Airlines Grant Extended Travel Relief for Los Angeles Airports

Airlines have prolonged travel waivers for airports in Los Angeles as wildfires persist in the vicinity.

American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways and other airlines servicing the region have suspended fees for flight modifications for passengers scheduled to fly to Los Angeles, while the city is contending with power outages, water limitations, and extensive harm to over 10,000 homes and other properties.

As of Friday, the local airports were functioning as usual, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware, though certain parts of the city remained affected by the wildfires. Power outages were noted across Los Angeles County, and residents in the devastated Pacific Palisades area were instructed to boil or utilize bottled water. Certain areas of the county were also still facing evacuation orders as firefighters worked to control the flames.

On Friday, American Airlines announced that travelers booked to or from Hollywood Burbank Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Ontario International Airport, and John Wayne Airport in Orange County can rebook at no extra charge or fare difference as long as they can travel by January 20.

Southwest indicated that the wildfires might impact operations at these airports and stated that customers can rebook within 14 days of their initial travel dates without incurring additional fees. They also mentioned that modifications can be made to alter their trips to other Californian destinations: Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, and San Diego.

Meanwhile, a Delta Air Lines executive remarked on Friday that flight sales to Los Angeles, one of the airline’s busiest hubs and a source of valuable business and leisure travel, have decreased.

“We track sales daily by region, and we have observed a downturn in sales, not a total decline or an increase in cancellations, but a downturn in sales during this timeframe,” said Delta’s president, Glen Hauenstein, during an earnings call, where the airline reported otherwise robust travel demand across its network. “Once this period concludes, we can likely assess how much this impacted us. However, I don’t anticipate it will significantly affect the quarter, hopefully not.”

Hauenstein noted, however, that following natural disasters, there is often a surge in demand due to rebuilding efforts.

“We sympathize with everyone impacted in Los Angeles,” he stated. “But from a long-term airline perspective, we have endured hurricanes, we have faced flooding, we have encountered all of that. Typically, the effects are present during the initial stages, followed by a recovery phase.”