flight question

[flynnigan]

Hi, I haven't flown in a long time and have a question for everyone. I will be traveling next week with my DH, DS(3) and DD(2) and we are scheduled to fly on USAir out of Philly at 8pm. We ended up on this flight because when we bought the tickets they were the cheapest around and we figured the kids would at least sleep during the flight. Through research however, I have found that Usair also has at least 5 other flights that day. Is there any chance we can go to the airport early and try to get on an earlier flight? We would love to arrive in Disney before midnight! I have tried calling Usair but either don't get through or get someone who says No and thats that, no explanation. Also, we have Happy Limo booked for our transfer to Po-FQ from the airport, what happens if we do get on an earlier flight? Will they still be able to pick us up? Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

Only 10 more days!

 

[Beverly Lynn]

you may try to go standby depending if the fare that you hold allows for it. you would have to read the fare rules for your fare.

 

[flynnigan]

I bought the tickets online, where would I find the fare rules? And, don't laugh, what exactly is standby? I told you I haven't flown in a very long time!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Ed T]

Flying standby basically means if all the full fare passenger board the plane and they have room for others than they allow standby passengers to board. Those passengers would be taken on a first come first serve basis. I would continue to contact the airlines and see if the ticket you are holding will be accepted as a standby passenger without penalty.

Good luck

Ed

 

[flyingcircus]

It might be a problem if you have checked luggage. Your luggage is supposed to go with you, and they don't process the standby passengers until you are at the gate.

If you are standing by for an earlier flight that same day, there probably woudn't be any additional charge, because they will only put you on that flight if there are empty seats. However, you will not know until 30 minutes before departure.

I would just stay on the flight you are booked on. With 4 people in your party, I can almost guarantee you would NOT be seated together if you got on an earlier flight. You would lose all your seating assignments!!

 

[flynnigan]

Thanks for all your help everyone. I hadn't thought about not getting seats together if we went standby. Actually, the seat assignments that we have now aren't even together, I am just hopeful noone will want to sit next to a screaming 2 year old without her mom!

 

[ducklite]

When I fly standby, I gate check my bags. Well, at least I used to...not sure that will owrk anymore :-(

If you can do it, pack really light and do'nt check anything--you can always ship a box to your hotel about a week ahead of time.

US Air has always been great about telling the truth when I've called in advance to see how full a flight is when I've wanted to go standby on an earlier flight. CO has lied to me every time :-(

Anne

 

[flyingcircus]

You can't get more than one carry on plus a personal item (purse) thru security anymore.

flynnigan- make sure you ask the agent to seat you together as soon as you check in- It is much easier to do it in the boarding area than on the plane.

I always fly standby, and a couple of weeks ago, going to Orlando, we were all split up- 2 adults and dd3 and dd7. NO ONE- out of 200 people would move so my DD and I could sit together. Luckily the F/A took pity on us and made an announcement, and still no one would move. Finally, she begged a little league coach to switch seats. Thank goodness!! It always surprises me how people can be so possesive of their airline seat!!!

 

[flynnigan]

I can't imagine noone wanting to give up their seats for you! Why would anyone want to see a child sitting by themself? I was afraid of that very thing happenning to us but I stopped worrying about it after reading these boards and figuring who would want to sit next to a toddler? Now I am worried again!

I have checked USair's website for the earlier flights that day and now they don't even show up. Should I assume they are sold out and not bother calling them or should I still try to call them and see if I get lucky? My DH still thinks we should just show up at the airport early in the day and hope for the best but I don't want to sit around for hours and hours with two toddlers. If we do catch an earlier flight at the last minute, what happens to our luggage? Will it go with us or will it go on our later flight and we have to wait for it at MCO?


Thanks for your patience, I know I have a million questions, I just can't believe we leave in 9 days!

 

[flyingcircus]

Your luggage is always SUPPOSED to go on the same flight as you. Now, that doesn't mean it will. If you got on an earlier flight, and for some reason it didn't get on with you, it should be on the next flight, or the one you were originally booked on. Remember, that the airlines will not deliver your luggage if you opted to get on an earlier flight, and your luggage arrived on your originalflight. That could mean another trip back to the airport for you, or a wait at baggage claim!

I have run into this problem of people not changing seats before, and interestingly enough, the Orlando market is quite common. I think there are a lot of families, and understandably don't want to be split up. Hawaii is also bad, but I think that is because it is a longer flight, and there are older psgrs. on board that are ENTITLED to that seat- No, I'm not profiling!!
Just observing!! Business travelers will move, cuz they don't want to be next to a screaming child!

When are you leaving- is it over Thanksgiving or Xmas?? That will probably be more difficult to get on an earlier flight.

I think it just depends on how flexible you are. It seems like your husband wants to try the earlier flights, but I understand your position with 2 little ones.

Like I said I always fly standby, and it is a little nerve wracking. Keep on trying to find out if those earlier flights are full. If they are, just take your original!

 

[Figaro]

Because I am disabled, my spouse and I always request bulkhead seats, and make it a point to check-in at least two hours before our flight so that the seats are confirmed. The only times that I have ever been asked to switch seats is when we are in the bulkhead seats, and we always say no, as it is extremely difficult for me to manage in the non-bulkhead seats. The last time this happened, the parents were extremely angry and verbally abusive to us(sigh). And I'm fairly sure that the reason they were so angry is because I didn't look obviously disabled to them.

The best advice is to get to the airport extremely early, and often when you check-in, the seat assignments can be changed.

 

[flyingcircus]

Figaro,
I hope you didn't take offense to what I wrote You definitely have the right to stay in your seat, and not switch. There is no excuse for someone to be abusive to you
There are certain rows that I usually wouldn't try to exchange seats with, and those include bulkheads- as they are usually reserved for a reason, and emergency exit rows.

I once had a couple on a flight that were seated in the window and aisle seat. Sure enough some little boy was seated in the middle and his dad was on the other aisle. I asked if the couple would sit NEXT to each other, so that the boy and father would be aisles across and they said "no, they wanted an empty middle seat". I told them that the flight was full, and there would be no empty seats, they still wouldn't move. Then, i suggested that they both take the aisle seats, and they said no. So, sometimes there is no pleasing anyone!!

I could go on with the war stories............................

 

[Figaro]

flyingcircus,

No, I certainly didn't take any offense at all with what you wrote. That's the main problem with written communication, no non-verbal signs to make it easier to understand.

One of my favorite stories (don't remember where I read it), was a mother flying alone with her two year old and they ended up being assigned seats quite far apart. When no one agreed to switch with her, she ran out and bought a large, drippy ice cream cone and gave it to her two year old. Amazing how fast the businessman in the next seat agreed to trade with the mom(smile).

The world would be a much nicer place for everyone if people would put themselves into someone else's shoes, and treat other people the way they would like to be treated.

 

[atigeg]

For the limo portion, I would notify Happy Limo in advance to let them know what you are trying to do and make sure they can accommodate you. We use them a lot, and although we've never been on an earlier flight than we had scheduled, we did arrive almost 30 minutes early once (strong tail winds, I guess!), and they were there waiting for us.
Good luck on the musical seats--it's amazing that some people would refuse to change! Oh well, some people are territorial and silly about little things like that. Someday they will need a small favor, and maybe what goes around will come around!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.disneycruiser.com

 

[flynnigan]

the woman at usair simply said, "I don't recommend going standby, you need to fly at your regularly scheduled flight". I asked her if all the flights earlier in the day were full and she just repeated the above. So, I guess we will just keep our 8pm flight to save ourselves any problems. (actually, the part about the luggage not making it with us on an earlier flight had me worried)

Thanks Barb for the info on Happy Limo, I think I am going to call them and make sure everything is still ok for us next week in light of the recent changes at airports. Do you think we can still add a grocery stop or should I have done that when I made the reservation?


Thanks again everyone!!

 

[ducklite]

DH and I often book a window and aisle seat in the hopes that no one will sit in the middle. But when someone does, we always offer the window seat, and never has it not been accepted. Had we been in the situation you describe, we would have offered our window seat for their aisle seat, leaving DH and I across from each other, and the father and son next to one of us. Perfect for everyone

Anne

(Bring back the S80--love the A-B combo!)

Originally posted by flyingcircus
Figaro,
I hope you didn't take offense to what I wrote You definitely have the right to stay in your seat, and not switch. There is no excuse for someone to be abusive to you
There are certain rows that I usually wouldn't try to exchange seats with, and those include bulkheads- as they are usually reserved for a reason, and emergency exit rows.

I once had a couple on a flight that were seated in the window and aisle seat. Sure enough some little boy was seated in the middle and his dad was on the other aisle. I asked if the couple would sit NEXT to each other, so that the boy and father would be aisles across and they said "no, they wanted an empty middle seat". I told them that the flight was full, and there would be no empty seats, they still wouldn't move. Then, i suggested that they both take the aisle seats, and they said no. So, sometimes there is no pleasing anyone!!

I could go on with the war stories............................