Flight delays and cancellations are a fact of life for frequent flyers — even more so if you’ve passed through a major hub like Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

You’d be hard pressed to find many folks who make it out of O’Hare without at least some delay. I’ve had my share over the years, but I just experienced the strangest cancellation yet. My Alaska Airlines flight taxied to the runway, accelerated… and promptly blew two tires.

We came to a halt and spent hours on the runway while a plan came together. An inconvenience? Sure. But how you respond in the moment could save you time and money.

So what do you do? Not long after we stopped, I texted Alaska Airlines support. Within 15 minutes, I was chatting with an agent while still in my seat. We’d likely not be flying again until morning, so I asked for my flight to be rebooked.

• Acting early matters — soon, more than a hundred passengers could be trying to do the same. Alaska reserved me a seat on the first flight out the next day.
• After more than three hours of being immobile on the runway, we were deplaned, whisked onto buses, and returned to the terminal — and Alaska canceled the flight and began rebooking passengers.

Plan for the Unexpected

Popping a tire on your car is unfortunate. On a plane? Pretty rare and wildly unlucky — but better on the ground than in the air. Here’s what to keep in mind next time something throws your trip off course:

• Seek help from support: Your pilots, flight attendants, and gate agents likely know as much as you do — get rebooking help via support chats or by calling the airline.
• Keep your receipts: Airlines are not always required to reimburse you or provide you with accommodation in certain situations, but in the event they are — like a maintenance problem — hold onto receipts and follow company policies for reimbursement.
• How you book matters: If you do book a flight, do so on a card that has travel delay or cancellation insurance — it will help cover expenses if the airline can’t (or doesn’t have to).

The round-up: It never hurts to ask what the airline can do for you. In my case, Alaska was already handing out travel credits before anyone asked. When trips go sideways, a little hustle can save hours of hassle.