This is the holiday season and you must have already bought tickets to your favorite holiday destination. If you are flying, you might be already aware of how flights are getting delayed, diverted or cancelled in the last few months. In the month of September, about 14 percent of the flights did not fly as promised to the passengers because they were either delayed, diverted or cancelled altogether. The recession has played a major part in disrupting the normal performance of airline companies as they were one of the worst hit by it.

Expecting to travel well after buying the ticket is a natural desire of any person. But if hassles crop up in between your travel can become a pain in the neck. See what best you can do in such situations.

A Flight Cancellation or Delay

Flight cancellations and delays are a common occurrence these days. Gone are the days, when airlines would operate by the government rule of putting their passengers on another flight if a flight gets cancelled. Now they say that such facility is at their own discretion unless it’s a condition, such as bad weather, which is beyond their control. So you are left to the mercy of the airlines you’ve booked your ticket with. However, there are very few airlines which still feel responsible for your safe travel and arrange for alternative flights. JetBlue is one of them.

Overnight Delays or Cancellations

If you find that your night flight is delayed or cancelled, and you are stranded in the airport for the night, you can ask for lodging assistance from your aviation carriers. Most of them do arrange for help, but remember that they are not bound to help you. If you can manage accommodation within your budget, you can go ahead and spend time there. Otherwise, you could always coax your airline company to put you on the next available flight to your destination. You may also try for a flight from another company. Find out about the flights from the airport information centers.

Full Advance Cancellations

If you come to know that your flight has been cancelled well in advance due to some problem you can expect to get a full refund of your fare. Even if you intend to cancel your journey, you can always notify the airlines well in advance so that you stand a chance of getting the full fare refunded.

Boarding Denial Due To Overbooking

If you are denied boarding because of the flight being overbooked, the airline is expected to compensate you with money. They might offer you a voucher, but always prefer cash. But if the airlines manage to get you into another flight within an hour of the previous one, they are not entitled to pay you anything.

Lost Luggage

If your luggage is lost you are entitled to get a payment of up to $3,300 according to federal rules. Make reasonable purchases and submit the receipts to the airlines and they are going to compensate you for that. You can also opt for luggage insurance at the airport which pays you if your luggage gets stolen.