Frustrated with my airfare provider

[Dolce27]

I have a trip to WDW in mid-Sept. I did book my airfare rather early, early April, so I understand that there can be some change in my itinerary but this is getting frustrating...

So to make a long story - long: I usually fly Air Tran from Dallas to Orlando when I go to WDW. Normally there is a lay-over in Atlanta. It seems that Air Tran is always late in leaving Dallas for crazy reasons such as the coffee pot isn’t working. The last time I flew them, we sat in the plane at the gate for one hour because of some crazy reason like the one I listed above. When we pulled into the gate at Atlanta, my connecting flight was pulling away from its gate. I literally had to run to another gate and attempt to get on that flight stand-by. Luckily I made the flight which left shortly after my original flight and all was well. However, I was fed up with Air Tran as that hadn’t been my fist time to fly them and I was beginning to realize that they are always late on their departures. (Except your connecting flight never seems to have departure delays ) This time when I booked, I didn’t plan to use Air Tran. Unfortunately, I happened to glance at their website and noticed that they are offering one direct flight per day to Orlando from DFW and back. Since my main issue with them has been their delays in departure I decided to give them one last try for a direct flight, especially since they were offering a really good deal. If the flight is delayed at departure, that would just mean that I arrive in Orlando a little late and I do not have to worry about missing a connecting flight. My biggest fear is not being able to get on another flight stand-by that day.

All seemed good until last month when I checked my itinerary online and noticed that they canceled the direct flight to Orlando (my return flight was still listed) and they had booked me on a lay-over in Atlanta with only 20 minutes to make my connecting flight. Not going to work. I called and managed to be put on the next flight (after that) out of Atlanta which gave me a little over one hour lay-over time (still a little concerned about not having enough lay-over time for flight delays, but it was better than only 20 minutes). Once again I thought all was well.

I looked at my itinerary again tonight. More changes have been made. They moved me back onto the original flight from of Atlanta to Orlando that I was chaged from - but they delayed the departure time giving me a bit more than 20 minutes of lay-over time. The flight that I had them move me to last month from Atlanta to Orlando is still there so I don’t know why they bumped me off of it to the earlier flight. They’ve now added back a direct flight from Dallas to Orlando and they moved my direct return flight to a evening flight. (I’m excited about this move! Maybe I can spend some time in the parks that morning . .. Let’s see how long that flight time lasts ). I’ve just called and was moved back to the direct flight from Dallas to Orlando. Of course, I still have 46 days until I leave... anything can happen.

So, now I’m stressing (and I’m certain to never book with Air Tran again). For future reference, what airlines are good to book with? Do a lot of other airlines have the same problems that I'm experiencing with Air Tran? I have heard that Southwest is good - but that isn’t an option for me. Southwest does not fly from North Texas to Orlando. Also, people that have flown Air Tran, do you think that I have reason to continue to stress based on your experience or do you think that it will be all right?

Any advise/comments appreciated.

 

[Dis31]

never had a problem with JB,SW, or continental.

 

[aubriee]

I normally fly American out of DFW, but due to the MUCH better price flew Air Tran this past May. I was pleasantly surprised. We had direct flights both ways, planes took off on time, and I'd have no problem flying them again.

Saying that, we're again flying American for our Sept trip. Unfortunately flying out of DFW limits our options. You're choices are going to be Air Tran, American, or one of those little Delta Embrauer planes. Delta has few flights from DFW to MCO now, but will occasionally have really good prices. We flew them last Jan for like $173.00 r/t which I'm sure you know is a good price out of DFW. If they would just repeal that darn Wright Ammendment Southwest could get into the pot and maybe we'd get some decent airfare out of DFW.

 

[CarolA]

I think the only airline I know of that is really good for this is SW. When they release a schedule they REALLY intend to fly it. None of the other's actually make that committment (JetBlue may, but they don't fly out of any of my airports....)

For the rest of them it's a game. You balance the buy in advance with the risk of changes. (Yes, CO and AA make changes, they get less press here because they fly a lot fewer planes into MCO)

 

[INgal]

For the rest of them it's a game. You balance the buy in advance with the risk of changes. (Yes, CO and AA make changes, they get less press here because they fly a lot fewer planes into MCO)

I'm flying American...leave in 45 days. In the last two months they have changed my flights FOUR times. Not by a lot, fortunately. We'll see how many more times it'll change before I leave. I'm sure it's not set in stone yet!

 

[NancyIL]

I booked the only non-stop flight each way between Bloomington, IL and Orlando on Airtran for this October, and one week later...they did away with the non-stop flights on my travel days! I got them to put me on earlier flights into Orlando. I expect the schedule to change again in the next 2.5 months - and if I don't like the changes - I'll ask them to put me on flights I DO like!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We only fly American, non-stop DFW to MCO. When we went in October they did juggle our flight times by about 30 minutes, but I was then able to change to another flight that worked BETTER for no penalty. We leave in 8 days for our August trip, and those flights have been juggled by about 15 minutes. No major changes. My complaint is that when they change the times we lose our pre-selected seats so I have to watch or we'll end up in the back of the plane.

We are ticketed for flights the first week of December, so I'm watching to see what those flight times do. I wanted to go out earlier and come home later but those flights were more expensive. If they change the time for the flights we are booked on I will see if we can switch flights.

Our August tickets were $251 per person, and our December ones were $212. I had been watching the December dates for months and finally got the tickets a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Dolce27]

I normally fly American out of DFW, but due to the MUCH better price flew Air Tran this past May. I was pleasantly surprised. We had direct flights both ways, planes took off on time, and I'd have no problem flying them again.

I am encouraged to hear that. Hopefully they will leave the schedule alone now as I like it how it is - but if not, hopefully making a connecting flight in Atlanta will not be as bad as I fear.

I second that they need to appeal the Wright Ammendment.

I'm flying American...leave in 45 days. In the last two months they have changed my flights FOUR times. Not by a lot, fortunately. We'll see how many more times it'll change before I leave. I'm sure it's not set in stone yet!

That just stinks. If they advertise a flight I wish they would try harder to stick to that flight. I'm to the point that I don't really care what seat I have on the plane (the flight's not that long). I just want to arrive at MCO around a certain time.

At least so far Air Tran has been really good at moving me onto different flights per my request if I have a problem with the flight they bumped me to.

 

[INgal]

That just stinks. If they advertise a flight I wish they would try harder to stick to that flight. I'm to the point that I don't really care what seat I have on the plane (the flight's not that long). I just want to arrive at MCO around a certain time.

Yeah, it definitely stinks. BUT...I will give them credit for [so far] making sure that the changes still allow me plenty of time to make my connection in Chicago. Although, I'm not really sure if that is the work of AA or the people at Disney. (Booked my entire trip, including air, through Disney Travel.) And I'm with you...don't really care where I sit as long as that plane is heading to DISNEY!!!

 

[safetymom]

If you want them to stick to flights without changing then the airlines wouldn't be able to release their schedules as early as they do. Then people would be complaining that they couldn't book their flights early.