If you’re looking to save money on holiday travel by flying the day of Thanksgiving or Christmas, you might be out of luck.
Airlines have canceled many holiday flights and expect more will be grounded, according to travel agents.
Joann Walk, of Enfield, usually flies home Christmas Day. Not this year. She'll head home Christmas Eve.
“There weren't as many flights available. Normally I can get home at a decent time even if I fly home Christmas Day and I'll get a cheaper flight because it's Christmas Day. But this year it didn't really matter between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and I couldn't get home as early on Christmas Day," Walk said.
You’ll also pay more this year to fly on a holiday, travel agents said.
"The last 10 years or so you've been able to get a lot of good deals and bargains on the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, things like that. Well, instead of giving it away, they're canceling flights," Graham Hird, of Copper Travels, said.
For example, on the day before Thanksgiving, between Hartford and Atlanta there are seven flights scheduled. There are just four on Thanksgiving Day. Between Washington Reagan and Hartford, there are five flights scheduled the day before Thanksgiving, but only two on the holiday. Finally, between Hartford and Pittsburgh, there are three flights scheduled the day before Thanksgiving, but only two Thanksgiving Day.
Travel agents said you can expect even more cancellations on and around the holidays as the season goes on.
"The airlines are not making money, so if it's not a profitable flight they're going to get rid of it over the holidays," Hird said.
If you're worried about whether your flight's a go, the best advice is to check and double check not only your original flight, but also your connections.
"We've seen them come back with flights out of order," Hird said.
Airlines cancel and rebook flights via computer and won't always let you know if something's changed, he said.
So, you can miss your re-booked flight, get stuck with two connections instead of one, or end up with a layover that's too long or too short.
"You've got to be careful. There are people who are going to get stranded if they don't take care of things," said Hird.
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