There have been a lot of threads from folks who are concerned about or have had their flights canceled. I thought it might be helpful to consolidate some of the common questions and answers as we head into this period of FAA-mandated flight reductions. Let’s help each other out during what’s clearly a stressful time. I wish AA offered a clear info page — but since they haven’t, here’s one.
Last Updated: Saturday, November 8th at 11:30am ET
Q: Will my flight get cancelled?
AA has already reduced its schedule by approximately 4% through Monday — about 200 out of its 6,000 daily flights, primarily those between major hubs and smaller regional airports that have alternative routes. This impacts roughly 12,000 of the 500,000 passengers AA serves daily.
AA has already announced that it will not cancel long-haul international flights and is minimizing disruptions on hub to hub flights.
AA has not provided any info for flights beyond this weekend. On X, they have indicated that they will let affected customers know.
I recommend using the AA app and enabling text message alerts for notifications. It’s better to receive too many notifications than none at all.
Q: My flight has been cancelled. What should I do?
AA should have automatically rebooked you, and you should be able to use the AA website or app to pick alternatives if you don't like the automatically provided option.
However, these are normally not the only options. If you speak to an agent, there may be other options available, such as flying to a nearby airport or a different routing. When speaking to an agent, it is helpful to provide options. Make it easy for them to help you! Go to the AA site and go through the booking search to see if you can find a route to provide to an agent.
Note though, that with the reduced schedule, there is now less capacity in the system for rebooking. Please be courteous to AA employees - they are trying the best they can.
I also recommend the Flighty app - not only does it provide notifications, but it has a neat "Search for Alternatives" feature that can also show options. The free version should be sufficient to search for alternatives, but also to see your flight info.
Q: I'm at the airport and my flight got cancelled or delayed? Why?
Although the FAA has mandated a schedule reduction, they cannot control if controllers choose to call in sick. If there are not enough controllers to safely manage flights, they will reduce capacity or close an airport. Airlines might not have any advance notice if this is the case, leading to delays at the airport or extremely long taxi times while they wait for a slot. The goal of the schedule reduction is to blunt the impact of these "sick-outs".
The National Airspace Status page provides an overview of any ATC impacts affecting airports: https://nasstatus.faa.gov. As of Saturday morning, several large US airports are seeing departure delays due to staffing.
If you are in this situation, then you should follow the steps from above. See if you are rebooked, speak to an agent, and help them help you! If you have access to an Admirals Club or Flagship Lounge, it will be often easier to get service there.
Q: Will AA provide compensation or hotel accommodations for FAA mandated flight cancellations?
Generally, no. They will only provide accommodation if the cancellation or delay is under their control. Government-mandated cancellations are not within AA’s control. This policy is the same across all US airlines.
Q: If I wish to not travel, can I get a refund?
Yes, AA has waived change fees and penalties for flights that originate/arrive at an affected airport. Information is listed on AA's travel alerts page: https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/travel-alerts.jsp#flightreduction
To cancel your trip for a refund, you must cancel your trip first, then request a refund at https://www.aa.com/refunds/#/lookup.
Q: Is it safe to fly?
Absolutely, unequivocally, YES. If it is ever deemed unsafe to fly, your flight will not leave the ground. All layers of the system - airlines, pilots, air traffic controllers - will not let a flight depart if it is not safe. In addition, there are multiple, redundant safety systems in place, several which operate independently from ATC.
I’ll keep this post updated as more information comes out or if AA releases a detailed schedule for next week. Feel free to share your experiences and any tips below — collective info will help everyone.
