Back From Alaska never never never

[Icemann]

use Orbitz for anything.They were no help at all.plus the service reps are hard to understand.The trip got off to a rocky start.We had to book the flight from Florida to Anchorage twice because they didn't include are middle initial with are tickets.They said if the middle initail was not on the ticket but on are ID it would not be a problem?I went to TSA website before I purchased the tickets and printed their instructions,I asked for a supervisior and waited for 35 minutes to speak to one.When he got on the phone he told the same story as idiot number 1 after much swearing and asking to speak to his supervisior they re-worked the tickets.They forget we are not a third world country like their are.Flight from Florida to Chicago was okay now the fun begins.Printed out boarding pass for us for the first flight no problem tryed to print second set of boarding pass no luck it said to see agent at gate.Okay plane on time into Chicago but can't get jet ramp to plane for some unknow reason?The flight attend calls to tell the gate we are here but can't get off plane Asked her to print out are boarding pass, run from to other side of ORD to get on plane gate door closed no boarding pass were printed out.Panic mode gate agent can't print pass has two open seats ,but they might be together or not.The trouble with that is I paid for 1St class seats and the meal.New seats are together in the last row together.Nice way to start anniversary trip don't you think.Okay get on plane show flight attendant I have confirmed 1St class seats that these two people are in,she tells me to take my seat in the back of the plane.I have to wait to finish as my journal is in my luggage in Chicago gotta love the airlines.Jesse was still one of the Alaska guides.more later

 

[sayhello]

OMG! Back of the plane when you purchased 1st Class? That's ridiculous! Was it a different airline than the first leg? That's one reason why I never buy tickets off Travelocity or Orbitz, because if they mix airlines, the airlines frequently couldn't care less about delays, etc, whereas, usually, if it's the same airline, they'll work with you. I'll usually do my research on Orbitz, then go to the airline's site to actually buy the ticket.

I'm so sorry your trip got off to such a rocky start. I'm hoping that things improve with the next installment!

Sayhello

 

[let'sgo]

Wow, what else can go wrong? Hope that everything goes smoothly from here on out.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

I'm sorry you had a rough go of it, but your comment about the "third world country" was pretty low.

 

[crashbb]

I'm sorry you had a rough go of it, but your comment about the "third world country" was pretty low.

I'm also totally confused about who "their" are? The OP was always in the US.

And there are no printers on the plane, so the FA wouldn't have been able to print out boarding passes.

Hopefully you got a refund for the 1st class seats that you didn't get.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

I'm also totally confused about who "their" are? The OP was always in the US.

And there are no printers on the plane, so the FA wouldn't have been able to print out boarding passes.

Hopefully you got a refund for the 1st class seats that you didn't get.

I can only assume that the OP was referring to the Orbitz representative they were speaking with on the phone, most likely outsourced (like most everything else nowadays) for cheaper wages and a higher profit margin. Sure, I've been frustrated with oursourcing, but I never blame the reps themselves. It's not like anyone in our country would accept the third-world country wages American companies are so generously doling out to the slaves in their overseas tax writeoffs, I mean offices.

 

[Icemann]

OMG! Back of the plane when you purchased 1st Class? That's ridiculous! Was it a different airline than the first leg? That's one reason why I never buy tickets off Travelocity or Orbitz, because if they mix airlines, the airlines frequently couldn't care less about delays, etc, whereas, usually, if it's the same airline, they'll work with you. I'll usually do my research on Orbitz, then go to the airline's site to actually buy the ticket.

I'm so sorry your trip got off to such a rocky start. I'm hoping that things improve with the next installment!

Sayhello

No it was the same airline it was United that's what makes no sense?The Flight attendents were very helpful they called into the departure gate and explained to them what was happening

 

[Icemann]

I'm also totally confused about who "their" are? The OP was always in the US.

And there are no printers on the plane, so the FA wouldn't have been able to print out boarding passes.

Hopefully you got a refund for the 1st class seats that you didn't get.

No FA called boarding gate and explained to them what was happening and asked them to print boarding pass for us

 

[Icemann]

I'm sorry you had a rough go of it, but your comment about the "third world country" was pretty low.

Sorry about the comment but thats what I've had to deal with on this trip and it has been nothing but a joke.When I finally got them to transfer me back to the US things went much better and faster.The 3rd party can't even read or understand the script they are reading from

 

[kristilew]

OMG! Back of the plane when you purchased 1st Class? That's ridiculous! Was it a different airline than the first leg? That's one reason why I never buy tickets off Travelocity or Orbitz, because if they mix airlines, the airlines frequently couldn't care less about delays, etc, whereas, usually, if it's the same airline, they'll work with you. I'll usually do my research on Orbitz, then go to the airline's site to actually buy the ticket.

I'm so sorry your trip got off to such a rocky start. I'm hoping that things improve with the next installment!

Sayhello

I wouldn't lump Travelocity in with Orbitz. I've had two separate experiences where Travelocity saved my bacon, once with Delta and once with USAir. Both times, the airlines were not helping anyone, people were getting stranded, things were getting ugly all around me. I whipped out my phone and called Travelocity, with whom I'd made my reservations, and things were fixed for me. (This being the short version.) It took a little patience on my part, but they stayed on the phone with me, giving me regular updates, and I was completely satisfied with the outcomes in the end. I pretty much won't make a reservation without them at this point.

OP, sorry you had a bad start. Did the rest of the Adventure make up for it?

 

[Vijoge]

never never never use Orbitz for anything

Sorry you had a bad experience but I have booked cruises with Orbitz and had no problems whatsoever.

 

[sayhello]

I wouldn't lump Travelocity in with Orbitz. I've had two separate experiences where Travelocity saved my bacon, once with Delta and once with USAir. Both times, the airlines were not helping anyone, people were getting stranded, things were getting ugly all around me. I whipped out my phone and called Travelocity, with whom I'd made my reservations, and things were fixed for me. (This being the short version.) It took a little patience on my part, but they stayed on the phone with me, giving me regular updates, and I was completely satisfied with the outcomes in the end. I pretty much won't make a reservation without them at this point.

OP, sorry you had a bad start. Did the rest of the Adventure make up for it?

That's good to know, kristilew. The one time I bought a ticket through Travelocity, the purchase never went through, and they told me I was out of luck and had to contact the airline to figure it out. So I've been loathe to use them since then. (Fortunately, Jet Blue was really great about the whole thing & issued me a new ticket at the price Travelocity had advertised. Turned out Travelocity had such a great price because they'd priced round-trip tickets on the one-way leg price. Travelocity totally wouldn't honor it or deal with it, even though it was their error).

Sayhello

 

[kjd469]

We've had terrible problems with Travelocity but no problems with Orbitz - I think it's just the luck of the draw!

There are plenty of people who work in the U.S. that have accents...this does not mean that the call is coming from "a third world country". I take offense to anyone implying that if you don't sound like you come from the U.S. you shouldn't be answering phones...everybody needs a job and bravo to them for getting one.

Hopefully once your flight problems were figured out you ended up having a wonderful adventure.

 

[Icemann]

We've had terrible problems with Travelocity but no problems with Orbitz - I think it's just the luck of the draw!

There are plenty of people who work in the U.S. that have accents...this does not mean that the call is coming from "a third world country". I take offense to anyone implying that if you don't sound like you come from the U.S. you shouldn't be answering phones...everybody needs a job and bravo to them for getting one.

Hopefully once your flight problems were figured out you ended up having a wonderful adventure.

I have no problrm with anyone having an accent but when it's so thick and hard to understand that's a problem.When I asked questions that they had no scripted answer for they call back to the USA for an answer.Their call center (Orbitz) is in India,as is United.

 

[sayhello]

OK, I'm going to jump in here (it's my job now!) and ask that everyone maybe skip the discussion about "people with accents" and "third world countries". We've all had both good & bad experiences with call centers, no matter where they are (I've had people from the same town I live in who were hopeless to help me!) and no matter whether we could understand them or not. I think we can all agree that Iceman had a bad experience altogether, and just move on with the story from there. Thanks, folks! I hope I'm not overstepping here... Still getting used to the role!

Now, Iceman, I, for one, am *DYING* to hear about your ABD!!!

Sayhello

Edit: ps, I just edited this to say "everyone", because I didn't want it to seem I was only talking to Iceman. Thanks, all!

 

[Icemann]

So be it you are doing your job and I should have approached it a different way or not at all.Sorry,can't get upset or mad for you doing your job.Congrats by the way on your new job

 

[sayhello]

So be it you are doing your job and I should have approached it a different way or not at all.Sorry,can't get upset or mad for you doing your job.Congrats by the way on your new job

Thanks, Iceman. Both for the Congratulations & for understanding!

Now, who were your Guides? Do you have pictures? Did you see Denali???

Sayhello

 

[Icemann]

Thanks, Iceman. Both for the Congratulations & for understanding!

Now, who were your Guides? Do you have pictures? Did you see Denali???

Sayhello

Jesse and you were right that guy made the trip he is so up on Alaska history and Melanie,this was her first year on the Alaska adventure she did Wyoming last year,Are coach driver was named Henry and he also rocked he knew everything if Jesse didn't know the answer he did.Boy do I have pictures 3000+ and yes I saw Denali

 

[fsmith2845]

I wouldn't lump Travelocity in with Orbitz. I've had two separate experiences where Travelocity saved my bacon, once with Delta and once with USAir. Both times, the airlines were not helping anyone, people were getting stranded, things were getting ugly all around me. I whipped out my phone and called Travelocity, with whom I'd made my reservations, and things were fixed for me. (This being the short version.) It took a little patience on my part, but they stayed on the phone with me, giving me regular updates, and I was completely satisfied with the outcomes in the end. I pretty much won't make a reservation without them at this point.

OP, sorry you had a bad start. Did the rest of the Adventure make up for it?

I'd have to agree.. i booked with Orbitz a couple of years back to BC. One of my legs as an Air Alaska flight out of Seattle. There was some kind of issues with the planes in their fleet that took some out of service. Orbitz contacted me a couple of days beforehand to let me know of the problem and that I should contact the airline to make arrangements. I talked with the airline and made arrangements to take a flight the next day and they put me up in a hotel (since it was an equipment issue). Orbitz also notified me that there would be problems on the return flight as well a few days later and helped me work with the airlines to get the issues resolved.. So i'm not sure if it's more an airlines thing than orbitz.. at least for me they went over the top to help.

 

[knewton64]

use Orbitz for anything.They were no help at all.plus the service reps are hard to understand.The trip got off to a rocky start.We had to book the flight from Florida to Anchorage twice because they didn't include are middle initial with are tickets.They said if the middle initail was not on the ticket but on are ID it would not be a problem?I went to TSA website before I purchased the tickets and printed their instructions,I asked for a supervisior and waited for 35 minutes to speak to one.When he got on the phone he told the same story as idiot number 1 after much swearing and asking to speak to his supervisior they re-worked the tickets.They forget we are not a third world country like their are.Flight from Florida to Chicago was okay now the fun begins.Printed out boarding pass for us for the first flight no problem tryed to print second set of boarding pass no luck it said to see agent at gate.Okay plane on time into Chicago but can't get jet ramp to plane for some unknow reason?The flight attend calls to tell the gate we are here but can't get off plane Asked her to print out are boarding pass, run from to other side of ORD to get on plane gate door closed no boarding pass were printed out.Panic mode gate agent can't print pass has two open seats ,but they might be together or not.The trouble with that is I paid for 1St class seats and the meal.New seats are together in the last row together.Nice way to start anniversary trip don't you think.Okay get on plane show flight attendant I have confirmed 1St class seats that these two people are in,she tells me to take my seat in the back of the plane.I have to wait to finish as my journal is in my luggage in Chicago gotta love the airlines.Jesse was still one of the Alaska guides.more later

SWA, Department of Homeland Security as well as TSA and the some of the things they tell me they see from their side of the fence -

WOW!


Anywho -

Hope all went well on your trip and besides - you are helping me to remember the following:

Don't let a little thing like this spoil the overall effect of your adventure.
But I do say I give ya points for being very honest.



P.S. Thanks again for the help on my Sprirt of Amer trip last yr.



T.T.F.N.