Winter travel brings with it special challenges.  The obvious one is snow, but it isn’t the only issue to contend with.  Blizzards have already battered the Midwestern United States, and more inclement weather is expected, especially now that winter season is officially upon us.

Remember, as soon as flights begin to cancel due to weather, there will be fewer open seats in flights that are still running.  This is particularly important to keep in mind because airlines have been cutting the number of flights to individual destinations and keeping the remaining flights relatively full.

A year or so ago, a snowstorm hit New York, and my flight to London was cancelled after I was already comfortably on board.  It took an hour for the airport to plow a path for us back to the gate, and I exited the aircraft with my pillow and blanket from first class, as well as a meal, not knowing what I’d find at the airport, which had been shut down while we were on the tarmac.  Instead of going home, I waited out the storm and ended up on one of the first flights out 24 hours later.

Here’s what you can do to minimize delays when problems due to weather arise.

Travel to Your Destination Early
If you absolutely, positively have to be somewhere on a specific day, don’t leave anything to chance.  Plan to arrive at least one day early, if not two.  If you’ve already booked your flight, you can still change your reservation, although most airlines charge a hefty fee. But that’s better than not going at all.  If you change your flight for an earlier flight on the same day, the fee is usually lower, and airlines typically waive the fee completely for elite members of their frequent-flyer programs.

If the Storm is About to Hit
In February of this year, practically every major U.S. airline waived change fees and other restrictions for travelers impacted by a massive winter storm.  If you find you cannot travel due to weather, and it’s close to departure time, check if the airline has issued a waiver, which will allow you to make changes or cancel without incurring any fees.

Take a Train
While trains aren’t completely exempt from winter weather cancellations, they still tend to be a more reliable means of transportation than planes when bad weather hits.

Stay Informed
Make sure you are enrolled to receive flight alerts from your airline, and check the weather forecast frequently, as many storms that are forecast turn out to be much ado about nothing.

Consider using a service such as Expert Flyer, which gives you the same information airline agents and travel agents have access to, to check availability on other flights.  If a storm is impacting travel en route, but not at the departure and arrival points, ask about alternate routes.

Go Online
When flights cancel, most passengers simply get on line to get rebooked.  Skip the line and turn on your laptop, tablet or smartphone, and do the legwork yourself.  While everyone else is standing on line for an hour or two, you might be able to rebook yourself in minutes.  You can also try making requests via Twitter, but, while social media tools promised quick results when only a few travelers were using them, some passengers report long delays in responses now.  Alternatively, if you are an elite member of the airline’s frequent-flyer program, call the secret number for the program and make sure to enter your frequent-flyer number so your call is routed correctly.

Keep Track of Local Issues

As I write this, a strike by airport security staff in France is about to enter its seventh day.  The strike has caused numerous delays and cancellations of as many as 30% of flights at some French airports including Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle Airport and Lyons.  Transiting via Charles-de-Gaulle may at best be time consuming and at worst, next to impossible.  The Internet makes it possible to read up on local news before you leave home and, while you can’t read everything, browsing headlines could very well make the difference between getting there and getting stuck.

If You Do Drive
If part of your trip is by car, make sure you have the appropriate tires (in many regions, local laws require winter tires at this time) and keep extra supplies on hand including a fully charged mobile phone, ice scraper and brush, blankets, at least one flashlight, a battery-operated radio, and several bottles of water.

Air China will operate the flights four times weekly using A330-200 aircraft.  The new flights will be in addition to Air China’s current London Heathrow service.

BAA, in a letter to all airlines operating at Heathrow, called on the airlines to reduce passenger traffic by 50%.  “Modelling of the impacts of strike action on passenger flows at Heathrow show that there are likely to be very long delays of up to 12 hours to arriving passengers,” said Normand Boivin, BAA’s chief operating officer.  “The delays at immigration are likely to be so long that passengers could not be safely accommodated within the terminals and would need to be held on arriving aircraft.”

The unions are protesting the government’s plans to force them to retire later and contribute more to their pensions.  Heathrow is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest in the world.

The remaining cities in the top 10 are London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Beijing, in that order.

The study cites ICT-based applications such as e-government and smart transport systems as ones that can improve people’s lives

The top three cities have invested extensively in ICT.  Areas that the cities have addressed include healthcare and traffic-congestion management (Singapore) and the environment (Seoul).

A quick note on getting there: anyone who takes a cab from London Heathrow (or Gatwick as well) into London proper either has money to burn or a very fat expense account.  The Heathrow Express is totally the way to go.  Splurge for first class if you have to, but it’s the fastest, most economical way to get in from the airport.  If you’re light on luggage you can take the Piccadilly line straight to the Green Park tube station.

THE ROOM

Upon arrival I was upgraded to a Deluxe room – which is slightly larger than their regular Superior rooms. After a nearly 10 hour flight from California the most important thing I was thinking about after a busy afternoon was getting a decent night’s sleep.   The room features a very comfortable king-size bed with luxury linens and double paned windows, so while London moves around outside it’s absolutely silent inside.

The bathroom was fantastic – appointed in Sicilian marble – and included both an enormous tub and separate shower. I also appreciated the hotel’s interest in being environmentally friendly by offering bath products in large containers.  My only complaint might have been that the shower doors don’t reach completely to the floor so I was always concerned I would flood the bathroom floor…but I didn’t.

ROAD WARRIOR SUPPORT

In addition to the plush furnishings the room also had a comfortable, ergonomic work space where I could easily get online while enjoying a lovely view outside my window.  Getting on the May Fair’s Wi-Fi, which is complimentary I should mention,  was supremely easy – no passcode needed – and I never had a problem with my connection.  The hotel also features a small business center, though the PCs are a bit on the antiquated side, where I could print out documents at no charge.

DINING

A full English Breakfast was included as part of my reservation, but I couldn’t fathom eating that much food first thing in the morning.  Luckily I had other options – I could order a la carte at the May Fair Bar or order room service (for which there was an extra charge).  My second morning I opted for room service, and put in the call just before I went to bed. I asked for delivery at 10AM and at 9:50 had a knock on my door.  My egg white omelette was cooked perfectly.

In the evenings, the May Fair Bar is worth a visit if only for the great people watching.  It was recently judged the ‘Best Hotel Bar in London’ by readers of the Guardian and London Lite, and it’s not uncommon to spot footballers (English soccer players) and other celebrities hanging out. They offer gourmet bar food and bespoke cocktails; indeed there I had one of the best Pimm’s cocktails ever.

BOTTOM LINE

The May Fair offers that hotel experience that combines the best of modern amenities and conveniences with classic décor and comfortable furnishings.  The customer service was fantastic between the call I received after I checked in to make sure I was happy with the room, to the helpful concierge who pointed out the nearby M&S Food where I could buy flowers.  The May Fair’s location too – steps from Piccadilly and the Ritz Hotel and Fortnum and Masons (for a spot of afternoon tea instead of an espresso) – and fantastic shopping too, balances out the usual rush of a business trip.   If I have any regrets it is that I didn’t have time to try their spa.  I’m looking forward to returning.

The May Fair
Stratton Street
London W1J 8LT England
www.radissonedwardian.com