The travel agent who handled your ticket can help you find another flight. But if you booked directly with the airline or can't reach your travel agent -- not uncommon in different time zones -- you're going to have to sort it out on your own.
"It's routine for people in this situation to get wildly conflicting information," said Edward Hasbrouck, author of "The Practical Nomad" series on around-the-world travel.
Boyington, for instance, said a Varig agent in Manaus, Brazil, told him United, a partner in the Star Alliance, would take over Varig's canceled Sao Paulo-LAX route. That was wrong; Boyington was stranded two nights in Sao Paulo waiting for alternate flights. (He eventually flew to LAX by way of New York.)
The good news, Hasbrouck said, is that other airlines are "pretty good" about helping out when a carrier falters. Although it didn't take over the Varig route, for instance, United honored Boyington's revised ticket, flying him from New York to LAX at no extra cost, he said.
To help harried gate agents, Hasbrouck suggested, take charge of booking alternate flights. Get on the Internet or phone and look for other carriers that can get you to your destination. Then tell the troubled airline's agents which flight you want and ask them to certify that your ticket can be used on another airline.
"Make it easy for them," Hasbrouck said.
Boyington's advice, learned the hard way, was this: "Don't fly on a bankrupt airline."
Easier said than done these days.
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Jane Engle welcomes comments but can't respond individually to letters and calls. Write to Travel Insider, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012, or e-mail jane.engle@latimes.com.
