MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Flight delays and cancellations are a fact of life for flyers these days. CNN's Chris Wolfe has some tips for passengers on coping with air travel.</s>CHRIS WOLFE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Flight delays and cancellations are forcing thousands of would-be air travelers to change plans or scramble for alternatives in order to reach their destinations.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's very upsetting. I hope my flight is not delayed. Always have a second option, like the train or bus station, just to be on the safe side.</s>WOLFE: The last thing you want to do is stand in line and wait. You have to take action if you expect to catch another plane if your flight is delayed or canceled. (on camera): Travel agents say you should always be prepared. First of all, you may have shopped online, you should carry a paper copy of your ticket just in case you are forced to change flights. And from older technology to new, experts say you should try to carry one of these... (voice-over): ... making it easier to contact your travel agent or another carrier if your flight's not taking off.</s>TERRY TRIPPLER, ONETRAVEL.COM: Know what other airline is traveling to your destination. Have an idea when they leave.</s>RICHARD COPLAND, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TRAVEL AGENTS: Airline tickets are normally -- they're like traveler's checks. They're interchangeable. Most airlines will accept United tickets.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a backup flight on Delta Airlines today, just in case United didn't go.</s>WOLFE: And you may want to limit your luggage to carry-on so you can move quickly to another airline. The Department of Transportation Web site has details for stranded passengers. In some cases, benefits could include food and lodging or simply a ticket refund. Above all, travel agents say, be relaxed and expect delays. Chris Wolfe, CNN, Atlanta.
How to Cope with Airline Cancellations