Pack light, know options

• By BETH J. HARPAZ
• AP travel editor
• Published: May 11, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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NEW YORK - In recent weeks, thousands of air passengers have been stranded by airline bankruptcies and flight cancellations. And there may be more disruptions ahead as older jets continue to be scrutinized for safety and the economy bubbles with trouble.
So what’s a traveler to do as the busy summer travel season draws near?

Pack light, know your options, consider buying travel insurance — and maybe even take the train instead.

High frustration
“Flight delays, schedule changes, canceled flights, bankruptcies and mishandled baggage are pushing flyers’ frustration to an all-time high,” Michelle Doucette, content manager at IgoUgo.com, said in a press release declaring that “the summer of ’08 just might be the summer of the train.”

The travel Web site, http://www.igougo.com/travel — blog, posted ideas for train travel including scenic rail trips and visiting cities with landmark train stations like Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station.

If the train is not an option, here are some strategies for coping with the hassles of air travel in the weeks ahead.

Limit luggage to one carry-on bag, advises Susan Foster of http://www.SmartPacking.com. That way, your “rebooking options are completely open,” she said. If you must check luggage, don’t do it “until you are positive that your flight is flying and reasonably on time.”

Do your homework. “Make clear notes about other flights operated by different airlines that meet your needs,” said Foster. “Program airline phone numbers into your cell phone so you can immediately call to rebook yourself. If you wait for the airline to do this for you, you will not get a seat.”

With details on other flights in hand, you can then ask, “for example, ‘There’s a Delta flight at 4:10 that will get me to my destination, can I get on it?”’ said Amy Ziff, editor at large for Travelocity.

Look for connections
Staying informed also helps you juggle options. Last week, when American Airlines grounded 300 MD-80 planes for maintenance, Brett Snyder recommended that passengers find out what type of plane they had tickets for, and “start looking for connections that aren’t on MD-80s.” Snyder, who blogs about air travel at http://CrankyFlier.com, also urged passengers to “bring a lot of patience with you to the airport. … Being nice can only help you.”

Consider buying trip insurance, which typically runs 4 to 8 percent of the cost of your trip. If your trip is disrupted by flight delays or cancellations, travel insurance should cover new tickets, hotel stays and incidentals. Some policies may also provide refunds if your plans change and you stay home. And insurance agents can help you rebook if you’re stranded.

The day before Joyce Wehmeier of Pekin, Ill., was supposed to fly home from a two-week vacation in Hawaii, she learned that her airline, ATA, had gone out of business. She and her traveling companion had insurance with AIG Travel Guard and called the company.

“Miraculously this lady came back on and said, ‘I found two seats tomorrow,”’ Wehmeier said. “We needed to go back to work, so we were just thrilled.”

AIG Travel Guard reported more than a 100 percent increase in calls coming in during the week of the airline bankruptcies, according to spokeswoman Erin McKeon.