Booked a flight for fall? What to do if airlines change your plans

Planning to fly this fall? Better have a backup plan since airlines are dropping flights to save on fuel costs.

The cutbacks will make planes more crowded and fares could increase; it's estimated almost 10 percent of capacity on domestic flights will be cut.

Although smaller airports will suffer the biggest cutbacks, some large airports will suffer, too. Among the airports expected to lose 10 percent or more of their seats in October, compared to October 2007, are Cincinnati, a Delta hub; Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport, a Continental hub; and Phoenix, a US Airways hub. The figures were calculated by USA Today from flight schedules; other airlines still are finalizing flight reductions.

With fewer seats, planes will be more crowded and fares higher. And it could be harder than ever to get a seat on another plane if your flight is canceled.

Here are some tips for travelers on how to handle the changes — and the problems that likely will arise.

Book now for holidays: A Christmas vacation may be the furthest thing from your mind. But with the cutbacks, demand for holiday flights will be more intense than usual. "Whether or not you get a seat is going to be a question, once they've cut back," said Rick Seaney, chief executive of FareCompare.com, an airfare search site.

Consider a travel agent: It can pay to have an advocate when a flight is canceled and the fight to get one of those scarce open seats on other flights begins. Mike Weingart, who runs a Carlson Wagonlit Travel agency in Houston, said he was able to find his son's family a flight on American after a Continental flight was canceled just before Thanksgiving last year. "When he went to the counter again, he was armed with information," Weingart said. "Until that time, you're at their mercy and they're only going to look at their flights. ... "

Do your own research. If you would rather not rely completely on a travel agent, check on flight alternatives ahead of time. Airline timetables list every route the carrier flies and are found on their Web sites. You can also use a meta-search site like Kayak.com or ITASoftware.com to get a quick snapshot of available flight alternatives. By arming yourself with this information, you can suggest alternative flights that you prefer, rather than ending up at the mercy of an airline booking agent.

For a complete list of all flights, sign up for a free trial of OAG Flights at www.oag.com. The service, which is normally $16.99 a month or $199 a year, lists all scheduled worldwide flights and is updated daily.

Check on flights. If you've already booked a flight in the fall, make sure it hasn't been canceled. Airlines are trying to inform all travelers, but it won't hurt to double-check. Also, sign up to receive e-mail or text messages about flight changes, offered by most airlines and sites such as FlightStats.com.

When travel insurance doesn't pay: Most insurance policies reimburse travelers who are forced to cancel trips because of weather, a serious illness or a death in the family, airline strikes and other reasons. They also generally cover medical emergencies, lost or damaged luggage and major travel delays. But for flight cancellations due to capacity cuts, there is "no payout," said Chris Harvey, chief executive of Squaremouth.com, an online travel insurance agency. "It's generally not a covered reason."

If you simply must fly on the day you are booked, consider buying a fully refundable ticket on another airline as backup. Think of it as an insurance policy without the cost.

If driving is an option, you can always reserve a rental car. Most rental-car companies do not take customer credit-card numbers until the vehicle is picked up, so there is no penalty for last-minute cancellations or no-shows.

Material from The New York Times, USA Today and Seattle Times writer Kristin Jackson is included in this report.