly through Asheville or Valdosta must travel on rebooked flights by Oct. 18 to avoid paying a fare difference. Change fees would still be waived past that date, however.

Read the specifics of insurance policies

Travel insurance isn’t always a fail-safe in the event consumers can’t get reimbursed from the travel provider for a flight, hotel or other travel expenses, experts said.

If you didn’t purchase a cancel-for-any-reason policy, your trip problems typically have to fall under specific, covered reasons. Plus, policies bought after Helene became a named storm generally won’t cover claims related to it.

“Make sure you read the fine print and what the insurance is actually covering,” Napoli said.

Consumers who purchased their trip with a credit card may get certain travel reimbursement benefits from their card issuer, sometimes even in the case of severe weather, French said. Credit-card companies generally require a “quick turnaround” on a claim, often within 21 days, she said.

Port strike could reignite inflation, with larger economic impact dependent on how long it lasts
Levi Strauss trims guidance as it weighs sale of Dockers business
Related posts
  • Related posts
  • More from author
Finance

Long-term care costs can be a ‘huge problem,’ experts say. Here’s why

May 18, 20250
Finance

Walmart’s former U.S. CEO Bill Simon thinks retailer can easily absorb tariff costs, criticizes its ‘doom and gloom’ commentary

May 16, 20250
Finance

Warren Buffett tells WSJ he stepped aside as CEO after finally feeling old

May 15, 20250
Load more
Read also
Business

Cable companies Charter and Cox agree to merge

May 19, 20250
Finance

Long-term care costs can be a ‘huge problem,’ experts say. Here’s why

May 18, 20250
Economy

The low-end consumer is about to feel the pinch as Trump restarts student loan collections

May 18, 20250
Earnings

Shares of Cartier owner Richemont jump 7% as shoppers splurge on jewelry despite luxury slowdown

May 18, 20250
Business

How much would a 100% ‘Made in the USA’ vehicle cost? It’s complicated

May 18, 20250
Finance

Walmart’s former U.S. CEO Bill Simon thinks retailer can easily absorb tariff costs, criticizes its ‘doom and gloom’ commentary

May 16, 20250
Load more
© 2023, All Rights Reserved.
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Law
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions