Flight cancellations and problems are nothing new - it's just that there's a "new kid on the block" in terms of reasons. Airlines are well use to dealing with incidents and know it's in their best interest to look after their customers. I guess with a terror threat, they have to screen the passenger list more carefully as they get them through by other means, but they *do* get them through as rapidly as possible, and minimising inconvenience. It's called "customer service
.
The first time I had a flight cancelled on me, I was travelling with a child to the USA for Christmas, and the airline concerned [should I tell you it was BA ?] told everyone to go home and phone in for a re-booking - which they offered for 2 weeks later because "you bought a cheap ticket, sir". This was about 15 years ago, and the airline was newly privatised and still acted like a government department.
By contrast, my daughter had a flight cancelled on her a few years ago; she had probably paid less for the ticket than I had for my BA one, but they were well looked after, arrangements made, and she was "only" a day late home. On my way back from the USA just last week, there was a mechnical problem on the plane so we taxied back to the stand, another aircraft was obtained, and in the end we were only 4 hours late at Gatwick. These very rare delays get shorter!
I have already flown transatlantic 3 times in 2004, seen some of the increased security, and feel that the airlines really are looking out for their passengers these days. Still happy to fly (but exhausted from it) and also happy for the children to fly unaccompanied - direct flights, and an airline such as Virgin or JetBlue, please!