United and American Airlines Assist Customers Affected by Hurricane Isaac

Hurricane Isaac, the 9^th storm of the 2012 Hurricane season, is causing problems for travelers in the southeastern United States. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, but certain airlines like United and American Airlines are willing to help customers who need to change their travel plans due to the storm.

Some of the biggest airports around Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi are facing closures as hundreds of flights are being cancelled as Hurricane Isaac approaches. As a Category 1 Hurricane, Isaac, with maximum sustained winds currently as 75 miles per hour, is a real threat to the land and the skies. Travel is being affected as residents prepare to face Isaac's wrath.

United Airlines announced that several cities on the Gulf Coast will be covered under their flexible-travel waiver that was put in place as a result of Hurricane Isaac. Customers traveling to or from those cities during certain travel dates affected by the storm may reschedule their flights for a later flight up to a year from when the original flight was purchased.

United will waive the change fees, but dates and times can only be changed once. They are also allowing customers to request refunds of the original payment if they choose to cancel their travel plans. Those who wish to change or cancel their plans may go to united.com or call 800-UNITED-1.

This applies to certain cities in Florida, the Bahamas, and on the Gulf Coast. Those who had United flights booked to or from the following cities in Florida in the Bahamas between Aug. 24 and Aug. 28, may be covered under the flexible travel waiver: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Key West, Miami, Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg, West Palm Beach, Andros Town, Bahamas, and Bimini International, Bimini Bahamas.

Those who had flights booked to the following Gulf Coast cities between Aug. 26 and Aug. 30 are also covered: Baton Rouge, La., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Gulfport/Biloxi, Miss., Jackson, Miss., Mobile, Ala., New Orleans, Pensacola, Fla., and Tallahassee, Fla.

American Airlines has a similar system. For those who were scheduled to travel on an American Airlines flight to the following Gulf Coast cities between Aug. 27 and Aug. 30, with a ticket purchased no later than Aug. 27, may also make one change, free of charge. However the reschedules travel dates must be between Aug. 27 and Sept. 2. To change travel dates, contact an American Reservations representative at 1-800-433-7300 within the U.S.