has anyone ever had their flight changed by the airline?

[battricia]

we're leaving on the 10th of sept and just got word that our fligh has been changed to a significantly later time. I chose the flight for the time It arrived at MCO at 11am. To say the least im not pleased. should i be asking for some sort of compensation? I'm really not happy. Has this happened to anyone else? And how often does it happen? Ugh.

tricia.

 

[speedyf]

While it has never happened to me (probably because I mostly fly Southwest)....many others on the board have had flight time changes in the past. Many of them have even had mulitple flight time changes.

Based on what I have seen posted, you should probably call the airline and ask about getting moved to an earlier flight. I've seen many others post about having success doing this....especially with Delta.

Check the flight times online and find a flight that you are comfortable with. Then, call and tell them that your flight was cancelled and you were re-assigned to a later flight.....but, you are not happy with that flight and would like to try to get an earlier flight. Give them the flight number you would like and see if they can accomodate you. If they can't help you, they should at least be able to give you your money back.....if you can find a good deal elsewhere.

Good Luck....
Speed

 

[dudspizza]

we're leaving on the 10th of sept and just got word that our fligh has been changed to a significantly later time. I chose the flight for the time It arrived at MCO at 11am. To say the least im not pleased. should i be asking for some sort of compensation? I'm really not happy. Has this happened to anyone else? And how often does it happen? Ugh.

tricia.

Happens all of the time. I have had my flights for Oct on Airtran changed 4 times. They were originally scheduled for a 9am departure, now it is 130pm.

You have some options.

1. Call the airline and ask them to move you to a more preferable flight. Research it online first so you have some options in mind. They should move you at no cost.

2. Deal with the move. I am dealing with mine since it is the only non-stop they fly, so it is that or a long layover in Atlanta.

3. Have the ticket refunded and book another airline. In many cases, the airline will do this for you without a fee.

Give the the airline a call to see what they will do for you. Let us know how it worked out.

Duds

 

[momto2inKC]

Our flight for December was changed last week. We have been booked since Feb. They didn't choose new flights for us, but gave us all the options of different flights. We ended up being able to get on an earlier flight heading down. Since there were none that were late enough coming home, they let us change to the next day without having to pay a penalty.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

It's very common for legacy airlines to change flight schedules. When I book a flight that's 3 to 11 months away, I expect the schedule to change — perhaps only a few minutes, but perhaps several hours. In my experience, it's unusual if the flight numbers, flight times, and aircraft type all stay the same!

No, the airline doesn't owe you (and won't give you) any sort of compensation.

Here's what an airline typically will do for you if you're unhappy with the new flight time — and the change is at least two hours (the number of hours varies by airline):

• If you ask the airline agent to put you on a different flight on the same airline, the agent will usually allow you to switch to a flight that meets your needs better, without any sort of change fee.
• If you ask for full refund, the agent will usually accommodate you even though your ticket is nonrefundable.

Your request has to be reasonable. If your flight now arrives 10 minutes earlier or later, the airline will take the position that you have a nonrefundable, nonchangeable ticket, and that the airline is complying with the conditions of carriage. But if the flight now arrives several hours earlier or later, the airline agent will take good care you — within the limitations of what's available.

My next two Orlando trips both involve return flights that were rescheduled to 4 hours later than the original schedule. I'm really happy about these changes. In both cases, it means we can now enjoy 5 or 6 hours at a WDW theme park on our final day of vacation.

 

[battricia]

thanks for the advice. I called the airline and they were able to get me an earlier flight, though still arriving a few hours later than originally planned. I'm considering flying in the day before, just to get an early start on things. I was really hoping to be at MCO by 11 and to the hotel no later than 1. Now it looks like I won't even be at MCO at that time.

tricia.

 

[bicker]

Just keep in mind that schedules can still be changed, sometimes right up until 3 weeks prior to the flight, so keep checking. (Generally, they only change until the final flight schedules are released, 2-5 months prior.) You're entitled to a refund whenever the move is more than two or four hours depending on the airline. (You're never entitled to "compensation" in the case of a schedule change like this.)

 

[seashoreCM]

Psst! If you like the change, immediately telephone the airline and re-request seats. This "accepts" the change and reduces the chance another change, possibly for the worse, gets made.

In fact, if you do not formally accept the change, you can be changed again even if the flight still exists. Had that happen (trip ca. 11/01).

Also beware the 2AM phone call. Airlines occasionally do this to get half-asleep passengers to change their flight and avoid an overbooking problem. Just say no and if you wish to, say you will keep your reservation and deal with it at the airport. Optional: After hanging up to free up the phone line for your modem, research flights in your 'jammies on line to make sure they were not trying to push you off of a flight that still exists.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Jynohn]

My last two trips with Delta have been changed significantly several times. Last year, I specifically booked the flight for early evening so my kids wouldn't miss another day of school. The flight changed 3 or 4 times and they ended up having to miss the day.

This year we are flying out on a Saturday instead for the same reason. I booked an early morning flight so we wouldn't waste the whole first day with traveling. Wouldn't you know it, I just got an email a few days ago that my flight is now several hours later. We won't be arriving at MCO now until mid-afternoon

Delta is the only airline I have had this problem with. It's really frustrating, since I chose those flights specifically because of the times, even though there were other flights that were slightly cheaper.

 

[soxnation]

the flight can be changed up until take off southwest in may canceled mom's fight as she was sitting buckled into the plane to go to Philly for a 47 second track race of my sisters at the Penn relays told them get off the plane we will send you later this plane needs to go somewhere else. may not be such an issue with arriving in WDW but when you are flying down for 47 seconds and have limited time to get there it is not an ok thing. learn the hard way to never count on times airlines give you from weather to wanting to take people to Vegas instead of Philly things happen

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

should i be asking for some sort of compensation?

No. This does not merit any compensation. Flight changes happen every single day on every airline. If the time changes significantly, the airline should reticket you on a different flight if you do not like the new time, at no charge to you.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> miss the day
>>> until mid afternoon
Were there other flights you could have taken (you do the research)? If there is room in the same cabin they have to give you another flight of your choice at no extra charge, ignoring all fare rules.

 

[Lisa_Belle]

I've noticed that at least one of four legs on my Delta flight in September changes every weekend. Some siginificantly, some just a few minutes. This past weekend, all four legs changed - and my itinerary says seats are "not assigned" on all of them. I've pretty much just given up, but not it's become kind of a humor sport to me to see if they've changed each day.

 

[clkelley]

thanks for the advice. I called the airline and they were able to get me an earlier flight, though still arriving a few hours later than originally planned. I'm considering flying in the day before, just to get an early start on things. I was really hoping to be at MCO by 11 and to the hotel no later than 1. Now it looks like I won't even be at MCO at that time.

tricia.

Now that you have called and spoken with them and accepted the earlier flight they offered you, you won't be able to change to the evening before without significant fees. Now, if they change the flight you are currently on again more than two hours, that will be your window to change to the previous evening.

 

[battricia]

I wouldn't have minded if it was just a few min. or even a half hour or so but it's atleast two hours, and that was AFTER arguing with the guy about the flight (he said he would have to charge me if i wanted an earlier flight, so is the info people are giving here correct or is it not?) I'm still going to try to get a flight the day before, I really didn't want to arrive in Florida mid afternoon our first day. I did not realize this happened so often, we usually drive.


tricia.

 

[battricia]

Also I wanted to make it clear that by compensation I meant a better flight than what they were offering (and are still offering), or a refund on my ticket. I assumed that 'non refundable' meant that, when I bought the ticket. But I also assumed that buying a ticket locked in the flight. I know many people were on the same flight, when I booked it it showed almost all seats taken. Thanks for all the info.

tricia.

 

[bicker]

Let me help clear this up a bit:

I wouldn't have minded if it was just a few min. or even a half hour or so but it's atleast two hours, and that was AFTER arguing with the guy about the flight

It's not really a matter of "minding" or not "minding." Schedule changes are normal.

(he said he would have to charge me if i wanted an earlier flight, so is the info people are giving here correct or is it not?)

If your flight changes less than either two or four hours (depending on the airline), no considerations are necessarily forthcoming from the airline. (Of course, they could always be generous, but I wouldn't count on it.) If your flight changes more than either two or four hours (depending on the airline), you are entitled only to a refund -- nothing else. The airline may voluntarily offer you alternative flights, but that's completely up to their discretion -- that discretion allows them to decide which flights to offer you and which ones not to offer you -- you don't necessarily get to pick.

 

[battricia]

It's not really a matter of "minding" or not "minding." Schedule changes are normal.

Actually, It is a matter of minding or not minding. To me as a consumer it is. If more people would cancel their flight with an airline when they changed schedules the airline wouldn't be so quick to just change flights at random. As I said, I booked the flight because of the time, and the flight schedule IS now ATLEAST 2 hours different than what it was previously.

tricia.

 

[Laurajean1014]

All the time. It's like Russian Roulette. Just have them reschedule you and you'll be on your way.

 

[clkelley]

The problem is your "contract" when you purchase your ticket does not guarantee a time, a piece of equipment, or a particular routing. Their only guarantee is that they get you from Point A to Point B.

They can change the time, change the aircraft, change your seating assignment, run you through 4 different cities if they choose. However, they are still completing their end of the contract by getting you from Point A to Point B.