Tight connection on honeymoon

Q: My fiancee and I booked two roundtrip tickets on Orbitz to Auckland, New Zealand, for our honeymoon. The tickets are on American Airlines and Air New Zealand.

About a week ago, Orbitz sent me an e-mail saying that our itinerary had been revised. Two of the changes were minor ones – one to our outbound flight from New Orleans to Dallas, and one from Dallas to Los Angeles.

But there was one big change on our return from Los Angeles to Dallas. Instead of giving us two hours to connect from Air New Zealand to American, we now had only 35 minutes. That’s not enough time to get through customs and switch terminals.

No one can help us. Orbitz says it didn’t cancel the flight, so it isn’t responsible. Air New Zealand insists it’s off the hook, and that we would have had better luck if we’d booked directly through the airline. American has told us it is not responsible for problems that occur due to schedule changes.

At this point, it seems that the last three days of our honeymoon will be ruined, or that we may be out $2,500 if we have to rebook. Can you help?

– Matt McBride
New Orleans

A: Passing the buck is a time-honored travel industry tradition, and the more players there are, the more maddening it can be. But the bottom line is that all three parties are wrong, and you are right. You’re entitled to a reasonable itinerary. It’s just that simple.

But who should accommodate you? Should American offer you a later flight? Should Air New Zealand fly you to LA early? What about Orbitz?

If an airline reschedules your flight, you usually have two options: either accept the new flight or get a full refund. Few passengers will take the refund, and the airlines know it. Why? Because by the time a schedule change is announced, the flights on alternate carriers are either booked up or they’re too expensive.

Orbitz’ contract terms are vague at best. It warns that “schedules are subject to change without notice,” and suggests you might be entitled to some form of compensation under the Montreal or Warsaw conventions (those are international air travel treaties). But it doesn’t specifically address your situation.

Nevertheless, I think the ultimate responsibility is with the agent who sold you the ticket – Orbitz.

Remember, you’ve paid Orbitz a booking fee to act as your intermediary. For airline tickets, the charges range from $7 for domestic destinations to as high as $30 if a ticket has to be re-issued. (That’s more than some traditional travel agents charge.)

I find it interesting that there are travel agents out there – I’ve seen their postings online – who believe I should end each column with advice to use a travel agent. As if somehow, that would ensure the perfect trip every time.

But what if the agent screws up?

This bungled itinerary is a perfect case-in-point. You used an agent but still ended up with big-time problems. Orbitz pushed the blame on the airlines, failing to meet its obligations to you, the customer.

Isn’t there a difference between a virtual agent like Orbitz and a real one? In a case like this, the difference is inconsequential. Besides, real agents mess up, too. Just ask Leslie Read, whose “real” travel agent made him pay her debit memo last year.

Your mistake was focusing your grievance on three parties instead of one. If you had known that Orbitz was responsible for this, you could have pressured the agency and escalated your complaint until someone fixed it. Instead, you spent time griping to two airlines that probably couldn’t have cared less.

I contacted Orbitz on your behalf and it quickly rebooked your itinerary so that you could make your connection in Los Angeles.

Enjoy your honeymoon.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

Be the first to comment