May not make it to the International flight due to snowstorm!
Mar 4, 2015, 11:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 105
May not make it to the International flight due to snowstorm!
My nephew is flying into Washington National on Thursday on a morning flight on Delta from MSP. Later that day he is scheduled to fly to London UK on British Airways. We thought the six hours between flights would be plenty and it does not usually snow in March in DC.
Two different tickets, two different airlines that have no connection or alliance.
Here is what I expect to happen. His morning flight into Washington will be cancelled and he will not make it to Dulles to take his British Airways flight to London. British Airways will call him a no show (on the flight from Dulles to London) and his vacation will be lost. He has prepaid for much of his land costs in advance with no cancellations allowed.
If he can't make it to Washington- due the upcoming snow storm on Thursday, will the typical airline (like British) offer to fly him out the next day, at no additional fees? (His flight to London from Washington Dulles is on the lowest available fare and he has no frequent flyer status.)
Has something like this happened to you or friends and if so, how did it work out?
Two different tickets, two different airlines that have no connection or alliance.
Here is what I expect to happen. His morning flight into Washington will be cancelled and he will not make it to Dulles to take his British Airways flight to London. British Airways will call him a no show (on the flight from Dulles to London) and his vacation will be lost. He has prepaid for much of his land costs in advance with no cancellations allowed.
If he can't make it to Washington- due the upcoming snow storm on Thursday, will the typical airline (like British) offer to fly him out the next day, at no additional fees? (His flight to London from Washington Dulles is on the lowest available fare and he has no frequent flyer status.)
Has something like this happened to you or friends and if so, how did it work out?
Mar 4, 2015, 12:00 pm
#2
formerly bdohmen
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: Still dealing with the loss of my BA Concorde Room Card
Posts: 488
May not make it to the International flight due to snowstorm!
Can you buy a ticket out of msp for tonight and get a hotel in IAD? Likely not cheap but better than a total loss.
Mar 4, 2015, 12:01 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
Posts: 2,379
May not make it to the International flight due to snowstorm!
Can he reschedule Delta flight to today to arrive ahead of the storm? Get a hotel in DC and then he is positioned for the BA flight tomorrow.
Mar 4, 2015, 12:11 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,813
Your assumptions are correct. I would not count on BA rebooking him for free, especially if he is significantly late.
I would make an effort to get in sooner. Airport hotels at IAD are oftern quite cheap. I would see it as a reasonable insurance policy against substantial loss.
6 hours does not seem like a lot of time given DC traffic, two airports and seperate reservations.
There seems to be a waiver on Delta. Look into this and see if you can change flights to fly the day before.
I would make an effort to get in sooner. Airport hotels at IAD are oftern quite cheap. I would see it as a reasonable insurance policy against substantial loss.
6 hours does not seem like a lot of time given DC traffic, two airports and seperate reservations.
There seems to be a waiver on Delta. Look into this and see if you can change flights to fly the day before.
Mar 4, 2015, 1:32 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,079
Mar 4, 2015, 2:17 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DCA
Posts: 3,395
Looks like the remaining flights into DCA from MSP are cancelled tonight. The snow is scheduled to start in the early morning and then continue through until Thursday night. If so, there is a chance the BA inbound flight to IAD will get cancelled too. I'd monitor the inbound intently throughout the day and call BA the moment it cancels and try to get rebooked on ORD-LHR. It looks like you can get a walk-up ticket for mid-200s from MSP-ORD.
Mar 4, 2015, 2:18 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 105
Has anyone missed a flight because their flight that got them to their international departure city was cancelled?
Mar 4, 2015, 2:24 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DMV
Posts: 2,092
It may not typically snow in D.C. in March (though in my experience that area can be surprisingly wintry through March only to switch to sweltering summer heat after a 3 week spring) but wouldn't significant snow anywhere in the Upper Midwest - which is far from atypical in early March - also have spelled potential doom for his trip due to the likely delays/cancellations at MSP resulting from it?
I think he took a bit of a risk but then it's difficult to blame him for it, Mother Nature can disrupt aviation any time of the year whether it's snow, ice, tornadoes, tropical storms, volcanoes or earthquakes and tsunamis.
I think he took a bit of a risk but then it's difficult to blame him for it, Mother Nature can disrupt aviation any time of the year whether it's snow, ice, tornadoes, tropical storms, volcanoes or earthquakes and tsunamis.
Mar 4, 2015, 2:28 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DCA
Posts: 3,395
Mar 4, 2015, 6:58 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
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the 0730 MSP-DCA (DL 1464) is still showing on time for Thurs 5 Mar
given the projected snow timeline (start ~0500, taper off ~1500), I suspect BA may operate ... there are a couple of DCA-->IAD public transportation options if he doesn't want to take a taxi (which would likely be $60-70)
given the projected snow timeline (start ~0500, taper off ~1500), I suspect BA may operate ... there are a couple of DCA-->IAD public transportation options if he doesn't want to take a taxi (which would likely be $60-70)
Mar 4, 2015, 8:19 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
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My nephew is flying into Washington National on Thursday on a morning flight on Delta from MSP. Later that day he is scheduled to fly to London UK on British Airways. We thought the six hours between flights would be plenty and it does not usually snow in March in DC.
Two different tickets, two different airlines that have no connection or alliance.
Here is what I expect to happen. His morning flight into Washington will be cancelled and he will not make it to Dulles to take his British Airways flight to London. British Airways will call him a no show (on the flight from Dulles to London) and his vacation will be lost. He has prepaid for much of his land costs in advance with no cancellations allowed.
If he can't make it to Washington- due the upcoming snow storm on Thursday, will the typical airline (like British) offer to fly him out the next day, at no additional fees? (His flight to London from Washington Dulles is on the lowest available fare and he has no frequent flyer status.)
Has something like this happened to you or friends and if so, how did it work out?
Two different tickets, two different airlines that have no connection or alliance.
Here is what I expect to happen. His morning flight into Washington will be cancelled and he will not make it to Dulles to take his British Airways flight to London. British Airways will call him a no show (on the flight from Dulles to London) and his vacation will be lost. He has prepaid for much of his land costs in advance with no cancellations allowed.
If he can't make it to Washington- due the upcoming snow storm on Thursday, will the typical airline (like British) offer to fly him out the next day, at no additional fees? (His flight to London from Washington Dulles is on the lowest available fare and he has no frequent flyer status.)
Has something like this happened to you or friends and if so, how did it work out?
Mar 4, 2015, 10:19 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Posts: 8,355
Snow in DC isn't common in March but it sure is in MSP. It was not prudent to have booked two separate tickets.