Tips for air travelers include:

--  Take advantage of alerts. When you purchase your airline ticket, sign    up for e-mail, voice or text message alerts to your cell phone to alert you    of flight status changes. Rather than providing your home phone number when    obtaining your ticket, provide your cell phone number instead so the    airline can contact you directly.--  Call or go online before leaving for the airport. Check the airline    website for delays or call the automated flight status number to ensure    your flight is not delayed or cancelled.--  Use your cell phone to save time. Program numbers for your airline,    hotel, car rental company, and your travel agent into your cell phone. In    case you need to change your flight, you can call your agent or the airline    directly rather than waiting in line at the ticket counter. Make sure you    have the phone number for whoever is waiting for you at the airport so you    can keep them posted about your situation. Be sure your phone is fully    charged prior to taking a trip.--  Use all contact methods available to you. If you're already at the    airport, get in line to talk to an airline agent, but continue to try to    contact the airline via your travel agent, directly over the phone, or via    Internet if you have Web access.--  Remain calm. With delays and cancellations affecting lots of    passengers, the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" maxim probably doesn't    apply. You'll increase your stress as well as that of those around you and    you'll probably get even worse service as a result.--  Contact the cancelling airline prior to rebooking on another carrier.    If your flight has been cancelled by an airline that is still in business,    that airline will attempt to re-accommodate you. If you book a ticket on    another carrier before contacting your original airline, it's possible the    original airline will not reimburse you for your ticket or give you credit    to use it at a later date.--  Know the limitations on your ticket. If your flight is cancelled or    delayed due to bad weather instead of mechanical issues, the airline's    contract of carriage does not require it to provide passengers with any    additional services.--  Pack for success. Check the Transportation Security Administration Web    site for the latest airport security and baggage rules. Bring portable    entertainment such as books, music or video games in case you are delayed.    Make sure you have prescriptions, credit cards, travel itinerary with    flight numbers, driver's license and/or passport, glasses, various    electronics chargers and security-allowed toiletries in a carry-on bag. You    also may want to pack food and snacks to bring with you in the event of    delay.--  Remember to ask about amenities. During extended flight delays,    airline staffs on the ground have the discretion to provide food and hotel    vouchers, phone cards and snack boxes, so make sure to ask.