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'Distressed Traveler Rates' for Stranded Passengers in Need of Hotel Room

December 21, 2007 at 12:09 PM | 1 Comment

Smarter Travel has an interesting tip today about getting a "distressed traveler rate" at hotels near airports when your flight gets cancelled or delayed. Most often airlines will (and should) offer you travel vouchers or at the least, a list of hotels that give special rates to travelers that have been grounded. But that doesn't always happen.

So Smarter Travel suggests taking matters into your own hands.

But if availability is scarce or your carrier doesn't contract with local properties, you can call hotels in the greater metropolitan area to see if they offer similar prices. Call your preferred hotel's front desk directly, not a central reservations line. When calling, be sure to ask specifically for the "distressed traveler rate."

ST also recommends, if there's time, checking those distressed rates against a hotel's online rates as well as making sure the airlines compensate you in some way for the delay whether it be paying for a portion of the hotel room or offering some flight credits.

It's crazy stressful holiday travel times like these where we would be comforted knowing there's a Yotel or other capsule-like hotel in each airport.

[Photo: LunchtimeMama]