Airline Reservation Changed

[lost*in*cyberspace]

.....

I urge anybody with airline problems to read the Conditions of Carriage before contacting the airline. It doesn't take a lawyer to read them.

You mean the Contract of Carriage.

I did read the Contract of Carriage for United, but couldn't find an exact change time needed for a free flight change. I assume it is covered by Rule 24. Can you post where you found this?

 

[Jestocost]

Actually, every airline must do this. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to refund a ticket if significant changes have been made to the flight times, even if the ticket has been described as nonrefundable. See http://airconsumer.dot.gov/rules/20010925.htm.

In addition to the points already made, it's important to note that a refund only is an advantage if there are other flights you can book at a reasonable costs or if you are willing to cancel the trip completely or make other transportation arrangements. If you are going on the trip no matter what and you have to fly out of a given airport, a refund is useless if there are no other options or if they are significantly more expensive.

So, yes, most airlines would provide a refund to someone in the OP's situation, but getting a refund may or may not be worthwhile.

 

[MBELSANTI]

I had thought I read in United's contract that the time limit was for 2 hours or more. But he did agree to change for me free of charge..but that could be because both legs were changed and the leg coming home went from non stop(3 hrs) to 1 stop and 5.5 hrs.

 

[nemofans]

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I mentioned earlier about the airline Delta changing our arrival airport on us, so now we have to fly into OHare instead of Midway going home. Well, I was reviewing the new flights home they booked for us & they screwed it up. They have us flying to Atlanta & then put us on a flight from Atlanta back to Chicago a MONTH later!!! Our connecting flights are a month apart! So I called Delta & the rep thought it was silly how that was booked. She changed us to the right flight home, but now there aren't enough seats for us to sit together. Just very annoyed right now...

 

[MBELSANTI]

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I mentioned earlier about the airline Delta changing our arrival airport on us, so now we have to fly into OHare instead of Midway going home. Well, I was reviewing the new flights home they booked for us & they screwed it up. They have us flying to Atlanta & then put us on a flight from Atlanta back to Chicago a MONTH later!!! Our connecting flights are a month apart! So I called Delta & the rep thought it was silly how that was booked. She changed us to the right flight home, but now there aren't enough seats for us to sit together. Just very annoyed right now...

I know it is very annoying when that happens. I am not sitting next to my son either...unless I want to pay another $39 per person to upgrade to the front of the plane....if I wanted to pay extra, I would have booked it that way to begin with!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I mentioned earlier about the airline Delta changing our arrival airport on us, so now we have to fly into OHare instead of Midway going home. Well, I was reviewing the new flights home they booked for us & they screwed it up. They have us flying to Atlanta & then put us on a flight from Atlanta back to Chicago a MONTH later!!! Our connecting flights are a month apart! So I called Delta & the rep thought it was silly how that was booked. She changed us to the right flight home, but now there aren't enough seats for us to sit together. Just very annoyed right now...

While that error is ridiculous: you caught it, Delta fixed it, the person who made it human, humans make mistakes, and if you've never made a mistake in your life that inconvenienced someone else, I'm genuinely in awe of you.

Your party will be on the same airplane, i.e. the same enclosed, secured container but not all in adjacent seats - for, what, three hours? Four hours? Maybe when the seatbelt sign is off the adults can do a seat swap to check on the kids?

 

[maxiesmom]

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I mentioned earlier about the airline Delta changing our arrival airport on us, so now we have to fly into OHare instead of Midway going home. Well, I was reviewing the new flights home they booked for us & they screwed it up. They have us flying to Atlanta & then put us on a flight from Atlanta back to Chicago a MONTH later!!! Our connecting flights are a month apart! So I called Delta & the rep thought it was silly how that was booked. She changed us to the right flight home, but now there aren't enough seats for us to sit together. Just very annoyed right now...

I'd be a bit annoyed too. However, you can still check at the gate when you go for your flight and see if they can move your seats around. We have had them do that for us before, after they moved us to a different flight. It is worth a shot.

 

[canopynut66]

Hi,

I am so upset. I booked a non stop flight on United to MCO from O'Hare and I just received a change of flights. So I was a little miffed that instead of landing at 9:45PM now it is 11:30PM. When I went to the website to check it out, they also changed my flight home to have a layover in Dulles. So instead of 3 hour flight, it is now 5 1/2 hours. Do I have any recourse? Am I stuck with the crappy flights or have to pay $150 pp fee plus any other changes in fare price? Please help I am so upset!

when airlines change your flight times you have a chance to change your flight with no fee's. Know this to be true with air tran...good luck.

 

[goofy4tink]

Actually, every airline must do this. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to refund a ticket if significant changes have been made to the flight times, even if the ticket has been described as nonrefundable. See http://airconsumer.dot.gov/rules/20010925.htm.

when airlines change your flight times you have a chance to change your flight with no fee's. Know this to be true with air tran...good luck.

The problem is that there is no one ruling for all the airlines. And it can even changed depending on the agent you get on the phone. Some airlines will allow you to change your flights due to a 30 min change for no addtl charge, while others will charge you to make a change if the airline made a change of less than 2 hrs in your original flight. There is no consistency. And there should be.

 

[Hannathy]

I know it is very annoying when that happens. I am not sitting next to my son either...unless I want to pay another $39 per person to upgrade to the front of the plane....if I wanted to pay extra, I would have booked it that way to begin with!

Just know going into it that you won't be sitting next to him because you chose to not pay. So don't expect others to move for you. If you are ok with this then great but just be fine with it if you accepted it.

 

[kda]

.......... but now there aren't enough seats for us to sit together. ...

Keep checking your reservation on line ----- most airlines give you access to change seats on line (although I haven't flown United for a couple of years so can't remember if they do or not). People change/cancel flights and seats open up, especially the last few days. Some upgrade with frequent flyer points and this opens up seats. If something opens up and you can't make the change yourself, just call United. Good luck!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I know it is very annoying when that happens. I am not sitting next to my son either...unless I want to pay another $39 per person to upgrade to the front of the plane....if I wanted to pay extra, I would have booked it that way to begin with!

If you are speaking about United, you aren't paying extra to sit closer to the front of the plane, you're paying for Economy Plus seating, which gives you extra legroom.

I agree that you should keep checking the seatmap; there's a good chance seats will open up, especially close to flight date when elite FFs get upgraded.

 

[nemofans]

I will keep checking. Thanks! At this point at least I have 2 seats together so my 3 yr old can sit with me.