Better Ask Barry: Travel tips during SFO construction

Construction work began Saturday on the main runway at San Francisco International Airport.

As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 2,000 flights had been canceled.

The ripple effect has spread to Monterey, where three flights between Monterey and SFO have been cancelled.

The number may be small (unless you happened to be booked on one those flights) but it represents how widespread the problem is.

Service from Monterey Regional Airport to SFO is provided by United Airlines – two departures and two arrivals a day.

Short-haul flights like these will be disrupted, but passengers arriving from San Francisco today say the connecting flight to Monterey was the least of their worrries.

“It was crazy. I was supposed to come in from Atlanta on two flights. Instead, they change it to three. ‘Totally changed my flights,” said Bridgit Darden, who was diverted to Houston before arriving in San Francisco.

If you are booked on a future flight, the best tip is to contact your carrier and check on the flight’s status.

Most airlines will allow you to re-book your flight at another time, or through another airport like Oakland or San Jose, but there is often a hefty charge to do so.

Some airlines have indicated that they will waive the fee, but it varies by carrier and is often handled case-by-case.

During construction, officials at SFO suggest travelers book early morning flights that depart before 9 a.m..

There will be construction vehicles entering and exiting the airport, so allow yourself ample time to get around.

Some final tips: It’s a good idea to sign up for push notifications from your airline.

If you go to Google and enter your airline and flight number, you’ll get an update on that flight’s status.

A third option is travel insurance, which can cover some of the costs of food, hotel or transfers if you get stuck.