Flight Canceled Due to Weather

[Afford]

Hi,

My flight to an interview has been canceled due to bad weather and the FAA fire and the next available flight is two days later. However, I can ride a bus for 25 hours and reach my interview before it starts for 230 dollars. Do you think it's worth riding a bus for a total of 50 hours to get to my interview or call the admissions office and try to get it rescheduled to later? I can also fork over $600 for a ticket that leaves tomorrow with a different airline.

 

[PlasticBag]

If you can afford it, I'd fly with a different airline tomorrow and try to get a refund for the flight that got cancelled. If not, I'd call to reschedule... I'm sure things like that happen to interviewees sometimes.
A 25h long bus ride with no quality sleep might make you feel not in the greatest shape...

 

[TactFR44]

Hi,

My flight to an interview has been canceled due to bad weather and the FAA fire and the next available flight is two days later. However, I can ride a bus for 25 hours and reach my interview before it starts for 230 dollars. Do you think it's worth riding a bus for a total of 50 hours to get to my interview or call the admissions office and try to get it rescheduled to later? I can also fork over $600 for a ticket that leaves tomorrow with a different airline.

If you can wing the flight then I would opt for that. Agree with the above poster about wanting a refund. Hope you can make it there and good luck at your interview!

 

[Microglia]

Tough situation.

Options:
Inform school of flight cancelation, they will likely find you a later interview date (a later date may decrease admission chances a little, depends how much later but probably neglible).

Ride the bus and get there on time. Be ridiculously exhausted and interview poorly, likely hurting chances significantly.

Drop a huge amount of cash for a new flight to make this interview date work.

I'd do #1 unless you're rich, in which case 3 is also good.

 

[mik30102]

I would just reschedule (they will understand I did the same thing). Like other people said unless your rich or want to torture yourself its not worth it.

 

[Afford]

I did get a refund, but the new plane ticket is 3-4 times higher than what I originally paid, so the refund is kind of useless. Yeah, I'm really just leaning towards asking the school b/c it's only their fourth interview date and I don't want to mess up because I'm tired after all the work I put in to get these interviews.

 

[NVO]

I did get a refund, but the new plane ticket is 3-4 times higher than what I originally paid, so the refund is kind of useless. Yeah, I'm really just leaning towards asking the school b/c it's only their fourth interview date and I don't want to mess up because I'm tired after all the work I put in to get these interviews.

The irony of your handle and this topic!

 

[Afford]

The irony of your handle and this topic!

Haha. If it comes down to it, I could afford to pay the $600, but I don't know if spending the extra money is worth the slightly better chance at acceptance.

 

[Afford]

Actually, I found another ticket for $434 at a reasonable time. Even though it's $300 more than I spent, would the school frown upon me for not trying to get a flight tomorrow? It's because the interview is actually on Saturday and they had a full day of clinical rounds/presentations on Friday, so Friday is optional. Bad weather is the reason why it was cancelled today and the reason for the next available flight being two days later is because I decided to go with a cheaper carrier that doesn't run as many flights as larger carriers.

 

[Microglia]

Either way, the school will understand. This stuff happens all the time. They certainly won't take "my flight was canceled" as a snub, they'll just reschedule you. It's totally your choice- but remember to breathe either way. It'll be fine.

 

[Flashfan]

Can you fly into an alternate airport and drive a few. Assuming you mean Chicago, check Indianapolis, Detroit, Milwaukee. Then hop a bus or train or shuttle.

 

[Winged Scapula]

You're overthinking this.

Call the admissions office first thing this morning, introduce yourself politely and state, "I was scheduled to arrive there on crappy airline X , flight number Y but it's been canceled. I'm having some difficulty making other arrangements and wondered if I could trouble you to look to see if there are any other interview dates available? "

They're not going to hold it against you. Otherwise I don't think it's worth it to take a bus (have you not considered renting a car?).

 

[Afford]

I thought about it and I just bought the $434 ticket. I really can't take that many more days off work b/c I will probably get fired, so it's best to do it now. If I get more interviews, I'll worry about getting fired later.

I was flying from O'Hare to Dallas, so renting a car would have been around the same price and I would have had to drive close to 2000 miles. :|

 

[Winged Scapula]

I was flying from O'Hare to Dallas, so renting a car would have been around the same price and I would have had to drive close to 2000 miles. :|

Fair enough - sometimes a "25 hour bus ride", with stops, is much quicker by private car. I wouldn't drive from Dallas to Chicago either.

 

[milski]

Keep in mind that if airline A has cancelled the flight due to expected bad weather, it is very likely that there will be disruptions in service for everyone and the flight from airline B can also be delayed or cancelled. You've already bought the other ticket, so at this point all you can do is keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Afford]

Keep in mind that if airline A has cancelled the flight due to expected bad weather, it is very likely that there will be disruptions in service for everyone and the flight from airline B can also be delayed or cancelled. You've already bought the other ticket, so at this point all you can do is keep your fingers crossed.

Actually it was delayed to 3AM and set to arrive at 11 AM after the interview started. Luckily, the people at Delta exchanged my flight for an American Airlines flight that arrives tonight at no extra charge.

 

[milski]

Actually it was delayed to 3AM and set to arrive at 11 AM after the interview started. Luckily, the people at Delta exchanged my flight for an American Airlines flight that arrives tonight at no extra charge.

Best of luck to you! Bad weather messes everyone up, so hopefully you'll manage to make it on time.

 

[snowflakes]

Just wanted to add in my experience re: cancelled flights and weather last cycle for others who may read this thread.

I had several flights cancelled due to weather last year, and ALL of the schools were EXTREMELY helpful in finding room for me to interview on a different day. They all told me not to stress or take any risks or extraordinary measures trying to get in. One school recruited extra interviewers for the next interview day so they could accommodate me even though they were originally full.There were even a couple instances where I was supposed to interview on the school's last interview day and couldn't get into the city. Two different schools created a new interview day because of the weather problems (remember if you can't get in, probably others are having weather problems too). One school I almost couldn't get too offered me a Skype Interview if I couldn't fly in (was able to get in eventually). If this happens, call the admissions office ASAP...leave a voicemail if it's after hours and follow up with them during business hours about your problem. Let them know EARLY so they can start making accommodations if necessary. Even if it's something indefinite like "There's bad weather in the area. Right now my flight is cancelled but I'm trying to get on a different flight. A lot of flights are being cancelled, so I'm not sure if I can get in. IF I can't get in, are there any other options?"

Anyway, glad it worked out for you OP! I remember panicking so much the first the time this happened to me, so I hope this may help others not to panic as much! Bottom line, don't stress. It'll work out, and schools will go out of their way to help you.