View Full Version : ARGGH-Itinerary Changes
Zbonnie
02-14-2007, 10:13 AM
Anyone have some good advice (while I'm holding on for American Airlines) what to do when you've purchased your tickets already and then they change the itinerary in totally sucky ways? They now have me leaving for NOLA at 6:35 a.m. instead of 11:20, with a 4 hour layover instead of 2. On the way home, departure changed from 9:40 a.m. to 7:40 a.m. (you KNOW how important those extra 2 hrs. are) with a 2-3/4 hour layover!!
NYMAMA
02-14-2007, 10:19 AM
I have flown both AA and Air Tran and it has been my experience both times that they have changed the itinerary numerous times before the actual date. I don't have an suggestions just compassion for your dilemma. That is the very reason we are paying alittle more this year and flyng Jet Blue nostop. (i hope the don't change things up)
liz722
02-14-2007, 10:20 AM
call them and see if they have any other options available...continental did that once and they were able to fix it to our liking - can't hurt to ask :)
Zbonnie
02-14-2007, 10:34 AM
Well, right off the bat the agent saw that the rescheduling sucked and said it probably was done automatically using the same connecting city, St. Louis, which I couldn't care less about. So .... now on the way there, I'm leaving and arriving about the same time through Chicago and on the way home, leaving and getting in later (and avoiding rush hour). God, I don't even wanna think about how I'm gonna get up on Tues. 5/8 and go to work! :( I absolutely need to be there on Tues. & Wed. Maybe I'll be sick on Thursday.:cool:
NYMAMA
02-14-2007, 11:17 AM
Sounds like a plan to me
funkkjunkie
02-14-2007, 11:19 AM
Glad you worked it out, for now, zybon. Caffeine, go pills, whatever it takes.
Orleansnj
02-14-2007, 11:22 AM
Anyone have some good advice (while I'm holding on for American Airlines) what to do when you've purchased your tickets already and then they change the itinerary in totally sucky ways? They now have me leaving for NOLA at 6:35 a.m. instead of 11:20, with a 4 hour layover instead of 2. On the way home, departure changed from 9:40 a.m. to 7:40 a.m. (you KNOW how important those extra 2 hrs. are) with a 2-3/4 hour layover!!
Yes, you tell them that you bought tickets and paid a price for a specific schedule and it is their responsibility to honor that and not delay you. If you had known this would be a problem you would have gone with another carrier like continental, delta, northwest (or whoever their competition is in your market). Go on-line and check out the direct flight and tell them to put you on that because they're just jerking you around if you got a really good deal.
I've had this happen before and if you push back a little bit they tend to give in.
Zbonnie
02-14-2007, 11:47 AM
"Go on-line and check out the direct flight and tell them to put you on that because they're just jerking you around"
Now that would have been the smartest thing to do BEFORE calling the airline. Now my new itinerary is set, and I'm pretty happy with it. Next time, I'll check online first. Thanks for the advice, folks. (Of course it goes without saying that I wasn't just gonna meekly accept the original changes! I am a Jew from Noo Yawk, after all!)
Amy Winette
02-14-2007, 11:58 AM
We booked AA too, quite awhile ago, I've been getting changes about once a month. They are minor, but keep pushing our NOLA arrival time back, about a half an hour at a time . . .
UncleFester
02-14-2007, 12:21 PM
this happens often with AA- they have a policy that states they will change your flight with no charge if you have an itinerary change of 4 hours or more. but if you complain enough and give good enough reason they will change it regardless.
tangledupinblue
02-14-2007, 12:31 PM
We booked AA too, quite awhile ago, I've been getting changes about once a month. They are minor, but keep pushing our NOLA arrival time back, about a half an hour at a time . . .
They did the same to us last year. We had planned to get into Nola at 10:30 am so we could run straight to LMF but they delayed our flight by 2 1/2 hours. I am NOT a big fan of AA after they lost my luggage before having to leave on a cruise with only a pair of jeans, boots and a wool sweater. I was on my way to SUNNY COZUMEL!
General advice for this situation.
Before calling, check the airline website and find what flights will suit you better. Then call and ask for them. It should not matter if those flights are fuller or more expensive than what you had before or what they reassigend you to. Nor should connecting city matter, nor nonstop vs connecting. They should honor your preference.
If not, tell them not to do anything, you are still thinking about it, and will call back. Then call back and maybe agent #2 will be more helpful.
While they should offer any flight they have that you want, do not expect them to put you onto another carrier. Having said that, assuming the schedule change is non-trivial, option 2 is always to get a refund. In a case like Bonnie's, a 5 hour departure time change, the airline should refund your money (cash; do not accept a voucher) even on a nonrefundable ticket if they cannot offer a flight that suits you. Then book a flight yourself on a different airline.
But again, it's best to research all options before calling; it would suck to cancel the ticket only to find prices have gone way up since you purchased.
Once you call and agree to a new flight, you won't be able to call back again to pick a different one or to request the refund.
luvdancin
02-14-2007, 08:59 PM
I'm flying Delta and they have done the same thing to me. They have me arriving an hour earlier than my original schedule (that's OK), but they have me leaving an hour earlier on Monday--bad. Also, I like to fly BIG planes and my departing flight is now on a regional jet. That means a longer layover in Atlanta because there are only so many flights into L'burg (the middle of nowhere). But my biggest beef is that since they changed me, I can no longer pick my seats online. I was flying with frequent flyer miles and I guess they think that they can sit my big butt anywhere on the plane, but I always fly with window seats or else I am not comfortable. And I travel all the time for my job. Now I'm going to actually have to go out to our "sprawling metropolitan airport" and book my seats there instead of the convenience of doing it on my big butt at home. Very irritating.:mad:
tangledupinblue
02-14-2007, 09:05 PM
You may like this guy!!! HA HA
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o133/klsarge/imonfireax9.gif
luvdancin
02-14-2007, 09:07 PM
You may like this guy!!! HA HA
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o133/klsarge/imonfireax9.gif
How did you know how I felt????
mightyradgumbo
02-14-2007, 09:13 PM
Oh man, Bonnie. I am glad you got some of it resolved. They better not mess with my flight. I get to the airport in just enough time to catch the shuttle to my hotle and scoot down to grab some lunch @ central. Any variation and lunch plans are screwed.
I just checked, and mine has been pushed back 15 minutes. Actually happy about that, it means I may be able to drop my dog off at boarding that day (instead of the night before) and still get to the airport in time to check bags.
pokerchick66
02-14-2007, 10:50 PM
I just checked my itinerary and my car says we will be leaving as soon as I get off of work that day.
mightyradgumbo
02-14-2007, 11:13 PM
I just checked my itinerary and my car says we will be leaving as soon as I get off of work that day.
Brat:p ;) :D
pokerchick66
02-14-2007, 11:23 PM
Brat:p ;) :D
:D
Orleansnj
02-15-2007, 09:21 AM
I just checked my itinerary and my car says we will be leaving as soon as I get off of work that day.
I'm green with envy........but I hope you have an AMAZING trip !!!!
Goodness - one more sleep before you leave :D
pokerchick66
02-15-2007, 09:41 AM
I'm green with envy........but I hope you have an AMAZING trip !!!!
Goodness - one more sleep before you leave :D
ty, sweetie! Yes and I still haven't packed, lol.
Orleansnj
02-15-2007, 09:47 AM
Packing is over rated.....it's MG after all. Unless you plan to go to a ball one night - just put them clothes in a suitcase and keep on goin'.
Here's my list of must haves for you
1. aspirin for the hangover
2. bottled water - see above
3. vitamin for just before bed - whenever that may occur - see #1
4. jeans
5. sweatshirt/sweater
6. short sleeved shirt because it looks like mother nature is going to give y'all a 69 degree day on Fat Tuesday
7. a toothbrush
8. lots of dry socks
9. a pair of good tennis shoes that you don't give a damned about in case they get wrecked.
see - less than 10 things !!!:D
pokerchick66
02-15-2007, 10:02 AM
lol, you're so cute.
I'm only staying the weekend; driving back on Monday. No Balls, so it ought to be real easy to pack! Plus, I'll be staying at my mom's.
Orleansnj
02-15-2007, 10:10 AM
So fabulous then ! You've got a washer and a dryer - I think you just need to pack an overnight bag !! Woo hoooooooo!!!!!
funkkjunkie
02-15-2007, 06:26 PM
Poker, that's what my itinerary said too! For JF and MG!
Cleophus
02-15-2007, 06:41 PM
No Balls, so it ought to be real easy to pack!
Women have an easier time packing then men?
pokerchick66
02-15-2007, 06:43 PM
Poker, that's what my itinerary said too! For JF and MG!
Thank you, girlfriend. lol, that's what I'm talking about.
pokerchick66
02-15-2007, 06:43 PM
Women have an easier time packing then men?
ROFLMAO!
Amy Winette
02-15-2007, 07:54 PM
One more sleep and haven't started packing here either!
tangledupinblue
02-15-2007, 07:58 PM
I love the, "one more sleep" thing....who the heck gets any sleep before a trip like that? I can't keep my head in check at ALL!
stlbarb
02-15-2007, 09:43 PM
Anyone have some good advice (while I'm holding on for American Airlines) what to do when you've purchased your tickets already and then they change the itinerary in totally sucky ways? They now have me leaving for NOLA at 6:35 a.m. instead of 11:20, with a 4 hour layover instead of 2. On the way home, departure changed from 9:40 a.m. to 7:40 a.m. (you KNOW how important those extra 2 hrs. are) with a 2-3/4 hour layover!!
congrats. you've been screwed - and i doubt they'll send flowers.
stlbarb
02-15-2007, 09:46 PM
Yes, you tell them that you bought tickets and paid a price for a specific schedule and it is their responsibility to honor that and not delay you. If you had known this would be a problem you would have gone with another carrier like continental, delta, northwest (or whoever their competition is in your market). Go on-line and check out the direct flight and tell them to put you on that because they're just jerking you around if you got a really good deal.
I've had this happen before and if you push back a little bit they tend to give in.
you've actually won this battle with AA? in STL they're the only direct to many cities & they know it. sometimes we get the 'take your business elsewhere attitude" from them 'cause they know we're stuck.