That’s the question I was asking myself on Labor Day when, closing in on Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the captain let us know we would instead be landing in Indianapolis, 165 miles and 1 time zone away from O’Hare. Close, yet so far. After you envision the worst (such as sleeping on the floor of a random airport with limited connections to your destination), here’s how to help yourself get home relatively happily.
First off- if your flight is diverted, there should be a very good reason. In my case, there were severe thunderstorms that closed down all traffic in and out of this major United hub. As soon as you’re within range of service, let any friends or family monitoring your trip or expecting you know what happened. In this day and age, simply getting a notification that a plane is diverted can bring to mind national security issues. A storm is inconvenient, but you’re okay and the air control team is simply prioritizing safety.
So let’s get to handling this situation like a travel pro. Here’s how to react, how to prepare in advance, and some interesting air industry insider info I learned through this adventure.
Take Action
The captain’s announcement ends. Suddenly, you are in a competition of the “survival of the savviest.” At this point, you don’t know if your airline will handle everything or if you’re utterly on your own. May the quickest action win.
- Get on the app. When the news breaks midair, the first thing you can do is get on your airline’s app, which is usually powered for free by the plane’s wifi. Check your connection(s) and see if you have any options directly from your soon-to-be extra layover. If this is an isolated incident, the airline may smart-rebook you, but they will typically have you fly first to your original destination, and continue from there. My app had actually confirmed me on a second connecting flight from Chicago before we even took off, which confused me at first (I was sure I did not pay for two flights going back), but then I was dual-tracking with both connections throughout the shutdown.
- Keep your ears open. This may seem basic, but this is not the time to give up and retreat under noise-canceling headphones. You want to hear every tidbit of information the pilot and crew can give you, whether it’s an official announcement or gossip by the bathroom.
- Hustle to the line. There should be a dedicated counter, or in the case of a larger disruption, a customer service command center of sorts. Standing in line can be worth your while, and if you don’t have anywhere else to be, stick with it until you get a chance to talk to a real person about your options (while staying on the app when in line).
With a diversion, the airlines and traffic controllers will be fully focused on sending you on to your original destination airport. Eventually, they reboarded all (and there were many) diverted flights and we headed back to Chicago.
Always Ready
As Scar says in Lion King, you must be prepaaared. A prepared traveler knows what can go wrong, and is thankful when it doesn’t. Don’t leave home, or fly back, without these essentials.
- The most up-to-date version of the app for the airline(s) you’re traveling on. Functionality can vary greatly from the outdated to the updated.
- A screenshot or print copy of your boarding pass. To reboard your flight, you’ll need your boarding pass and ID, and your phone may have cleared it if your original flight duration has passed. Not to mention, your mobile connection may be bad at that airport.
- A multi-charge portable power source (and charging cord). If you had the privilege of being stuck 1) in a plus or first class seat that also 2) has power sources, you’re okay on the plane, but there won’t be a free outlet in the airport. To stay powered up, charge and pack this travel essential.
- Snacks. The airline might provide some relatively uninteresting but definitely unhealthy snack as hospitality, but is a gamble. Pack something or buy food in your originating terminal before your travels begin. When in your diversion airport, you’ll want to stay close to hear updates, not wander off to buy pizza. I witnessed a group of people miss the continuation of their New Orleans-Chicago flight this way.
- A reusable water bottle. Whenever the cabin crew hands out cups of water, take it- you don’t know how long your diversion will take. If you’re not thirsty at that point, pour it into your water bottle for later.
You’ll be so ready that you’ll be ready to say “hakuna matata” to just about anything travel today throws at you.
Fun Facts
- If there is a lightning strike within 5 miles of an airport in the US, air traffic control needs to wait 15 minutes to clear takeoff. Every time lighting strikes, that resets.
- Labor laws can throw a wrench into your continuation options. If a crew is about to time out, or reach the limit of the amount of time they can work legally, they may not able to take you back to your destination airport. Planes may jump the order of landing to get fuel and turn around faster so you don’t end up without a crew (and they end up at an airport where they weren’t planning to spend the night).
Whew!
I’ve found over the years that domestic travel can be much more disruptive than international travel. Domestic flight patterns are so lean that planes have minutes to turn around for the next flight, and any delay can lead to an intense domino effect. In contrast, long-haul flights need time to load fuel, meals, beverages, luggage, and more, meaning they’re at least on the ground and ready to go, weather aside.
I ended up running onto my original connection from Chicago with seconds to spare. Never have I been so pleased to squeeze into regular economy (another thing that gets disrupted in diversions – free upgrades) and be on my way. The whole trip took 15 hours instead of 9- but at least it was interesting.
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