I need to vent!!!!

[Princess Amy]

When we booked our Dec 1-9 vacation in April with Disney, we also booked our airfare.

We were using Airtran with a nonstop flight from BWI to MCO, departing at 7am and arriving at 9:10am. Perfect!

Fast forward a few months, look at our reservation on the Disney website and lo and behold they changed our flights. And that is without even telling us!

Call CRO and found out that our original nonstop flight was cancelled so they switched us to a flight close to our original departing time. Go figure! We could either choose to leave it at the 6:40am with a layover in Atlanta arriving at MCO at 10:45am or take a later 12noon flight which was nonstop.

We like to get to Disney early, so we can have a whole day to do what we want. So we chose the layover flight. DH was not too thrilled, but what could we do, right?

A week or so later, I look at our reservation and realize they never changed our magical express information to the new flight. So yet again, I had to call Disney to explain they changed our flight and now our DME info needs to be changed. So that was fixed.

Now today, I look on the Airtran websitef (to make sure our flight has not changed ), and guess what?! Our original nonstop flight was back on there. Same flight number, departing and arrival times. Oh, I could have screamed!

Call Disney and the nice CM switched it back to our original nonstop flight we had in the first place. Asked to make sure our DME info corresponded with the new flight, and she tells me she cannot do that over the phone, I would have to call DME directly in a few hours. WTH!!!!

Ahh!! I could scream again!!

All I know is that when December 1 rolls around, I better be on an early Airtran flight to Disney or I will have a fit!

Of course now that I sit here typing this, I'm smiling to myself and chuckling. I'm so overdramatic as my husband likes to call me.

 

[kaytieeldr]

DON'T WORRY ABOUT MAGICAL EXPRESS!
They expect you on December 1, some time.
You do not have a reservation on a specific bus.
They will transport you once you arrive and check in at the Welcome Center.
Relax!!!!
But, um, keep checking your flights.

 

[ktkerber]

I completely understand your frustration. We will be at the world the same time as you. We are just leaving a few days earlier. Nov 29-Dec 9. Airtran has changed our flight times at least 4 times. Sometimes it is only for a few minutes, but recently they pushed back the departure time an hour. That may not seem like alot, but we had our flight booked so we could pick DD8 up from school and go right to the airport. Our school district just started a new vacation policy so we were trying to have her miss the least amount of school as possible since we are already violating the new vacation policy(Trip was booked and flights were paid for before policy was changed). Now with the flight change we are going to have to pull her out of school early that day. It makes me so mad that you choose your flight times for very specific reasons and they just go and change them. We looked into switching to SW but their flight is much more expensive, especially if you only book one way.
Airtran just sent us an email on Friday about the time change, but the flight time changed a few weeks ago. I had been checking everyday because I have heard the stories here on the Dis so I knew when it changed. I am just hoping that they switch it back to what it originally was.

 

[Princess Amy]

It is so frustrating isn't it? We booked through Disney, not through Airtran. So even if flight times changed, how would we know unless Disney notified us? Which of course, is not going to happen.

What would have happened in the event that I did not check my reservation online? I might not of even found out about a flight change until I arrived at the airport. That would have been horrible!

They expect you to keep checking in the event that flight times change. But how is that good business? You would need to call or check online every week. Which is now what I am going to have to do. What a pain!

 

[keishashadow]

even if you booked directly thru AT, your odds of getting email notification of flight time change/cancellation is slim to none.

be aware, they are infamous for this (however, the cheap $ keeps us coming back ).

we've had flight times change the day before, make sure you keep checking!

enjoy your trip!

 

[Princess Amy]

Disney said they were sending me new e-tickets. Is this true? They didn't send them when they changed the flight before. If they are sending them, how long should it take before I receive them?

 

[brittsmum1998]

We booked direct thru AirTrans, I kept looking at our flights and noticed about 15 days ago that our outbound had changed by about 30 mins. I finally got notice yesterday. I will say though their customer service has been great...our original flights changed and we were able to get carte blanche on any flight we wanted or a full refund We took the nonstop at 8:30a (which has now changed to 9a) for cheap cheap money so I'm happy. Hopefully things will work out for you.

PS....while our coming home flight did NOT change (at least at that point) we were also able to rebook on a non stop in the afternoon (instead of 7AM) for coming home also w/ no add'l penalties or money. AirTrans said as long as they change any flight time you can switch or refund.

 

[klmall]

I think almost every airline (except Southwest) has done this to us in the last 10 years. Worst of all was the loss of seats each time too! We got tired of re-selecting seats over and over.

The only airline courteous enough to send/call about flight time changes was United and they have an auto notify system you sign up for. We had the opposite problem you did with United. They called and we were panicked. All over a two minute time change! But at least we got called! I know everyone hates them but SW always has the best flight times and prices for us and they don't cancel or change flight times (and we live where we can choose BWI, Reagan or Dulles).

Good luck! We're flying down about a week after you!

 

[TDC Nala]

I think almost every airline (except Southwest) has done this to us in the last 10 years. Worst of all was the loss of seats each time too! We got tired of re-selecting seats over and over.

The only airline courteous enough to send/call about flight time changes was United and they have an auto notify system you sign up for. We had the opposite problem you did with United. They called and we were panicked. All over a two minute time change! But at least we got called! I know everyone hates them but SW always has the best flight times and prices for us and they don't cancel or change flight times (and we live where we can choose BWI, Reagan or Dulles).

Good luck! We're flying down about a week after you!

You can fly SW out of Reagan????

 

[klmall]

No but then I won't ever fly out of Reagan even if the flight was free and First Class! You couldn't pay me to fly from there! Plus parking is usually a nightmare. Most people I know ride Metro (thus limiting luggage options) or get dropped off but after the Air Florida crash years ago, the report my students did interviewing the airport manager there and reading that airline pilots rank it their second least liked airport to land in after John Wayne in Calif. due to flight path restrictions and noise abatement rules; I just won't go there!!!

 

[Stan's MaggieMouse]

I booked our flights on Jet Blue months ago and chose specifically the rows in front of the exit row because they have additional leg room and my husband prefers to be in or next to the exit row. We had row 8 on the flight down and row 9 on the flight back. I have a confirmation that says so. Last night my husband is checking around Jet Blue's website and they have us sitting in row 17 in both directions.

I call Jet Blue to find out what the story is and they tell me that my seats must have been changed when they issued my credit because the fares went down. No one told me that my seats were being changed and now they tell me that in order to check and see if they can give me different seats they have to cancel my current seats. With my luck, they'll cancel them, someone will buy them and there won't be another seat to be had on the plane. I am *not* a happy camper. The woman from Jet Blue did tell me that it was possible that the gate attendant would be able to help us when we actually arrive at the airport.

Maggie

 

[seashoreCM]

Generally you don't want the seats just in front of the wing exit because said seats don't recline.

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

 

[kaytieeldr]

I call Jet Blue to find out what the story is and they tell me that my seats must have been changed when they issued my credit because the fares went down. No one told me that my seats were being changed

Nobody told me, either, when a similar thing happened to me. I got a really great CSR on the phone - well, really I've never gotten anything but great with JetBlue - who explained that when they issue the credit, they need to cancel and rebook your flight. MOST of the agents know to grab the seats again (unless they get snatched in the few moments this transaction takes), but some may not, or may be distracted by other questions.
Stan's MaggieMouse, would you be willing to sit apart from your husband if necessary? Let the agent look for ONE seat, for him, first. If she can find that, ideally with an empty seat next to it, maybe she can grab it, then cancel yours and move you next to him.
Alternatively, if the Gate Agent can't help, there's always the Flight Attendant. More than once, I've been aboard the plane and been able to move to an entirely empty row. Even if it's got 'only' thirty-four inches of pitch (instead of the 36" in the front few rows), if you can find an empty row your husband can stretch his legs out into the middle seat space.

 

[Evil Princess]

Airtran has changed my flight 3 times so far for Columbus weekend...we've been booked since April.

I'm getting really irritated. I fly Southwest and Jetblue normally, twice a month, and they NEVER change flights on me.

Not to mention the fact that I'm losing vacation time with these changes. It's only a couple of hours on the way back, but it's the difference between having the middle of the day to relax by the pool, and waking up and going straight to MCO.

 

[WillCAD]

Stories like that make me grateful that I book my air directly, and I always fly Southwest from BWI-MCO. I have flown AirTran to MCO before, and I really liked the flight, the crew, and the plane. But SWA has more non-stops and doesn't charge change fees if I want to alter my plans between the time I book and the time I fly, so I go with SWA all the time now.

I always rent a car, so I don't have to worry about SWA not being fully integrated in the DME system, and in the 7 years that I have been taking SWA to get to Orlando, I have never had a flight time changed on me, and only had 2 or 3 flights delayed (due to weather or mechanical difficulty).

I guess OPs story proves that booking a "package", either through Disney or through a travel agent, doesn't always save you any time or trouble over booking things yourself a la carte.

 

[Princess Amy]

I have always used a travel agent everytime I have gone to Disney. This time I figured I would book it myself since it seemed virtually painless.

I wanted to book our flight separately from our Disney reservation, but DH wanted it to be all done and paid for up front so all we had to do was wait to go.

I liked booking with Disney for the flexibility. Like for instance, I must have changed resorts 3 times and was able to add the Visa code...and so on. But I must say as far as the airfare goes with Disney. It sucks! Am I allowed to say that....

Next time I will most definitely book my own airfare. To have to keep checking everyday to see if our flights have changed, is absolutely absurd! But guess that's what I get for listening to DH. *Mental Note to self - next time listen to your gut....