At a Glance: How to handle a flight cancellation

Here's what you can do if your flight is canceled:

— Don't go to the airport.

— To avoid getting stranded at the airport, check your flight's status early the day you're flying, and again right before you head to the airport.

— If you're already at the airport when your flight is canceled, put your legs and fingers to work. Walk over to customer service. While there, dial the customer service number. Odds are you'll get help over the phone before reaching the front of the line. Still, in the case of Sandy, the best you might do is a cot, like those the Port Authority is promising to supply to stranded travelers.

— You can try asking for assistance via Twitter. Most airlines task employees with monitoring their Twitter feed. However, for this storm, JetBlue has requested that people in need of help call the airline. Other airlines could do the same.