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With Hurricane Sandy slowly making its way out of the Caribbean and heading up the East Coast, several airlines have begun waiving change and cancellation fees for anyone affected by the storm.

Hurricane Season Begins – Tips for Travelers

Airline information

So far, the following carriers have posted Sandy-related information on their sites. If you don’t see your airline listed, check their website for more information.

• American Airlines
• Delta
• JetBlue
• United
• US Airways
• Southwest Airlines
• British Airways
• Airtran
• Aer Lingus
• Virgin Atlantic
• Qatar Airways
• Emirates
• Lufthansa
• Qantas 

How Airlines are Becoming More Helpful

Fortunately for travelers, the airlines have become much more pro-active to bad weather in recent years. In most circumstances, they alert passengers in advance about the problem and waive the expensive change fee that is usually tacked on to any changes made to airline tickets. Instead, they typically offered a choice of cancelation without penalty or moving travel plans to specified dates.

Hurricane Season: What to Do When Flights are Delayed or Canceled

What to Know and What to Do about Bad Weather

However, travelers should know that such courtesies are not always extended for delays caused by everyday bad weather. A few things travelers must know:

• The cheapest airfare is usually not refundable.
• Most airlines do not offer hotel or meal vouchers during bad weather delays.
• If an airline cancels your flight, you may be offered a refund or alternate dates.
• If you face delays/cancelations, immediately get in line at the gate to speak to an agent, and at the same time, call the airline.

The key to getting one of the few available seats on the next flight out is being first in line.

Flight Insurance

Many passengers wonder if travel insurance is the way to go, and for some travelers it may be a life-saver. However, all FareCompare recommends is that potential buyers of such products read the fine print carefully – know what the policy covers, and just as important, know what it does not cover. Tip: if you cannot get your potential insurer to answer all your questions fully and immediately, we strongly consider you look for another insurance company.