PHOENIX — Whether it's the impact of omicron, or winter weather, passengers are paying attention to the headlines.
"We tried to get here as early as we could for the delays. You know? But, they are here! We are waiting,” said Larry Primicerio.
Primicerio did his part to make sure his 12-year-old granddaughter had her best flight possible.
"I called yesterday. I called again today to be sure her flight wasn't going to be delayed. It wasn't. Then it was. Incrementally, it gets delayed a little bit and a little bit more,” added Primicerio.
Some major airlines are blaming the spread of the omicron variant for recent disruptions. Others are pointing to winter weather.
Ernest Sewood flew into Phoenix last week.
"I was scared. I did know if I was able to get on a plane to get down here for my grandma's birthday. So, I am glad I was able to do that,” said Sewood.
Getting back to Indiana for work Tuesday, he says, could be another story.
"My flight has been delayed an hour so far. Hopefully, I don't have any more trouble than that,” added Sewood.
Jimmy Henderson and his daughter are both headed home to Baltimore. They are delayed only an hour.
"I guess it is not that bad. It is not canceled yet, which based off on things in the news, and everything going on, that's a plus,” added Henderson.
But, for those not as lucky, getting a refund or reimbursement for delays or cancellations becomes the next priority. You should check with your airline for compensation. The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates the industry and has a set of rules airlines have to follow when it comes to things like refunds.
What if you're stuck on hold with customer service? Industry experts suggest you try calling your airline's international phone center instead of the U.S. one even if you're flying domestically. Experts says you might have better luck getting transferred to the correct person quicker.
