,NEARLY #E1JJJ FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED
,FRIDAY AND THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE
STOPPED  AND UNLIKE A WEATHER MELTDOWN1
NOBODY CAN EVEN TELL YOU YET WHY4
,HERE'S WHAT THE GROUND STOP MEANS FOR
SAFETY1 AND THE FEDERAL RULES GOVERNING
WHAT AIRLINES OWE YOU4
,IS IT SAFE TO FLY8
,THE UNCOMFORTABLE-BUT-REASSURING
ANSWER3 THE GROUND STOP IS THE SAFETY
SYSTEM WORKING4 ,,US AVIATION IS
ENGINEERED TO STOP FLYING THE MOMENT IT
CAN'T GUARANTEE SEPARATION  CONTROLLERS
WHO CAN'T RELIABLY COMMUNICATE DON'T
BLUFF THROUGH IT2 THEY PARK THE FLEET4
,AIRCRAFT ALREADY AIRBORNE CONTINUED TO
THEIR DESTINATIONS BECAUSE EN-ROUTE
SAFETY WAS NEVER IN DOUBT4.<CITE3 ,,ABC
,NEWS1 .<8,,FAA GROUND STOP LIVE
UPDATES3 ,NEARLY #E1JJJ FLIGHTS
CANCELED01 #AC ,NOVEMBER #BJBF.>.>
,WHAT PASSENGERS SHOULD WEIGH IS
DIFFERENT3 THE CAUSE IS STILL OPEN4
,,DHS SAYS THERE'S 8NO INDICATION0 OF A
NEFARIOUS ATTACK BUT HASN'T RULED A
CYBERATTACK OUT  MEANING THE SYSTEM IS
BEING FLOWN CONSERVATIVELY WHILE
INVESTIGATORS ANSWER THAT QUESTION4
,THAT'S THE CAUTIOUS POSTURE YOU'D WANT1
AND IT MAY MEAN DISRUPTION OUTLASTS THE
OUTAGE ITSELF4
,YOUR REFUND RIGHTS  THE HARD RULES
,FEDERAL ,,DOT RULES "<#AD ,,CFR
#BFJ4F">  NOT AIRLINE GOODWILL  GOVERN
THIS3
,CANCELED FLIGHT "7 REFUND1 PERIOD4 ,IF
THE AIRLINE CANCELS YOUR FLIGHT FOR ANY
REASON AND YOU CHOOSE NOT TO TRAVEL1
YOU'RE ENTITLED TO A FULL REFUND OF THE
TICKET PRICE  REGARDLESS OF TICKET TYPE4
,A VOUCHER OR CREDIT MUST BE OFFERED
ONLY AS AN EXPLICIT ALTERNATIVE YOU"9
CHOOSE2 THE DEFAULT IS YOUR MONEY
BACK4.<CITE3 ,,US ,DEPARTMENT OF
,TRANSPORTATION1 .<8,REFUNDS0.>.>.<CITE3
E,C,F,R1 .<8#AD ,,CFR #BFJ4F  ,REFUNDING
FARE FOR CANCELLED OR SIGNIFICANTLY
DELAYED FLIGHTS0.>.> "9 8,SIGNIFICANT
DELAY0 COUNTS TOO4 ,REFUND ELIGIBILITY
TRIGGERS AT #C"6 HOURS DOMESTIC _/ #F"6
HOURS INTERNATIONAL1 A CHANGED
ARRIVAL_/DEPARTURE AIRPORT1 OR ADDED
CONNECTIONS4.<CITE3 ,,KQED1 .<8,AFFECTED
BY THE ,,FAA ,GROUND ,STOP8 ,WHAT TO
,KNOW ,ABOUT ,YOUR ,CONSUMER ,RIGHTS01
#AC ,NOVEMBER #BJBF.>.>  ,TO KEEP THE
CASH OPTION3 DON'T FLY THE DELAYED
FLIGHT1 DECLINE REBOOKING1 AND DECLINE
THE VOUCHER  ACCEPTING A CREDIT WAIVES
THE REFUND RIGHT4 ,AIRLINES ARE ALSO
REQUIRED TO NOTIFY"9 YOU OF YOUR REFUND
RIGHT WHEN CANCELING OR SIGNIFICANTLY
DELAYING A FLIGHT4 "9 ,REBOOKING IS
FREE4 ,IF YOU STILL WANT TO TRAVEL1
YOU'RE ENTITLED TO PENALTY-FREE
REBOOKING ON THE SAME AIRLINE4
,WHAT AIRLINES DO ,,NOT OWE YOU
,BECAUSE A GROUND STOP IS OUTSIDE
AIRLINE CONTROL "<SAME CATEGORY AS
WEATHER">3
"9 ,NO HOTEL1 NO MEALS1 NO GROUND
TRANSPORT IS LEGALLY REQUIRED  EVEN FOR
OVERNIGHT STRANDING4 ,AIRLINE 8CUSTOMER
SERVICE PLAN0 PROMISES "<MEALS AFTER
#C"6 HOURS1 HOTELS FOR CONTROLLABLE
OVERNIGHTS"> GENERALLY DON'T BIND
HERE4.<CITE3 ,,USA ,TODAY1 .<8,FLIGHT
STUCK IN THE GROUND STOP8 ,HERE'S WHAT
AIRLINES MAY OWE YOU01 #AC ,NOVEMBER
#BJBF.>.> "9 ,NO CONSEQUENTIAL COSTS 
HOTELS1 CAR RENTALS1 OR EVENTS YOU MISS
ARE ON YOU "<THOUGH CREDIT-CARD TRIP
PROTECTION MAY COVER THEM">4
,THE WAIVERS ON THE TABLE
,AIRLINES MOVED FAST ANYWAY3
,UNITED  WAIVING CHANGE FEES AND"9 FARE
DIFFERENCES FOR REBOOKING TO FLIGHTS
DEPARTING ON OR BEFORE ,NOVEMBER #BJ2
CANCEL_/DON'T-TRAVEL "7 FULL REFUND4 "9
,DELTA  TRAVEL WAIVER ANNOUNCED2 OTHER
MAJORS EXPECTED TO MATCH4.<CITE3 ,LOS
,ANGELES ,TIMES1 .<8,THOUSANDS OF
FLIGHTS IMPACTED BY ,,FAA GROUND STOP4
,HERE ARE YOUR RIGHTS AS A PASSENGER01
#AC ,NOVEMBER #BJBF.>.>
,PRACTICAL PLAYBOOK3 CONFIRM STATUS WITH
THE AIRLINE BEFORE HEADING TO THE
AIRPORT2 IF CANCELED1 DECIDE BETWEEN
CASH REFUND AND REBOOKING BEFORE
ACCEPTING ANYTHING2 SAVE EVERY
CANCELLATION NOTICE IN WRITING "<YOU'LL
NEED IT FOR A REFUND CLAIM OR
CARD-BENEFIT FILING">2 AND EXPECT
RESIDUAL DELAYS  AIRCRAFT AND CREWS ARE
NOW OUT OF POSITION NATIONWIDE EVEN
AFTER THE STOP LIFTS4
,SEE ALSO
"9 ,,FAA ,GROUNDS ,ALL ,,US ,FLIGHTS
,NOVEMBER #AC  HUB COVERAGE "9 ,EVERY
,TIME ,AMERICA ,GROUNDED ,EVERY ,FLIGHT 
THE HISTORY "9 ,,ALB ,WIKI ,LAUNCHES
,NEWS