Delta Air Lines’ summer meltdown is exactly why you need to do these 8 things when you travel

Microsoft’s CrowdStrike global IT outage, coupled with Delta’s complete meltdown, has left travelers stranded for days and out thousands of dollars. Many travelers have missed important events like doctor appointments, surgeries, weddings, funerals, family reunions and non-refundable expenses, including cruises, hotels and car rentals. And many have likely contracted Covid thanks to a resurgence of the virus. Have you seen the mass crowds in airports? Here’s an example of how packed the terminals were and how high tensions were running.

 

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Here’s what I recommend to minimize the impact of travel and tech meltdowns on you and your family when you travel:

1. Bring carry-on only

I know this is harder than it sounds, especially when traveling with little kids, because who goes through outfits faster than a toddler? But if you can fly with just carry-on luggage, you won’t have to show up to the airport so early, wait around the baggage carousel for what feels like an eternity after a long flight, worry if your bags made it on the plane or if someone stole items from them. You can also get on another flight quicker if yours is severely delayed or canceled and take public transportation more easily, which is often the fastest and cheapest way to get around.

2. Track your bags

I realize not everyone can travel with carry-on only, especially if you’re traveling with little kids, going to a cold destination, traveling for a long time, or bringing presents for family … So if you can’t ship your bags ahead (ideally five days in advance, using UPS or FedEx Ground to save money) then definitely put a bag tracker in your luggage. I’ve written numerous posts about how essential they are these days, including last month when a California woman tracked her lost bag from the airport carousel to a homeless encampment. We put Apple AirTags in each of our checked bags and even in our important carry-on bags for peace of mind that you can’t put a price tag on. You can buy a 4-pack of Apple AirTags for under $100. If you don’t use an iPhone and use Android, then pick up some Samsung SmartTags or Tile trackers.

Tracking devices like those listed above have long been a travel must-have, particularly following the post-pandemic travel rush that had airlines struggling to keep up and losing luggage like it was their job. Here are a couple more examples (if you need them) of why you should put an Apple AirTag or other bag tracker in all your bags (checked or carry-on). The photo below is from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport yesterday. Good luck finding your bag unless it’s a unique color (like our ROAM suitcases, which we never travel without) or unless you have thrown a baggage tracker insider.

 

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 Here’s another example:

@Alexatwagan: @delta your baggage tracker says my son’s bag is in SEA. His Apple AirTag says it’s in DTW. My son is en route to Asia. deltaairlines debacle. This is his first solo flight and also an international flight. My wife has been on hold for 2 hours now. A little help here?
 

 

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3. Leave extra early

If you’re going to an important event or meeting, then go in extra early. Whenever we go on a cruise, we almost always get to our destination at least two days before the ship departs so we don’t, well, miss the boat. If there’s a weather delay or a mechanical issue with our aircraft and our flight gets severely delayed or canceled, we’ve got time to get where we’re going. Plus, arriving to your destination a little bit early can help you acclimate to the time change if there is one.

4. Have a back-up plan

If you really need to be somewhere important, then have an almost foolproof back-up plan. For instance, I suggest purchasing a second ticket on a separate airline and through a different hub (if you have to connect). This way, if there’s an IT meltdown like we just experienced one on airline or a huge storm at your connection hub, you can still get out. If there’s a storm at your departure airport, then there’s not much you can do except monitor the weather and leave early. Just make sure your back-up ticket is for a few hours later and fully refundable; using miles/points is best. I don’t recommend doing this all the time but just for really important events, occasions and meetings that absolutely cannot be missed.

5. Pay with the right credit card and get travel insurance

You should always pay for travel with a credit card so you’re protected if something goes wrong. Better yet, certain premium credit cards offer great travel insurance protection. As pointed out this morning in The Points Guy newsletter, “The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (here’s our review) includes trip delay reimbursement of up to $500 per ticket for reasonable expenses when your trip is delayed for more than 12 hours or overnight.”

I also have a yearly travel insurance plan through Allianz, for whom I’m a paid ambassador.

6. Keep receipts

If you do get stuck somewhere because of an airline mishap like an IT outage, mechanical problem, no available crew (not weather related), then always keep receipts, your boarding pass and ticket numbers. This way, you can try to get reimbursed from the airline, credit card and/or travel insurance company.

7. Get your money back

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted on July 21: “We have received reports of continued disruptions and unacceptable customer service conditions at Delta Air Lines, including hundreds of complaints filed with @USDOT. I have made clear to Delta that we will hold them to all applicable passenger protections.” He followed up with, “Delta must provide prompt refunds to consumers who choose not to take rebooking, free rebooking for those who do, and timely reimbursements for food and hotel stays to consumers affected by these delays and cancellations, as well as adequate customer service assistance.” Hen then tweeted, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent. If any airline fails to honor its customer service requirements, let us know:”

Delta must provide prompt refunds to consumers who choose not to take rebooking, free rebooking for those who do, and timely reimbursements for food and hotel stays to consumers affected by these delays and cancellations, as well as adequate customer service assistance.

— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) July 22, 2024

8. Ask for miles/points

If you do ever get severely delayed or inconvenienced, then ask politely for some bonus miles. I usually wait a week or two to see if the airline will do this of their own accord. I was surprised that my family and I weren’t given any bonus miles from American Airlines when we flew LAX to Honolulu in April and had a six-hour delay, which involved boarding three planes; the first two problems were mechanical problems and I captured the pilot saying that although mechanics say the plane is good to go, “I’m not really feeling it.” I eventually emailed American and they gifted me 10,000 miles for being an Executive Platinum member. I then asked about my wife and kids and they gave them 7,500 bonus miles each but only because I asked.  Delta just shared yesterday that they plan on giving those who were stuck 12,500 miles, which is not very much. I’ve also heard reports of some getting less and some getting more. See tweet below:

Delta has said they’re doling out SkyMiles or vouchers as an apology to customers. Their generosity is … mixed.

Heard from one who’s gotten 55,000 SkyMiles for getting stuck overnight in Detroit en route to Florida.

Another, stranded for days, got 4,000 SkyMiles.

— Kyle Potter (@kpottermn) July 23, 2024

BTW: I did travel this week and I followed my own advice. I breezed through one of the world’s most stressful airports … LAX. Here’s my trip report.

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