How To Deal With Common Air Travel Snafus...

...and how to beat them! Part 3 of 8...

YOUR FLIGHT GETS CANCELED

Your aircraft has to be taken out of service because it needs maintenance—or a snowstorm keeps it grounded.

Why it matters: If you need to cancel, an airline will usually allow you to use the value of your "nonrefundable" ticket on another flight within a year (while also charging you a change fee, of course). But when the airline is the one doing the canceling, it will most likely rebook you on a later one, which could leave you stranded at the airport for hours—or even days.

How to deal: In the U.S., if your flight is canceled for a cause that's within the airline's control, such as a mechanical failure on the aircraft, some airlines will provide modest compensation, like vouchers for meals. But when it comes to weather cancellation, and you're a coach-class passenger, you're on your own until they can rebook you on the next flight, which means you'll be paying for all of your meals and your hotel room. If you're flying from or within Europe, the airline may owe you compensation for cancellations (ask an agent about EU rule 261).

Trick to avoid the problem: Try to book early morning flights, when there's a full day ahead for airlines to recover from any weather or operational delays. Insider tip: Before you book, check to see a flight's statistical average for cancellations at flightstats.com (listed under the on-time performance rating). Consider that it may be worth peace of mind to book an alternate flight that has a lower historical average of cancellations, even if that option costs a bit more.