The winter woes are upon us and as storms grow fiercer and excuses grow longer, travelers are feeling the sting of cold weather and cold shoulders. Stress levels rise and airline service is put to the test during schedule disruptions. So what can you do?

There are things that you can do to minimize inconvenience and unwanted surprises. Think of it as packing your own snow (read stress) removal equipment when you know that weather may hamper your travel plans.

• On the sunniest day, farthest removed from your departure day, get prepared. Obtain a copy of the airline's conditions or contract of carriage and read the sections pertaining to delays, cancellations and overbooking. Travelers in Europe should also familiarize themselves with rule EC261/2004 which spells out compensation for cancellations by airlines from EU member countries.
• Keep in mind that delays due to weather are not a reason for airlines to dole out cash for compensation but you are entitled to certain minimum service levels. Some of these may include advance notification of the delay, acceptable alternate transportation, accommodations (EU carriers under most circumstances) or a refund of the unused portion of your ticket if you request it. Keep in mind that these are just some airline obligations that may apply and the rules differ by country and the type of schedule disruption (delay, cancellation). This is why it's best to keep airline policies and government regulations close at hand. It's one of the most pro-active things you can do.
• Expect the worst and be prepared for it. That means to anticipate the possibility that your flight may be cancelled and have alternatives ready as soon as you know that inclement weather will affect your schedule. Many airlines will let you change a restricted ticket one time if a known weather event will affect operations at the airline. Choose wisely, as this may be your only ticket change "freebie."
• Use airline Web sites to get notified of any changes to your flights via email, voicemail or text.
• Ask airline personnel about the aircraft you will be flying. Where is it coming from? Is it on its way? You can also do some detective work and check the airport monitors for any plane arriving at the same gate you will be departing from. This should give you a clue about an on-time departure. Aircraft rarely originate at your airport unless it happens to be very early in the morning so chances are that bad weather and an empty gate when your aircraft should be parked there could mean trouble ahead.
• For the Web savvy information enthusiast, check the flight status using IAPA's flight planning tool or go to the airline's Web site to determine the arriving flight that will turn into your flight. Some airlines are better than others at letting you know which flight will become yours. For those of you with smart phones like the iPhone or Blackberry, you can download applications or "apps" to your phone that will give you numerous ways to obtain flight information. Several airlines are offering these apps to customers. You can search for them by accessing your airline's Web site or your phone's "app store."
• If you wish to register a complaint with an enforcement body, you can contact the civil aviation authority for your country or a consumer protection agency or enforcement body. Many of their Web sites will guide you to a form for filing complaints. Below are some examples:
  
  
  • National Enforcement Bodies for EC261/2004 (Europe)
  • U.S. Department of Transportation Aviation Consumer Protection Division
  • Canadian Transport Agency
  • Australian Competition & Consumer Commission