“Airlines Respond to New Year’s Terror Incident in New Orleans with Travel Waivers”

U.S. airlines are providing travel waivers to individuals affected by the tragic New Year’s Day assault in New Orleans’ French Quarter. These waivers are designed to assist travelers in adjusting their travel arrangements after the early morning occurrence, which officials describe as an “act of terrorism” resulting in the deaths of at least 14 individuals and injuries to 30 more. Numerous college football enthusiasts in New Orleans to witness the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame experienced disruptions in their travel plans after the game was postponed for a day as a result of the attack.

The details surrounding the travel waivers differ by airline, but fundamentally, if you purchased your airline ticket to New Orleans prior to Jan. 1, 2025, and your travel window spanned from Jan. 1-3, 2025, you qualify for a travel waiver. Make sure to get in touch with your airline by Friday, Jan. 3, to facilitate the necessary modifications to your travel plans.

These waivers are particularly beneficial for the many fans who journeyed to New Orleans for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal match. Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, which transported numerous Georgia Bulldogs supporters to New Orleans for the New Year’s Day football clash, announced on its website that travelers can adjust their flight bookings without change fees, provided that the new ticket remains in the same class as the original reservation. The rebooked flight is required to depart by Jan. 6.

American Airlines and United Airlines similarly declared travel waiver policies for their customers who traveled to New Orleans.

Southwest Airlines permits customers to adjust their travel schedules within 14 days of their initial booking date for those with flights booked originally between Jan. 1 and Jan. 3.

Additionally, JetBlue declared it would be waiving fees for changes/cancellations and fare differences for affected travelers needing to rebook. If you secured a JetBlue ticket to New Orleans on or before Jan. 1, you can rebook without incurring additional costs for travel through Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.

Due to the ongoing investigation concerning the assault and the disturbance to the travel network, anyone flying in and out of New Orleans should anticipate extended delays.

This is not the first instance of airlines issuing waivers in response to terror-related events. In 2013, all U.S. airlines implemented waivers following the Boston terror bombings. More recently, international carriers, including American, Delta, and United, released travel waivers and halted flights to Israel after the Hamas terrorist attack in October 2023.