There is nothing worse than a canceled flight—except maybe taxes. It's especially upsetting when we've spent a lot of time and money planning a vacation and then, poof! The flight is not happening. Just remember that there is always a good reason, even if it's not immediately obvious.
Weather is a big one. An airplane cannot safely navigate in some weather conditions, like snowstorms, hurricanes, fog, strong winds, or even extreme heat! Airlines will do their best to put you on another flight, but they aren't penalized for grounding a plane for weather conditions. This means that if you lose money for missed connections, delayed check-ins, or extended stays, you aren't owed compensation. This is where travel insurance, or a credit card with travel protections, can really help.
Airlines might also cancel flights for security reasons, particularly if an airport you're flying from or to has any threats or scares. You should never leave your baggage unattended or joke about harm, and you should always report strange or suspicious behavior. The TSA says it's more common than people think to have foolish people make bad jokes or pull pranks.
Planes have mechanical problems, just like your car might get a ‘check engine’ light or flat tire. It is in everyone's best interest to ensure planes are tip-top shape to fly. Typically, mechanical problems only lead to inconvenient delays, but sometimes flights are canceled if the plane can't be repaired quickly and there isn’t another one available. Always check individual airline policies when faced with this sort of delay or cancellation. Since this is within the airline's control, they can rebook you, potentially upgrade, or compensate you. And always be kind to airline and airport staff. When you smile through the pain, people are more likely to do the same.
Missing crew or missing aircraft. Just as your flight can be delayed or canceled, if another flight (completely unrelated to yours) gets grounded, an aircraft and its crew might be stuck elsewhere, and you can’t proceed as scheduled. When this happens, don't panic. Chances are that the airline is already working to remedy the situation. They will be scrambling to find new planes or flight crew, so there may be a delay or two before they resort to canceling the flight. If you booked an early-bird ticket, you have many more options of getting put on a different flight versus being stuck overnight. However, airlines might still owe you compensation, if you know what to ask for.