Have to share recent experience with a charter air carrier.....

[Helene]

Sorry if this post gets long... just have to vent.

I booked air through Vacation Express charter airlines about 4 months ago , good fare ($158 R/T) good schedule (depart to Orlando 7am return 8pm). In the interim, the airline made local news for several major delays and a co-pilot arriving for work drunk. Needless to say, I began to have reservations @ using this carrier, but when I originally called to cancel, I would have lost $100 per ticket.

So......yesterday, I get a call telling me they have to reschedule my return trip, I will no longer have a direct flight and we will depart at 1pm thus having to cancel out my final day at Disney.

After much to do, they did agree to cancel out my entire reservation and I re-booked with Southwest. The trip is now costing me $450 more, but I'm taking it as a lesson learned in dealing with charter companies and I do feel safer flying with larger carrier.

Just thought I'd pass along the experience for anyone thinking @ booking with a charter company.

 

[eeyore45]

How about United? Every day I hear something about them not getting the gov't funded loan, I fear they will declare bankruptcy and put a crimp in our vacation pla ns, and we paid $145 rt...

 

[lkohawaii]

United can't go bankrupt....I have miles to use to go to WDW in 2007. What will happen to your ticket if they go under? I'm about ready to buy a ticket with them for next summer.

 

[dj2]

related story--i know someone who booked a flight to florida out of rockford, il ("near" chicago). the flight was canceled simply because their weren't enough seats sold, and because they were a charter airline, they were under no legal obligation to rebook passengers onto other airlines. these people were attending a wedding and had to buy their new tickets on another airline last minute at huge cost. beware of charter airlines, especially if you're not traveling at a busy time.

 

[CarolA]

United is in bankruptcy right now and the planes are still flying!

Most people think that since the goverment will not guarantee the loans it will just take United longer to come out of bankruptcy. I would not worry about your flights on United.

The OP has discovered the one big drawback on charter flights. You fly the way they want you too and if they don't sell all the seats they can start getting creative. You really are not guranteed your money back if you don't like the schedule changes so Helene was lucky.