Airline Flight Changes

[ljbab728]

I find it interesting that someone might think this is a new or unusual problem.

http://newsok.com/what-to-do-if-an-a...ad_story_title

I've been in the travel business for over 20 years and this has been happening forever. One thing that isn't mentioned is that sometimes when the airline's computer rebooks you they might book you on a connection where the flight in the connecting city leaves before you arrive there. I've seen that happen countless times. The computers are only as smart as the people who program them.

[SkyWestOKC]

Another thing it doesn't say is, the firm schedules only go out for 2-3 months. After that, the only flights that are in the schedule are dummy flights. As in, just capacity holders. As the dummy flights get into the 2-3 month range from present, the airline will adjust it to maximize demand and allocate resources. Then it is considered firm and will not change (very rare) until the departure date. People book 6 months in advance, thinking they are saving a ton of time and money. But really, fares aren't any cheaper 6 months out as they are 1-3 months out. If anything fares are cheaper in the 1-3 month range than the 3+ month range. The reason is to discourage advanced booking that might end up costing the airline more money through refunds or flight changes.

Right now, at OKC. The dummy schedules on all airlines add up to about 80 flights. The first week of September is when the dummy schedule starts, leading up to then, we are at about 77-78 flights. Next week, the next schedule update will push the firm schedule to the 2nd week of September, if those dummy flights are selling rapidly, they will keep some of the flights in the dummy schedule, if not, they will trim the schedule and make it firm.

It's not a bait and switch. Read the contract when you buy a ticket. They are providing you travel on their company from Point A to Point B in exchange for the ticket you bought. The ticket doesn't guarantee the itinerary, it guarantees the contract to get you from A to B.

[mburlison]

I find it interesting that someone might think this is a new or unusual problem.

http://newsok.com/what-to-do-if-an-a...ad_story_title

I've been in the travel business for over 20 years and this has been happening forever. One thing that isn't mentioned is that sometimes when the airline's computer rebooks you they might book you on a connection where the flight in the connecting city leaves before you arrive there. I've seen that happen countless times. The computers are only as smart as the people who program them.

"computer programming" is only part of any potential 'computer' problem, the best software in the world can't overcome someone entering in bad data, in the case above, though your schedule may say one thing, there is no doubt that the tables the software is using is often not up-to-date, i.e, human error in 'data maintenance'.
that's not to say that software is perfect, but if an algorithm is 'that far off' it's usually not long before it's caught, "if" the error makes it out to the user's in the first place. It's all about the data...

[ljbab728]

People book 6 months in advance, thinking they are saving a ton of time and money. But really, fares aren't any cheaper 6 months out as they are 1-3 months out. If anything fares are cheaper in the 1-3 month range than the 3+ month range. The reason is to discourage advanced booking that might end up costing the airline more money through refunds or flight changes.

That is true to some extent but not always. As you should know fares change constantly and you never know for sure when is the best time to buy. One thing you do know, however, is that when want something like a schedule to Las Vegas, or Orlando, or Cancun with a return flight on a Sunday, you have to book as far ahead as possible. When you're looking for a flight schedule that is always heavily booked you just can't get better rates by waiting.

[betts]

Just make sure, if you have an abrupt cancellation and they rebook you on a different airline, that they have transferred your ticket number to the new airline. Twice in the last two years I've had a flight cancelled and have been rebooked on a different airline. When I arrived at the gate, they told me that although they showed me on the flight, the airline had failed to transfer the ticket number and they could not allow me to board. Once it resulted in me having to stay overnight in Dallas at my expense. The second time I missed the rehearsal dinner for a wedding I was attending. Just last weekend the same thing happened to my kids and they missed their cousins' wedding. All three times it was American rebooking us on a Delta flight. The Ombudsman at Conde Nast Traveler is about to hear our stories. Next time, I will not get off the phone with the agent without making sure my ticket number has been transferred.

[ljbab728]

Just make sure, if you have an abrupt cancellation and they rebook you on a different airline, that they have transferred your ticket number to the new airline. Twice in the last two years I've had a flight cancelled and have been rebooked on a different airline. When I arrived at the gate, they told me that although they showed me on the flight, the airline had failed to transfer the ticket number and they could not allow me to board. Once it resulted in me having to stay overnight in Dallas at my expense. The second time I missed the rehearsal dinner for a wedding I was attending. Just last weekend the same thing happened to my kids and they missed their cousins' wedding. All three times it was American rebooking us on a Delta flight. The Ombudsman at Conde Nast Traveler is about to hear our stories. Next time, I will not get off the phone with the agent without making sure my ticket number has been transferred.

Betts, if you are able to document that, you should be able to get some kind of compensation (travel vouchers) from the airline. Did you contact your travel agent for assistance? The airlines used to give you an actual physical voucher to take to the new airline that they book you on but now it's all electronic unfortunately and more difficult to track when mistakes are made. I'm sorry you've had that problem but I have to say in all of my years of experience in the travel industry that kind of thing is rare.

[betts]

My husband is my travel agent. Haha! He travels so much that he's a pro. No vouchers were offered at the time. In fact, very little sympathy was offered at the time. But, we're working on it.

[ljbab728]

My husband is my travel agent. Haha! He travels so much that he's a pro. No vouchers were offered at the time. In fact, very little sympathy was offered at the time. But, we're working on it.

Vouchers can be offered after the fact if you can convince the airline of the facts. Unfortunately you can no longer call the airlines and talk to someone in consumer complaints departments. It all has to be done by mail or email which makes it more difficult to get a sympathetic ear. I have airline contacts that I can actually call or email directly for assistance with problems. It doesn't always help but it certainly doesn't hurt.

I recently helped someone who mistakenly booked a flight from Fayetteville, Arkansas (NW Arkansas Regional) instead of Fayetteville, North Carolina. The airline in question didn't even fly to Fayetteville, NC. According to airline rules the airline had no obligation to do anything. I got them to agree to send them a voucher for future use for the amount of the ticket less a handling fee.