American Airlines Flight 718 is the first commercial Boeing 737 MAX flight from the United States since November's 20-month grounded. It departs Miami, Florida on December 29, 2020.Major U.S. airlines eased ticket-change regulations for many Florida cities as Tropical Storm Elsa approached.According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, tropical storm conditions are expected to hit the Florida Keys and Southwest Florida on Monday night and Tuesday. According to NOAA, the storm's maximum sustained winds are currently at 65 miles per hour.American Airlines announced that it will waive any change fees on the most restrictive tickets and basic economy for all travelers booking to Tampa, Fort Meyers, Key West or Sarasota between July 7 and July 12, provided customers travel no later than July 12. After that, a fare differential would apply.Delta Air Lines offers a similar waiver to the same cities, allowing travelers to change their flights no later than July 10, and allowing them to do so until they are fully charged. These cities are also covered by United Airlines' waiver.These airlines eliminated ticket-change fees last year for standard economy bookings. This was done in an effort to increase sales during the pandemic. Southwest Airlines, a competitor, didn't charge any change fees prior to the pandemic.However, the airline's new policy doesn't cover basic economy tickets that are non-refundable or changeable.Airlines are often better equipped to handle tropical storms, hurricanes, and blizzards. They usually have advance warning and can cancel flights in time to avoid customers being stranded at airports or having crews sent out of town.Unpredictable summer thunderstorms can cause more disruptions. This is what carriers saw last week, when hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed due to busy holiday travel periods.
