You don’t recover. My folks bought WN tickets, best prices/time/nonstop. About 24 hours ago I hear about the tidal wave of Dec 26. They wake up today, in the terminal being told they will find a new crew just sit tight. Only to have the flight cancel, after departure time and too late to book themselves on a new airline. So they drive to a neighboring state, bought tickets on a Mexican carrier, and are doing an ambitious 10hr overnight at an airport hotel in Mexico to connect to their actual foreign destination. And flying spirit on the way home next week.

multiply that by probably 100 other families/groups, then by 2500 flights, for days. And it’s not even the first time they’ve melted down *this year.* big yikes.