Airtran changed our Flights

[aubriee]

All airlines change flight times (as well as make last minute terminal changes). In Dec I checked in online about 24 hours prior to flight time like I was supposed to. My boarding pass said my plane would be departing out of terminal C at DFW (like American almost always does). When we arrived the terminal had changed to one on the other side of the airport. People were frantically trying to catch the trolley thing over there or if their rides hadn't already left were running to the cars. There was quite a few empty seats on that plane (that online showed to be totally full). I'm betting some people missed the plane.

I have an aunt here visiting from West Virginia. I got an e-mail from American Airlines a few days ago that her returning flight had been moved up 4 hours and 45 minutes. (Note-we paid for her ticket, so thankfully the e-mail came to my computer, but what if we hadn't?--the e-mail would have went to her computer and we wouldn't have known until we checked her in online a few hours before her flight.) She is a diabetic and we specifically booked her flight for mid morning so she could eat a good breakfast before she left. Now we will be in transit during her regular meal time. We live well over an hour from the airport.

Anyway airlines make changes and we just have to roll with the punches. My mom and I are flying Airtran to Florida (the morning after my aunt leaves to go home) and am hoping they don't change our flight times. Like the OP we booked the earliest flight out (7:00am) and the latest flight back (arriving DFW 9:54pm), because we want to spend as much time as possible in the parks. However if the flight times change, they change and we make schedule adjustments.

 

[riu girl]

Anyone ever had the only Saturday BUF-MCO NS Airtran flight cancelled?

We are considering flying Airtran BUF-MCO. They only offer one non-stop on Saturday and this would be why we would consider (for the NS).

Thank you

 

[dudspizza]

Anyone ever had the only Saturday BUF-MCO NS Airtran flight cancelled?

We are considering flying Airtran BUF-MCO. They only offer one non-stop on Saturday and this would be why we would consider (for the NS).

Thank you

I can't speak for the BUF-MCO route, but I can for the MSP-MCO route. They have offered the non stop flight daily for years. It has, however, changed times over the years. Just last year the MSP-MCO flight was at 2pm... it is now at 10am... in fact it was at noon last month it is now 10am..... so cancelled no, times changed... yes.

Duds

 

[mrslur]

Sometimes flight time changes can work in your favor. I know mine on AirTran will probably change several times again before we leave in Sept. but my non-stop that was scheduled to leave at 2:12 pm is now leaving at 12:56 pm. That gives us a much more relaxing evening. The one I'm more nervous about is the flight coming back. It hasn't changed times yet but we plan on spending the morning at AK.

 

[RachelEllen]

I am flying Airtran for the first time in Sept. I have heard that they do this more often than most airlines. If I loose any vacation time, I WILL demand some sort of compensation if they cannot honor anything close to my original times.

All I can say is good luck. I've only flown Airtran once since they were Valujet, and never again.

We were on a 10pm flight going to Atlanta on a holiday weekend Friday. It was delayed 2 hours because of weather. Not their fault, but the made an annoucement at the gate.

Basically, if you had a connection out of Atlanta, you would not make it. (A lot of people were trying to make cruises the next day.) Because they have no agreements with other airlines, you would not be able to be booked on another airline's flight. If you chose to go to Atlanta, you would be stuck there, overnight at least, at your own cost. (no hotel rooms, vouchers, anything). The next time they could get you out of Atlanta would be in 72 hours! (Good luck making your cruise!) And the kicker, if you chose to stay in Boston and not go on the flight, you would not be refunded!

Luckily, I was just going to Altanta, so I was ok, but I was agast that they would treat people this way. Yes, all airlines change times, but the difference is that Airtran has no reciprical agreements with other carriers if you get stuck, and doesn't take care of you at all if you get stranded.

 

[katied]

I'm very grateful for this thread, and just wanted to say THANK YOU! I had bought my tickets back in March, and United has since cancelled my original flight and booked a new flight returning almost two hours earlier. I was disappointed in losing vacation time, but because of this thread, I called United and got a FULL REFUND for my tickets (of course, I had already checked to make sure I could book American for the same price and get the return time I wanted). So I'm sorry about your AirTran problems and hope all works out. Thank you to those who posted that you're allowed to a refund. United's policy is you can have a refund is the change is more than 90 mintues.

THANK YOU. We now get 2 more hours of DW on our last day.

 

[cstraub]

We booked our flights back in February for our trip arriving June 10 staying through June 17. We allways look for the earliest flight arriving and a later flight comming home to stay as long as possible. I booked leaving Pittsburgh at 8:20 arriving at 10:34. Return flight leave Orlando 6:20 arrive Pittsburgh at 8:33.

We get a call yesterday May 11 that they have changed our flights to this Leave Pittsburgh at 10:15 arrive Orlando at 12:30 Ok so I am not THRILLED with this but can live with it. The book our return to Pittsburgh 1:10 leave Orlando and return to Pittsburgh at 3:25.....this one I hate I like to spend those last few hours at the parks! I called last night to see what we can do NOTHING the only direct flight they havew isa the one they put us on other than that they have layovers of like 3 hours in Atlanta. I called customer relations and ask what they are going to do do I get 50.00 for each ticket because they changed my flights like I would be charged to change them??? Nope nothin, we changed the flights to fly out on the 18 at 8:50 am with a direct but now I am waiting to call DVC and see if I can get the room at Old Key West for another night and I have a feeling that that will be next to impossible. We looked at flights getting into Orlando after midnight on June 9th but are unsure if the Magical Express runs that late.

I even tried tellin the people at Airtran that this will cost us extra $$ to do with the room for an extra day, or possible taxi if we do the late night flight, or just the fact that we had made our plans for our ENTIRE stay that we had planned with the flights I made sure to BOOK EARLY and they can do nothing for someone who took the time to plan a trip??

Still waiting to call and see what I can do with the room so I am on hold with the plans that I had all worked out for months, and they change so late that you can't possibly find a cheep flight this late in.

Just wondering how other people hadle this if it has happened to anyone here. And I haven't even mentioned trying to get an extra day at work if we can get the room and take the flight on the 18th. Because of course we didn't get a call until about 8pm last night and we were both home from work that is another can of worms to work on......My trip is falling apart piece by piece.

Sorry for the rant just a bit angry right now and WILL NEVER BOOK AIRTRAN again!!!!!

I would be really upset if this happened to me. I spend tons of time planning our flights. Sometimes I will pick a flight because of the times based on our needs. Sometimes we have flights planned where we need to make connecting flights. I would be furious if I checked on the status of my flight and it had been changed.

I would expect some sort of compensation along with help in finding a flight that met my needs. The $50 penalty fee that you would have to pay they should have to pay.

When my husbands flight to MCO was cancelled they offered to let him fly out of another nearby airport and the also gave him 10,000 skymiles. We never asked for a thing but I would expect the airline to compensate me in someway it'd only fair.

Good luck.

 

[DebbieB]

I was reading the original post and I don't think she said they wanted to charge her to change the times. The problem is they only have one non-stop in each direction per day. You can demand compensation but I don't think you are going to get it for an advance schedule change. All the airlines are adjusting their schedules to try to stay financially viable. All they are obligated to do is refund your money. It's risky to deal with the low cost small carriers.

 

[keishashadow]

Before SW came to PIT, AirTran was the only low-fare carrier in town.

We're rewards customers & use cc for earned tix works out well for us, despite lost luggage issues & their incessent flight changes.

Lately, they've gotten MUCH worse. We're flying out of PIT 6/17 & back on 6/24. 6/18 & 6/25 are blackout dates for comped & vouchered air, meaning the surrounding dates are heavily booked. Our flight times have changed 4 or 5 times (I've lost count) since booking; at times up to 8 hours.

Most distressing IMO is the fact that we haven't gotten any email notice, let alone a phone call, from AT for the last few years when they've changed flights. I've resigned myself to check this detail myself periodically.

That said, even with comped/vouchered tix; AT will let you re-book another, more convenient flight - if available w/o a change fee. You may have to speak to a supervisor but, be persistent & you will prevail.

Am I po'd, of course! However, since I've still got lots of reward miles to redeem I'll grit my teeth & continue to patronize them. We do plan on starting to split the trip w/one portion on SWA in the future.

Good luck.

 

[DaisyD]

One of the things that people love about SW is that they post a schedule and stick to it. Along with that comes the frustration of waiting until the schedule acutally comes out... but many people will gladly deal with that to get the flights they know will be the flights they fly.


Duds

That is not so. We have flown SW many times and they have changed their times. We've had worse experiences with SW then we ever had with Airtran. That is one of the reasons we will never fly SW again.

 

[dudspizza]

That is not so. We have flown SW many times and they have changed their times. We've had worse experiences with SW then we ever had with Airtran. That is one of the reasons we will never fly SW again.

Ok, I stand correct by two people. Everything I have read about SW is that they wait so long to post their schedule and when they do, they stick to it.

Flight time changes are a part of the travel. I know it is a possibility and am prepared for it. If my times change, I have a plan in place in case I don't like the changes. Yes, I too choose my flight based on times and non-stop, but I think it is unrealistic to expect every flight to never change... it happens and we deal with it.....

Duds

 

[Acklander]

No I do not expect them to have a flight just for me.....but I do think when they change a flight they should take what they would charge ME to change a flight and give the amount to me either off this flight or off an upcomming flight. I work as a Customer Service Manager in Retail and you would not believe the things that we have to do for people in our company.

You can't compare customer service in retail with expectations for an airline. It's comparing apples to oranges. Airlines deal with goverment regulations, fierce competion, ever changing fuel prices, weather problems, mechanical problems, and the fact that they need a place to be a certain percent full before they can afford to take off the ground. Also, most airlines are always looming around the bankruptcy issue, if they're not in some form of bankruptcy or reorganization, they they're heading that way, or just emerging from it. It's a brutal business.

I always consider travel day, to be just that - a travel day. There are so many things that can go wrong on the timing that I've learned to take it all in stride and the only actual plans I make are to be where they tell me to be at whatever time they tell me to be there. Maybe I'm a bit jaded from all the years of travel, but figure if I get to the airport and the airline is still in business, and they get me to where I'm going with all my luggage actually showing up, I'm doing good. Anything else is a bonus

 

[ameraumi]

Wow, I guess I was lucky with our flight then. We flew AT last month from Dayton, OH to MCO. Our flight changed by 20 minutes each way so I was ok with that. The only downside was that we were never notified about the change. At least I learned thru other DISers to check on flight times on a regular basis.

I would be upset if my times changed like that! I hope everything works out for your trip.

 

[gillenkl]

this just happened to us today - not airtran though. We were flying united now they called and said it will be usairways and changed our flight times and seat numbers. I don't like it since I booked 3 months ago and now are seats are moved to further back in the plane, but I guess this happens frequently.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You can't compare customer service in retail with expectations for an airline. It's comparing apples to oranges....

EXCELLENT post, Acklander, well said.

 

[disneydaveb]

Why so many apologists for the airlines on this board? Just because it happens frequently, doesn't make it right.
Makes me think some of you are airline employees. Or major stock holders.

 

[DebbieB]

Why so many apologists for the airlines on this board? Just because it happens frequently, doesn't make it right.
Makes me think some of you are airline employees. Or major stock holders.

It isn't necessarily right but it's the current state of the airline industry. If they had to start compensating people for schedule changes, they probably would not post flights until a month before.

 

[safetymom]

Did you ever think that maybe we fly quite frequently? Usually frequent flyers understand that things happen when you fly?

 

[BELLE16127]

GEEZ.....sorry that I posted anything here. It seems latley that people are attacked for what they post. I thought that these boards were to get and share info with other people. It seems that everytime I read things here someone is getting all over a poster for something they may say....are OPINIONS not allowed???

Just so you know We DID NOT pay $49.00 for our flights as someone had posted we did not pick our flights because they had a huge discount as I was accused of. Our total flight was $474.20 just so you know. We picked the flights we did because of the time frame and what worked for us! We planned our vacation with the information we were given as we allways do.

Yes I think that a airline asking you to take a flight that is over 5 hours different from what you had originally booked is not right...so shoot me. Also when I pay for a direct flight I do not want a 3 or 4 hour layover in Atlanta, If I had wanted that I would have booked that in the first place.

But now that I really see how the posting here works I will be sure not to say anything about how a flight may change or something that you spend a few hundred dollars on but I will make sure to post if I DO NOT get towel animals in my room each and every night of my visit as that is a MAJOR issue.

 

[safetymom]

Sorry you feel that way. Many of us were sharing our opinions as well. BTW a direct flight can involve a layover. If you don't want that then ask for a non stop flight.

When buying a ticket you need to read all the rules and then if you can live with them you buy the ticket. Yes the airline industry needs major reform but it isn't going to happen overnight. You agree to those rules when you buy the ticket.