No wonder the airlines are hurting.....

[RICHinNC]

Cal...I tried that idea and was on hold for 45 mins until the call dropped off.....yea...willing to work with a customer.

 

[scubamax]

OK ,here is one for you. I noticed that my skymiles card number was not on my Delta boarding pass while checking in for a flight. I asked the gate agent to put it in (gave him my number with a smile). He told me the computer would not accept it since my flight was booked with the title of "MR" before my name and the skymiles account did not match due to the lack of the "MR" on the card. They could not override this on the system and I was told to write Delta to see what they can do but in the future must have the EXACT SAME NAME INCLUDING "MR" on the record for future flight! Talk about making life difficult for a frequent flyer!

That airline is bankrupt in more ways than one.

Scubamax

 

[fdog]

If an airline makes a unilateral schedulue change that is unsatisfactory to you, you have multiple options including a full refund at your discretion (even of a non-refundable fare).

This is true; in most cases, if you haven't said the magic words "I'll accecpt the change", you can get alternate routing or a refund.

And if you really need some more help, www.flyertalk.com/ like this board is an excellent place to seek it (be sure to post in the forum applicable to the airline that is supposed to operate your flights).

As a FT'r myself, make sure you research your question! Patience for the clueless is even shorter at FT than here.

I have to agree with a prior post, US airlines have a loooong way to go; I flew SQ yesterday from KL to SIN. 45 minutes gate-to-gate, and they still got in a full breakfast, and, beverage cart. WOW! Here in the US, you'd have gotten an announcement about how short the hop was.

All the best, James

 

[RICHinNC]

i have flown AA before and I have no problems with the quality of the airlines. What torques me is I tracked a particular flight for two months....called AA and talked to a rep before purchasing my tickets...was told by the rep the flights were solid....booked the flights with him....and in one day they were changed.

While they may have the right...or to be more accurate...the POWER to change any flight they wish....people make plans based on the times they publish. And, if they are going to bait and switch....then booking early means nothing...

and to me...to publish a date way out knowing it isnt going to fly...no pun intended...is just unethical. WHAT???? A major USA company unethical???? Doh!!

 

[fdog]

<snip> He told me the computer would not accept it since my flight was booked with the title of "MR" before my name and the skymiles account did not match due to the lack of the "MR" on the card. <snip>Scubamax

I've had DL GA's change the spelling of my name before, right down to the Confirmation Number. The GA was either misinformed or taking something out on you.

All the best, James

 

[fdog]

I do feel your pain, Rich.

FWIW, if you fly enough (as you know), it will happen. I'm sure AA really thought the flight was valid when they sold the ticket.

Broken aircraft (not neccesarily on your route, they could have pulled the aircraft for another route), low volume, the every-3-months sked review & change, all could be why you have been handed this problem.

<shrugs> It just happened to me yesterday; I lost my comfy upper deck seat to an equipment change.

The trick is making the sked change work for you. Because they are forcing the change, the usual restrictions (the new fare has to be equal to the old fare) are not applicable, so push for the routing/sked you couldn't afford when you booked the ticket. Or escelate to a supervisor, and tweak an extra 5,000 miles out of them.

Sure sux, though. Sorry you have to go through it.

All the best, James

 

[cal776]

The trick is making the sked change work for you. Because they are forcing the change, the usual restrictions (the new fare has to be equal to the old fare) are not applicable, so push for the routing/sked you couldn't afford when you booked the ticket.

Exactly.

Except for the case where the airline changed -- or, even worse, cancelled -- the only flight of the day/week, an airline schedule change can usually be worked to your favor.

Pick another flight that you would have preferred originally, but was too expensive because seats in the cheaper bucket were zeroed out and asked to be placed on it.

Or re-route through another hub.

Or ask for a nonstop instead of a connection (or, vice versa).

Or ask for your date to be changed by a day in either direction.

Or ask for a routing on a codeshare flight or another alliance partner flight (i.e. for a Continental schedule change, see if you can be reaccommodated on Northwest or Delta).

Or take the last flight in to the airline's hub, overnight at an airport hotel (inexpensively through Priceline, if possible), and take the first flight out to your destination the next day.

Or see if their is a less expensive option on another airline at the time you learn of the schedule change and then get a refund from the changing airline and buy a replacement ticket on the cheaper alternate one.

As long as you do your homework, you can often win with a schedule change.

 

[vondo]

If you fly any airline internationally, the service is different, than a standard domestic U.S. flight (where you get NOTHING in coach, except a small bag of nuts, and a soda)

True, but many, many foreign airlines are so much better than U.S. airlines. There are also differences among U.S. airlines. Two examples:

1) American charges $5 for a beer or wine even on international. United will give you a free one with your meal. I doubt United still does the "all you can drink" on international routes, but if you want to pretend you are having a nice meal, they don't try to get every last nickel out of you.

2) Thai airlines, on a 1:20 flight, *domestically* will do a full drink and meal service. Yup, a hot meal on a super short flight. From wheels up to wheels down they barely have time to make it through the cabin, but they do it because they are proud of the service they offer.

U.S. airlines suck compared to the standard in much of the rest of the world.

 

[Kwbyron]

AA is my favorite of the US guys(havn't done international yet, well Mexico, but they were U.S.)...but then again, it's usually AA or SWA...whew, they have become a step above walking out onto the tarmac to get into some open-cockpit with a bungee cord for a seat belt in a rusted up plane. Last time I flew them...i truly thought the plane would go down, and it was in nice weather too... just rickety.

 

[sasscuba]

AA is my favorite of the US guys(havn't done international yet, well Mexico, but they were U.S.)...but then again, it's usually AA or SWA...whew, they have become a step above walking out onto the tarmac to get into some open-cockpit with a bungee cord for a seat belt in a rusted up plane. Last time I flew them...i truly thought the plane would go down, and it was in nice weather too... just rickety.

AA is #1, of course I am biased.