Bad weather to blame for passengers stuck at South Florida airports
MIAMI - Travelers hoping to hit the skies after the holidays are stuck, and the inclement weather across the country is to blame.
Monday, dozens of passengers were stuck at Miami International Airport, just a day after Christmas.
"It's been awful because we have two kids and a handicapped in our party, so it's been horrible," said Heather Rivera, whose flight was canceled.
"We spent the day at the airport. It's aggravating, I felt bad more for the kids. It delayed us from getting home to see, you know, their family that they haven't seen in a few years," said passenger Theresa Weir.
Some travelers tell us airlines have offered them vouchers for their troubles, but one airline analyst says they're entitled to more.
"If your flight was outright canceled, you're owed a refund. There's no ambiguity about that. The airlines might try to give you a voucher but you can always ask for a cash refund," said David Slotnick, a Senior Airline Business Reporter for The Points Guy.
Slotnick says, unfortunately, passenger rights laws in the United States don't require airlines to pay for hotels or food for canceled flights, but there are some things you can do.
"Take the refund from them and if you can, if it's financially feasible for you, look into getting a different flight. Look at the credit card you used to book your ticket. A lot of credit cards actually have travel insurance built in. All you have to do is call the number on the back of your card, tell them the situation and they approve you for expenses," said Slotnick.
Slotnick also urges travelers to download airline apps to stay on top of any flight changes.