Who is bumped on cancelled flights?

Confused on something...brother is due to fly out of Manchester NH WED for our cruise on Sat in New Orleans. IF they can't do his flight because of the storm...do passengers from HIS flight take the next available flight out and are THOSE passengers wait listed OR is HE wait listed till they find room? Am I making sense? Never been in this situation so not sure how it works! thanks to all you savvy flyers!

He gets wait listed. They don't bump passengers off flights that are operating to accommodate passengers from an earlier flight that was cancelled.

I was afraid of that:(:( thank you! here's hoping they get Manchester cleaned up before noon wed

If he could get out to anywhere tonight, he should! This mess is going nowhere by Wednesday if the forecast is even sort of right. Hope he has travel insurance. Planes fly so full these days that there is not much hope of getting a seat. Tell him to be as flexible as possible and think out of the box -- like go to Miami and over to New Orleans in another flight or try JAX (Jacksonville) or Nashville and then on to New Orleans. Sorry you got into this mess.

I too would strongly suggest he leave today. Once his flight is canceled- it's going to be a matter of getting out in open seats, which out of Manchester, isn't going to be many. It also will go by status and check in time and likely will take days. Even more trouble, if flights before his have been canceled as most of those will be higher on the list.

Frankly, the only sure way to get there is to drive, I had to do so several years ago to get my son back to school. No problem doing it over 2 days, from NY. But, then your return flight is canceled if you booked a round trip.

Good luck.

Confused on something...brother is due to fly out of Manchester NH WED for our cruise on Sat in New Orleans. IF they can't do his flight because of the storm...do passengers from HIS flight take the next available flight out and are THOSE passengers wait listed OR is HE wait listed till they find room? Am I making sense? Never been in this situation so not sure how it works! thanks to all you savvy flyers!

Thanks all!!! Pretty sad...hardly any winter and now this storm just in time for vacation! Southwest told him they SHOULD be going tomorrow, but u know how THAT goes. Only 23 hrs driving..I would SO be on the road..assuming THOSE are open😞😞

Frankly, the only sure way to get there is to drive.... But, then your return flight is canceled if you booked a round trip.

 

Good luck.

Under the circumstances, there's a good chance the airline would allow him to change his ticket to a one way for the return, IF he was inclined to rent a car and drive down there on the front end. When massive storms like this have a significant effect on air travel, the airlines (IME) are very willing to make any reasonable change that will accommodate someone. After being screamed at by countless dozens yammering about "when are you going to get me rebooked? huh? huh? tell me now!" if someone calls and says "hey look, I know this isn't your fault and I can actually drive where I'm going so you don't need to rebook me on this end, but I'd like to still fly home, can we do that?" they will probably find a very relieved (not to be getting screamed at AGAIN) rep on the other end who will work with them very happily.