Industry Troubles Don’t End in the Air For Travelers Affected By Cancellations, Refunds and Travel Delays Are Part of the Headache.

By DAVID BAUERLEIN

Amy Brewer is tired of winging it.

Traveling on business this week, she faced hours of delays when American Airlines’ flight cancellations forced her to make alternative arrangements.

After finally getting back home, she headed to St. Augustine for a business convention, figuring she could put the trip behind her after checking into a hotel.

Wrong.

Her hotel room wasn’t available because other guests had extended their stays after their flight plans had been altered.

“It’s been a complete nightmare,” said Brewer, business development manager for The Suddath Cos. in Jacksonville. “I don’t even want to go out of town next week.”

American’s cancellation of thousands of flights for mechanical inspections was the latest disruption for area fliers. Skybus, which flew out of St. Augustine, declared bankruptcy last Saturday, joining ATA Airlines and Aloha Airgroup in bankruptcy court. Frontier Airlines filed Friday for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but said it won’t be cutting back flights, which includes service at Jacksonville International Airport.

Amid the turbulence, fliers can take some steps to protect themselves. First, they can pay for their tickets by using credit cards rather than debit cards, checks or cash. Federal law gives consumers the ability to get refunds from credit card companies if a service is not provided, such as an airline pulling the plug and making a reservation worthless.

Travelers who don’t pay with a credit card typically must file petitions in bankruptcy court to have a chance at a partial refund.

“The safest thing always is to buy it with your credit card,” said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association.

Even then, customers aren’t guaranteed to get their money back. They must file within 60 days of the charge first appearing on their bill; those booking their flights further in advance could still be out of luck.

In cases where airlines cancel flights – as American and United Airlines have done this month – travelers can ask their travel agents to plan ahead by reserving a seat on another fight as a precaution, said Steve Crandall, president of Discount Travel Brokerage Services in Jacksonville.

He said travel agents can usually hold a seat for 24 hours on an alternative flight without requiring the customer to pay anything during the reservation period. He used that kind of Plan B for Brewer on her return flight from Colorado on Thursday. Brewer said it helped reduce her stress because she knew she had another flight already booked as a backup.

That option might not be available for fliers who book their tickets through online travel companies. Orbitz, for example, says it does not let passengers put tickets on hold before they are purchased.

Anne Burroughs, owner of Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Jacksonville, said the recent flight disruptions point to the advantage of using brick-and-mortar travel agencies. Such agencies have been losing business over the years to the convenience of online travel companies. But Burroughs said traditional agencies prove themselves by providing responsive service in a pinch. Last Sunday, she helped a client stuck in Greensboro, N.C., get a flight after Skybus’ bankruptcy left him stranded.

“You have a voice and a person to talk to, whereas if you go online, you don’t have any recourse,” she said.

But Caleb Tiller, spokesman for the National Business Travel Association, said the difference between travel agencies isn’t whether they’re online or in a building. He said major online companies have created corporate travel sections. The major issue for business travelers, he said, is what kind of contracts their companies have with their travel agencies in terms of providing service when cancellations disrupt travel.

“Both sides were doing a whole lot more to be like the other, and they’re really gotten closer and closer together,” he said.david.bauerlein@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4581AIRLINE NEWSFRONTIER FROM JAX: Barnkrupt Frontier Airlines flies nonstop from Jacksonville International Airport to Denver, but the airline says its financial restructuring will not cancel flights.BACK TO NORMAL:American Airlines officials expect to cancel 200 flights today, the vast majority in the morning, and hope to have their full schedule back in the air by the afternoon.FARES INCREASED:The nation’s major airlines have matched a fare increase of up to $30 per round trip that was started by United Airlines. American matched the fare hike on Friday afternoon. It is the carriers’ 11th attempted fare hike this year. Six of those increases stuck.HEFTY FUEL BILL: Southwest Airlines Co. says its 2008 fuel bill will rise more than $500 million – nearly equal to its entire profit last year. The increase would push the airline’s 2008 fuel bill over $3 billion. BUSH WATCHING:President Bush is “keeping a close eye” on the airline woes. His Cabinet meeting Monday will included an update on the airline situation.

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