Comments on: 4 secrets to cope with airline cutbacks http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-secrets-to-cope-with-airline-cutbacks/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Wrona http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-secrets-to-cope-with-airline-cutbacks/comment-page-1/#comment-13893 Wrona Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:34:17 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5150#comment-13893 Don't wait until 2 weeks the flight before to check your booking. Check your flights at least once a week by logging into your reservation on the airline's website. This is important because if there is a schedule change or cancellation, the earlier you catch it, the more flight options you will have. We had a schedule change last fall, that by the time we caught it, the next best option was already full. Also, note above I said log into your reservation on your airline's website. Don't rely on the airline to notify you - be proactive. If you booked through an online agent like Expedia, don't rely on them to notify you either. And don't just look at the flight schedules, if you aren't logged into your reservation, you might have missed that your original flight was cancelled, you were rescheduled by the computer onto another flight, and then a few weeks later they reinstated your original flight but didn't switch you back to it (has happened to several people I know in the last few months). Don’t wait until 2 weeks the flight before to check your booking. Check your flights at least once a week by logging into your reservation on the airline’s website. This is important because if there is a schedule change or cancellation, the earlier you catch it, the more flight options you will have. We had a schedule change last fall, that by the time we caught it, the next best option was already full.

Also, note above I said log into your reservation on your airline’s website. Don’t rely on the airline to notify you – be proactive. If you booked through an online agent like Expedia, don’t rely on them to notify you either. And don’t just look at the flight schedules, if you aren’t logged into your reservation, you might have missed that your original flight was cancelled, you were rescheduled by the computer onto another flight, and then a few weeks later they reinstated your original flight but didn’t switch you back to it (has happened to several people I know in the last few months).

]]> By: Chicky http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-secrets-to-cope-with-airline-cutbacks/comment-page-1/#comment-13891 Chicky Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:08:14 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5150#comment-13891 Good comment, Carver. I too, tend to book directly with the airlines, rather than with a third-party. I check out the travel sites for hotel reviews, but whether I'm booking a flight, a hotel room or a rental car, I usually do it with the travel provider directly. Unless I get a really good deal on a car rental from Priceline. Other than that, I go directly to the source. And you're right. If you book with the company directly and you have printed out all the nice confirmation paperwork, then the company is responsible, no question. Period. Weaseling out of the contract of carriage becomes much more difficult when they made the booking to start with. Good comment, Carver. I too, tend to book directly with the airlines, rather than with a third-party. I check out the travel sites for hotel reviews, but whether I’m booking a flight, a hotel room or a rental car, I usually do it with the travel provider directly. Unless I get a really good deal on a car rental from Priceline. Other than that, I go directly to the source.

And you’re right. If you book with the company directly and you have printed out all the nice confirmation paperwork, then the company is responsible, no question. Period. Weaseling out of the contract of carriage becomes much more difficult when they made the booking to start with.

]]> By: Carver Farrow http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-secrets-to-cope-with-airline-cutbacks/comment-page-1/#comment-13889 Carver Farrow Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:48:46 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5150#comment-13889 I think there is a much better way to deal with airlines. Forget that Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz exists. Book directly with the travel provider and be done with it. As an avid reader of this column, I would say that 95% of the "I have no ticket issue" stems from booking with a third party provider. While you may save a few dollars, it seems to me that one mishap will wipe our your entire monetary savings. If I book a flight on AA and have my AA confirmation, AA will have the devil trying to tell me that I don't have a flight. But I book it with Expedia, now it becomes a legitimate question as who dropped the ball. Each side will point to the other. No thank you. I think there is a much better way to deal with airlines. Forget that Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz exists. Book directly with the travel provider and be done with it. As an avid reader of this column, I would say that 95% of the “I have no ticket issue” stems from booking with a third party provider. While you may save a few dollars, it seems to me that one mishap will wipe our your entire monetary savings. If I book a flight on AA and have my AA confirmation, AA will have the devil trying to tell me that I don’t have a flight. But I book it with Expedia, now it becomes a legitimate question as who dropped the ball. Each side will point to the other.

No thank you.

]]> By: Mark http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-secrets-to-cope-with-airline-cutbacks/comment-page-1/#comment-13884 Mark Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:30:09 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5150#comment-13884 Another beef I have is when the airline cancels your whole itinerary because it made you miss a connection. I had to rebook a five week trip around the world because understaffing made me miss my first connection. When I call, they tell me that since I was on the first flight but not the second, they had no way of knowing that I would continue my trip. Even though they had me confirmed for another flight the following day. It is the only industry that can take your money, your baggage, and your body and hold you hostage. Another beef I have is when the airline cancels your whole itinerary because it made you miss a connection. I had to rebook a five week trip around the world because understaffing made me miss my first connection. When I call, they tell me that since I was on the first flight but not the second, they had no way of knowing that I would continue my trip. Even though they had me confirmed for another flight the following day. It is the only industry that can take your money, your baggage, and your body and hold you hostage.

]]> By: Sebastian http://www.elliott.org/the-travel-critic/4-secrets-to-cope-with-airline-cutbacks/comment-page-1/#comment-13883 Sebastian Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:05:34 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5150#comment-13883 Maybe it's just me but I feel that when I make a booking with an airline and pay them the money we have made a contract. I agree to pay a fare and the airline agrees to take me from point A to point B. However if I want to change the dates of my flight I will be charged a very hefty fee. I will accept this IF the airline agrees to pay the same fee if they decide to change or cancel my flight. As a side note: I think it is very interesting to see the different level of service that I get from the same airline in different countries. An example is while an airline may charge me $150 plus the fare difference to change a ticket in the United States, the same airline will only charge $25 if I change the ticket by calling one of their offices in a foreign country. Maybe it’s just me but I feel that when I make a booking with an airline and pay them the money we have made a contract. I agree to pay a fare and the airline agrees to take me from point A to point B.

However if I want to change the dates of my flight I will be charged a very hefty fee. I will accept this IF the airline agrees to pay the same fee if they decide to change or cancel my flight.

As a side note: I think it is very interesting to see the different level of service that I get from the same airline in different countries. An example is while an airline may charge me $150 plus the fare difference to change a ticket in the United States, the same airline will only charge $25 if I change the ticket by calling one of their offices in a foreign country.

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