I called to cancel a flight in a similar situation ADL-DJ-PER-QF-KTA . KTA was about to be struck. QF Phone operator told me that if I called back in about an hours time the flight would be cancelled by Qantas and I could get a full refund which I did.

That left me with a Virgin flight that was not into bad weather - It was a mid-low price ticket and operator allowed a refund under the circumstances.

For every time an airline takes hard line on fair rules and a disgruntled posts here, there are scores of reasonable changes and refunds that go unmentioned.

One point to note is that the airlines often do not respond to what may or may not happen in a few days time. So passenger anxiety and concern often outstrips and predates the reality of the situation. Was it Twain that made the remark his life had been full of tragedies - very few of which had actually happened.