For starters, getting your flight rebooked should be totally free.

Last weekend , when the door plug on an Alaska Airlines flightripped off a Boeing 737 Max 9 airplaneat 16,000 feet in the airwave , it was immediately foretell that thing were going to get complicated . After all , a carpenter’s plane door blowing out is a jolly Brobdingnagian safety concern . I can in person not blockade think about themother who described the experienceof grapple on to her teenage son;s implements of war as he was root for toward the gaping hole in the side of the plane to theSeattle Times . The incident immediately caused major changes to regular schedule programming .

The National Transportation Safety Board grounded all Boeing 737 Max 9 flight . This preponderantly affected United Airlines and Alaska Airlines , which had the highest percentage of these planes in their fleet . United and Alaska had to directly cancel hundreds of flights , as probe of each plane began . In full , 171 planes have been strand . Even several days after the groundings first occurred , United and Alaska are still leading global cancellations , according toFlightAwaredata .

So , what does that mean if you ’re on one of these invalidate flights ? At United , the exact timeline for when they will be back to full operational capacitance is unclear .

A plastic sheet covers an area of the fuselage of the Alaska Airlines N704AL Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft outside a hangar at Portland International Airport on January 8, 2024 in Portland, Oregon.

Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images News/Getty Images

" We ’re working to retrovert our Boeing 737 MAX 9 to service in the days ahead , " a United representative narrate Thrillist in a assertion . " Service on that aircraft remains suspended with all Max 9 flight being cancel today . We continue to operate some plan flights by switching to other aircraft types . "

We dug in to everything you ’re entitle to if you ’ve had a escape canceled due to the Boeing foundation .

DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on January 10 that these cancellations are " controllable " and that rider should expect to receive a routine of benefits . " I have speak with the chief executive officer of both of the airlines who have the aircraft that have been demand here … they have affirmed their commitment to take care of passengers , " Buttigieg say , in a statement apportion with Thrillist .

Buttigieg advises passengers affected by these cancellations to head toFlightRights.govto set what class of compensation they are entitled to . Many of the commitments from airlines made on the Flight Rights dashboard were made back in September 2022 , at the urging of the DOT . The office will be monitoring both airline business to ensure complaisance with the commitments they have made in regards to these Boeing - related cancellations . For both United and Alaska , you are gentle to the following recourse for these " controllable cancellation . "

At Alaska Airlines , the airline has also committed to :

A statement from Alaska also further confirms these allegiance .

" We ’re deeply sorry for the to-do this is get our Edgar Guest and we trust in doing what ’s right for them , " sound out a statement from Alaska Airlines illustration , shared with Thrillist . " We ’re succeed our client service commitments , which are uncommitted on our internet site . We ’re work directly with guest to ensure they are taken care of and accommodated on an alternate escape . "

you’re able to reach out to theUnited Help Center here , and theAlaska Help Center here . If you feel that your airline is not meeting the commitments made to the DOT for cancellation , you could submit a complaint with the DOThere .

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Whether you need helpsneaking grass onto a plane , find an airport where you cansign up for PreCheck without an appointment , or making sure you ’re generate everything you ’re entitle towhen your flight is canceled , we ’ve got you covered . Keep reading forup - to - date travelling hacksandall the travel news you needto serve you design your next large adventure .