Can an airline just change your reservation willy nilly?

[Robindianne]

I have a question that - if it can be answered at all - my fellow DISsers might know the answer to: I just checked on my reservation (made many months ago) and discovered that United inserted a third leg on my flight, moving my MCO arrival out by 4 hours! Can they do that? Is it a glitch that will go back to my real reservation later (before my trip)? What should / can I do?

Thank you for your help!!!

 

[DebbieB]

I have a question that - if it can be answered at all - my fellow DISsers might know the answer to: I just checked on my reservation (made many months ago) and discovered that United inserted a third leg on my flight, moving my MCO arrival out by 4 hours! Can they do that? Is it a glitch that will go back to my real reservation later (before my trip)? What should / can I do?

Thank you for your help!!!

Yes, most airlines change flights pretty often. They may have cancelled one of your flights or changed the times making your original schedule not available.

What you need to do is go online and start a new reservation to see what times are available (but don't purchase it). If you find a new schedule that works for you, call them and they will likely change you to it. If you cannot find something, then your options are to keep the change they gave you or ask for a refund and look for another airline (be sure to check alternatives before you do that).

Are you flying from Seattle? I checked united.com and see many options Seattle-Orlando with only 1 stop. They are making alot of changes because of their merger with Continental.

Good Luck! Let us know what happens.

 

[momtonandz]

Yes they can! And YES they do! United changed our departure city....um yeah...they changed it to our connecting city. Nice huh! Anyway we called and was able to get better flights then our original flights! Call and know what flights you do want and have them change it for you! It might be for your benefit!!

 

[jmcross]

I once got changed to a flight that connected in DC. The first leg was scheduled to arrive at 2 p.m. and the connected flight from DC was scheduled to leave at 1 p.m. Geez! I had to call to get it all straightened out. The telephone rep laughed when she saw my schedule.

 

[alice99]

Yes they can! And YES they do! United changed our departure city....um yeah...they changed it to our connecting city. Nice huh!

That is ridiculous!

Delta once changed the time of our flight earlier and earlier..... started out leaving at 10 am.... by the time they moved it we were leaving at 5 am. We live 2 hours from the airport, if you do the math, we would have had to leave our house at 1 am to be there on time.

We looked at hotels in the airport area, the cheapest was 120.00. We ended up complaining and getting the flight changed to the night before, stayed on International Drive (for 60$) and moved over to Disney property in the morning.


I believe that a lot of the airlines (especially American) list numerous flights leaving an hour apart from each other, then consolidate them all, creating 2 full flights..... instead of 4 partially sold flights.

It stinks!.... you are at their mercy and can't really do anything about it.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

We fly primarily SWA. The only time SWA changed my flight was due to Hurricane Katrina when New Orleans airport was closed and they had to reroute our flight to Nashville.

 

[DVC-Don]

We fly primarily SWA. .............

Same here. I have never had a flight time or route changed, except for weather.

 

[seashoreCM]

They may not change your reservation if the original flights still exist at their original times.

Now if one of two connecting flights is moved or cancelled then they should adjust the other if needed so the connection is still legal.

 

[Andrea from PA]

Southwest is the ONLY airline I've ever dealt with that did not change my flights.

Years ago I vowed never to use AirTran because the flights were changed 8 times in a 2 month time period. Now that SW and AirTran are one in the same I hope SW does not start this practice.

 

[Jcricket Fan]

Yes, these changes can happen but good you were looking and can try to get a change you can live with.

Delta just yesterday changed the second leg of our trip home from disney unfortunately the second leg leaves before we even get off the ground from disney! Not at all possible to do!

Looked over my options and saw a new non-stop flight added and asked if we could be put on that flight instead and viola....now we are on a later afternoon non-stop just what I wanted in the first place but couldn't get when I originally booked the flight!

I wish you well with your travels.
Peace.
Colleen

 

[Robindianne]

OK, it seems the second leg of the flight isn't a flight anymore. I asked to fly out earlier and they did, and it was free (well, except I decided to upgrade so sick hubby could have more leg room). Their customer service was great; they were professional and helpful and willing to fix it so I actually arrive a day early (so just booked a night at ASMusic). Whoooooooo hoooooooooo! Thank you all! I guess I was overreacting a bit when I first learned of the change. As the daughter in Steve Martin's Father of the Bride says, "I don't overreact, why would I overreact, no one in my family overreacts." hee hee.

 

[dudspizza]

Yes they can! And YES they do! United changed our departure city....um yeah...they changed it to our connecting city. Nice huh! Anyway we called and was able to get better flights then our original flights! Call and know what flights you do want and have them change it for you! It might be for your benefit!!

It had to be an unintentional glitch. There is no way that United is going to change a person to another airport intentionally. I am sure they straightened it out quickly.

OP, glad it all worked out. Changes can and do happen on nearly every airline. As some stated above, SW doesn't change their schedule often, but you also have to wait forever to book with them, while a lot of the Legacy carriers are available to book 329 days out......

Duds