Can you get a different flight if USAir changes your flight time?

[Nickymouse]

I took advantage of a good rate and booked our flight 11 months in advance. Now, with 6 months to go, the flight time is slowly becoming later and later in the day. I'm concerned that by the time Nov. comes, we'll be on a very late flight. I realize that I have a $100 penalty to make any change, but I was wondering if they allow a change(without charging) if the time of the flight becomes difficult for us.

[kidzmom3]

I am not sure how this would work but when our return flight home was cancelled by USAIR in October, they rebooked us onto an earlier flight when we preferred a later one. The let us change it with no problem, so it never hurts to ask.

[beattyfamily]

This website helps alot in explaining your rights in regards to schedule changes with your flight:

OneTravel.com (http://www.onetravel.com/advisor/AR_rules_Menu.cfm?SessionID=2B292522-3E53-11D6-8EB100D0B7924B57&DK=1000004028&LANG=English&Modules=Y|Y|Y|Y|Y|Y|Y|Y|Y|Y|Y|Y|Y&STYLE=4&Token=NULL)

[LucyStorm]

they changed my flight as well. All I did was call and tell them that the new time didn't suit, and they changed me to a time that did suit, as they are the ones that changed the flight originally.

Call them, it can't hurt to ask.

[seashoreCM]

If they cancel your flight they owe you a free change to a flight you like that still exists, subject to not being sold out but not subject to capacity controls or limited numbers of low fare seats.

If new flights are added later and youl like them bteter the airline really ought to allow you additional free changes to them.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

[seashoreCM]

If they cancel your flight they owe you a free change to a flight you like that still exists, subject to not being sold out but not subject to capacity controls or limited numbers of low fare seats.

If new flights are added later and youl like them bteter the airline really ought to allow you additional free changes to them.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

[Bill From PA]

This happened to us last year and we were told by USAir that unless the flight time changed by a certain amount, I think it was 2 hrs., they weren't obligated to switch us to another for free. You'll just have to call and ask.


Bill From PA

[KAMLEM]

Our return flight (Delta) was originally scheduled for 11:40 then changed to 11:10. Since this is for the day we get in from our cruise, 11:40 was already risky but 11:10 was just cutting it too close. Delta did not even tell me that the time changed, I happened to notice it while I was on the site looking for flights for another trip. They told me that they would change it to the 6:00 pm flight for no charge but I wanted it for the next day so I had to pay $50 for each ticket (4 in total). If I took the 6:00 pm, I would be stuck at the cruise terminal all day with no car (we planned on Tiffany Town Car for our trip to the Airport), all kinds of luggage and a 6 year old and an 8 year old. In addition, I had no transportation from our airport to our home at 9:00 at night. They didn't care, I still had to pay. I was always a loyal Delta customer but not anymore.

[Nickymouse]

Kamlem,
At this point, I'd be thrilled if the change in tickets was only $50. USAir charges $100 per ticket change. ($400 in my case!) I would love to move this late flight to early AM, but the USAir rep. that I spoke to told me that the flight had to be a major change (like 2 hours difference) for them to cover the charge of changing the ticket. I originally booked a late afternoon flight so that my kids wouldn't miss another day of school, and now I've found out that they have that day off. What really makes it worse is that they keep slowly changing the flight later and later as time goes by. I guess that's what I get for being a compulsive "early planner".

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Nickymouse
Kamlem,
At this point, I'd be thrilled if the change in tickets was only $50. USAir charges $100 per ticket change. ($400 in my case!) I would love to move this late flight to early AM, but the USAir rep. that I spoke to told me that the flight had to be a major change (like 2 hours difference) for them to cover the charge of changing the ticket. I originally booked a late afternoon flight so that my kids wouldn't miss another day of school, and now I've found out that they have that day off. What really makes it worse is that they keep slowly changing the flight later and later as time goes by. I guess that's what I get for being a compulsive "early planner".

You can always go to the airport and try to fly standby on an earlier flight. You might end up hanging around for quite a long time though if they can't get you on any of the flights. I've always had good luck flying standby as a solo pax, but it's been about 50-50 when it was more than just me. If they can get you on an earlier flight as a standby pax there won't be a change fee. There's no guarantee, and you probably won't know until about 15 minutes before the plane leaves. Also, they can tell you you're on, then pull you off at the last minute if a paying pax buys a ticket.

Anne

[Nickymouse]

ducklite,
Under normal circumstances, that would definitely be worth a shot, but this particular week is Jersey week, when all kids in the state of NJ have off a few days. It's almost impossible to get any flight out. That's actually the reason why I booked so early, but at this point, there seems to still be plenty of availability. Next time I won't be in such a rush to get those tickets.

[Nickymouse]

Just to update, I called USAir with every intention of paying the extra $100 per ticket to change the flight time, but the woman that I spoke to said that since they had changed the time of the flight, they would put us on one flight earlier at no additional cost. It's only 2 hours earlier, but at least I'm not arriving at WDW at bedtime!