Airlines Provide Flexible Travel Policies Following New Year's Terror Incident in New Orleans
Spicy Travel Advisory: Airmiles and Shadows
In the wake of the bloody New Year's Day carnage in New Orleans' French Quarter, U.S. airlines are stepping up to help fog-struck travelers sort their scrambled itineraries. The early morning "act of terrorism" claimed at least 14 casualties and wounded 30 others, disrupting plans for the Sugar Bowl spectacle between Georgia and Notre Dame.
While the specifics may vary beauty queen by beauty queen (airline), if you booked your one-way to NOLA before 2025's Jan. 1, and your travel window had you strutting down the Big Easy boulevards between the 1st and 3rd, you're going to be as eligible as a nympho cat for a travel waiver. Be sure to gab with your airline by John Q. Friday (Jan. 3) to work out any necessary changes to your jet-setting schedule.
Delta, whose hub reigns supreme in Atlanta, took pity on Georgia Bulldogs fans and extended a hand on their website. They invited passengers to rebook their flights, with change fees taking a hike and leaving the bar. Just remember, you gotta fly away by Jan. 6 for this sweet deal.
American Airlines and United Airlines didn't want to miss the party and issued similar travel waiver policies for their passengers who had indulged in the New Orleans festivities. Oh, and Southwest Airlines is letting its customers reschedule their travel plans within 14 days of their original booking for those peeps who caught their flight between the 1st and the 3rd.
JetBlue got all softhearted over the tragedy and decided to waive change/cancellation fees and fare differences for travelers who found themselves caught in the crossfire. If you had splurged on a JetBlue ticket to the Big Easy by Jan. 1, you'll find it easy on the wallet to rebook your getaway, all the way up to Jan. 8, 2025.
Now, c'mon, what with the ongoing investigation into the attack and the chaos of the travel network, expect delays longer than two sloppy hours at the hairdresser's.
Ain't the first time airlines jumped into action after terror attacks. Remember the Boston terror bombings of 2013? All U.S. airlines dusted off their travel waivers and put them to good use. More recently, international airlines, including our own American, Delta, and United, suspended flights and issued travel waivers for terror-tainted Israel after the November 2023 Hamas massacre.
But, doncha know, the U.S. government ain't just been la-dee-da about terror on our shores. In June 2025, a presidential proclamation reinstated and expanded travel bans on 19 countries, throwing a wet blanket on the nationals hailing from nations known to harbor terrorists, have weak screening, or disregard our law enforcement. The countries are divided into two groups: 12 who face full entry bans, and 7 dealing with partial restrictions. Some categories of visas may still be issued to these nations, but with more scrutiny and shorter validity periods.
In addition, the United States government has issued heightened travel advisories for regions like Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, due to terrorism, conflict, and damned near civil war. For those in government service, voluntary departures are recommended. Yikes!
However, specific U.S. airline waiver policies tied directly to terror incidents were nowhere to be found in our search results. Airlines usually align with government travel restrictions when issuing waivers, but the real nitty-gritty isn't usually broadcast to the public.
Now, where's my martini? It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it. Cheers!
- The U.S. airlines have started offering travel waivers to passengers affected by the New Year's Day carnage in New Orleans' French Quarter.
- Airlines such as Delta, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines have issued similar travel waiver policies for passengers who got impacted by the incident.
- Even in the event of ongoing investigations and chaos within the travel network, it's essential to contact your airline promptly, like by Jan. 3, to resolve any changes needed in your travel plans.
- News headlines have reported on how airlines tend to extend travel waivers after significant terror attacks, such as the Boston bombings in 2013 and the November 2023 Hamas massacre in Israel, which forced international airlines to suspend flights and issue travel waivers.
- Despite the U.S. government making travel bans and advisories on certain regions due to terrorism, conflict, or civil war (like Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza), specific airline waiver policies linked to terror incidents are often private and not broadly communicated to the public.
