Thanksgiving cancellations
Jun 23, 2019, 3:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LHR
Programs: Hilton Diamond, BA Silver
Posts: 85
Thanksgiving cancellations
Hi all,
I'm booked to go to LAS on an amex 2-4-1 redemption, out on the 25th Nov and flying back 29th. I'm aware that these flights are potentially vulnerable to being cancelled due the usual Thanksgiving schedule changes.
Questions for you experts:
1. When could I assume I'm 'in the clear' and the flights won't get cancelled?
2. If they do get cancelled, are the options just a refund or rebook for free?
If the answer to 2 is yes, I'm guessing I'd be snookered as there is unlikely to be redemption availability to get to LAS for my original dates. Don't know if it affects things but I'm in CW on the way out and F on the return.
Any experience / advice gratefully received.
I'm booked to go to LAS on an amex 2-4-1 redemption, out on the 25th Nov and flying back 29th. I'm aware that these flights are potentially vulnerable to being cancelled due the usual Thanksgiving schedule changes.
Questions for you experts:
1. When could I assume I'm 'in the clear' and the flights won't get cancelled?
2. If they do get cancelled, are the options just a refund or rebook for free?
If the answer to 2 is yes, I'm guessing I'd be snookered as there is unlikely to be redemption availability to get to LAS for my original dates. Don't know if it affects things but I'm in CW on the way out and F on the return.
Any experience / advice gratefully received.
Jun 23, 2019, 3:57 am
#2
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,967
Won’t any frequent reductions for thanksgiving already be loaded? I don’t remember seeing any posts in previous years about cancellations due to thanksgiving.
rebook or refund are usual options for cancellations. There are lots of options flying on AA To LAX/PHX etc to connect on to ba flights.
rebook or refund are usual options for cancellations. There are lots of options flying on AA To LAX/PHX etc to connect on to ba flights.
Jun 23, 2019, 3:57 am
#3
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,809
LAS isn't at risk from this, NYC, PHL, ORD, SEA, IAH, ATL maybe, usually at least one service is maintained even so, but LAS isn't in the usual scope for this.
Jun 23, 2019, 6:18 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Hi all,
I'm booked to go to LAS on an amex 2-4-1 redemption, out on the 25th Nov and flying back 29th. I'm aware that these flights are potentially vulnerable to being cancelled due the usual Thanksgiving schedule changes.
Questions for you experts:
1. When could I assume I'm 'in the clear' and the flights won't get cancelled?
2. If they do get cancelled, are the options just a refund or rebook for free?
If the answer to 2 is yes, I'm guessing I'd be snookered as there is unlikely to be redemption availability to get to LAS for my original dates. Don't know if it affects things but I'm in CW on the way out and F on the return.
Any experience / advice gratefully received.
I'm booked to go to LAS on an amex 2-4-1 redemption, out on the 25th Nov and flying back 29th. I'm aware that these flights are potentially vulnerable to being cancelled due the usual Thanksgiving schedule changes.
Questions for you experts:
1. When could I assume I'm 'in the clear' and the flights won't get cancelled?
2. If they do get cancelled, are the options just a refund or rebook for free?
If the answer to 2 is yes, I'm guessing I'd be snookered as there is unlikely to be redemption availability to get to LAS for my original dates. Don't know if it affects things but I'm in CW on the way out and F on the return.
Any experience / advice gratefully received.
Jun 23, 2019, 6:22 am
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The day before Thanksgiving (Wednesday) and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are the two busiest air travel days of the year in the US. I cannot imagine BA cancelling service to its largest external market.
But, if it did, LAS has AA service from every US gateway and thus you would be rebooked on a connection. Award availability is irrelevant as EC 261/2004 provides for a refund or rebooking at the passenger's option.
But, if it did, LAS has AA service from every US gateway and thus you would be rebooked on a connection. Award availability is irrelevant as EC 261/2004 provides for a refund or rebooking at the passenger's option.
Jun 23, 2019, 7:09 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 8
It’s the busiest for domestic travel but slow for international. Few Americans go on holiday to Europe for thanksgiving (an increasing number go on holiday vs visit family but Europe is down the list due to the season) and business travel dries up that week.
Jun 23, 2019, 7:33 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: near Heathrow
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL (OWE), SA LifePlat (*G), BD Gold to the end, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,911
I was booked LHR-PHL on AA last year over Thanksgiving. AA cancelled a large number of their international flights during the Thanksgiving week around 17 June.
I opted for some extra TPs and was rerouted on BA via JFK.
I opted for some extra TPs and was rerouted on BA via JFK.
Last edited by gcuk; Jun 23, 2019 at 7:38 am
Jun 23, 2019, 8:43 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
My mother flies over from the UK to see me every Thanksgiving and we have found the Wednesday into JFK to be exceptionally busy. I was expecting international flights that day to be pretty lightly loaded but it took her about 2.5hrs to clear immigration at JFK one time. I later looked up on the USCIS website and that evening was the busiest for immigration at Terminal 7 for the whole year.
Jun 23, 2019, 8:50 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Belgium
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 146
I travelled to Boston in 2017 the day before Thanksgiving and going to immigration went extremely smooth. I was able to use the automatic kiosks but had to wait on a friend travelling with me who made his first visit ever so he had to following the 'line-up for immigration' procedure. But even he was at the baggage claim area only a few minutes after our bags were on the carrousel.