Airtrain major flight time change, direct flight now stops in Atlanta!?

[cadek]

In August I booked my flights for my January trip. Nonstop from Philadelphia, leaving 1/22 at 8:05 AM and return flight 1/30 at 6:21 PM.

I just received an email that my flight itinerary has changed. Instead of leaving at 8:05 AM I am now leaving at 6:55 AM. My return flight changed from 6:21 PM to 7:50 PM with a stop in Atlanta!

I booked a flight for my Mom about a week after I booked ours, but she was on the same flights. I paid for seat assignments. Now I checked her flight (didn't receive an email about hers) and her 1/22 flight has now been changed to 5:55 AM with one stop in Atlanta (not the same flight as ours) and the return flight changed like ours.

Can they do this? I'm hoping it's some kind of mistake. I'm fine with some time changes, within reason, but now my non-stop flight has a stop in Atlanta!

I've always had smooth flights, so I have no experience with this. Do I call or wait it out? I took a look at flights for then and the prices are extremely high now and there are very few, which seems odd.

 

[dudspizza]

In August I booked my flights for my January trip. Nonstop from Philadelphia, leaving 1/22 at 8:05 AM and return flight 1/30 at 6:21 PM.

I just received an email that my flight itinerary has changed. Instead of leaving at 8:05 AM I am now leaving at 6:55 AM. My return flight changed from 6:21 PM to 7:50 PM with a stop in Atlanta!

I booked a flight for my Mom about a week after I booked ours, but she was on the same flights. I paid for seat assignments. Now I checked her flight (didn't receive an email about hers) and her 1/22 flight has now been changed to 5:55 AM with one stop in Atlanta (not the same flight as ours) and the return flight changed like ours.

Can they do this? I'm hoping it's some kind of mistake. I'm fine with some time changes, within reason, but now my non-stop flight has a stop in Atlanta!

I've always had smooth flights, so I have no experience with this. Do I call or wait it out? I took a look at flights for then and the prices are extremely high now and there are very few, which seems odd.

Yes, they can do this. Any airline is guaranteeing you transportation from point A to point B and changes can happen. Airtran is know to tweek their schedules all the time. That said, Airtran is very good at working with you if you want to make any changes. Look at the schedule and see if there are any other flights that will work for you. Then, call Airtran and tell them THEIR changes don't work for you and that you would like to make some changes. They will work with you to make this as good as they can. It won't be what you booked, but they will do the best they can.

I know it can be frustrating, but focus on making it the best you possibly you can and enjoy your trip.

Duds

 

[kaytieeldr]

And don't take out any frustration on the person on the phone. They didn't make the changes!!!!

 

[DebbieB]

I looked at AirTran's schedule. The non-stops PHL/MCO are at 6:55am, 1:01pm, 4:28pm. The non-stops MCO/PHL are at 9:57am, 1:27pm, 4:00pm. So you can decide if you want to accept the flights they switched to you or switch to a different one. As long as there are seats, they will switch you for free.

 

[cadek]

Thanks! I did call AirTran (nicely) this morning. She got my Mom on the same PHL/MCO flight, and then got us all on the latest non-stop MCO/PHL flight at 4:00 pm. What a relief. I had also paid for assigned priority seating, which she also took care of for us, and as a courtesy assigned my Mom's seat with us as well, as she did not originally pay for assigned seating.

Thanks for all of your input. I was shocked last night and had never dealt with this before, so I figured coming here would help me have a better idea of how to handle it.

It's a relief to have it handled now, and AirTran was great to deal with!

April

 

[CPT Tripss]

And don't take out any frustration on the person on the phone. They didn't make the changes!!!!

Not only they didn't change the flight . . . they can possibly get you what you want.

 

[crashbb]

Make sure you mum's reservation is now linked to yours - otherwise if there is another change she could end up on a different flight again (the computer doesn't know she is your mum and would like to fly with you - it just sees two separate reservations).