Is Travelocity always so difficult?

[DVCBELLE]

I booked a flight for our cruise in November on Airtran. My kids and I booked directly on Airtran b/c there were 3 cheap flights but the 4th ticket would have cost us more so I decided to wait and see if the price would come down.

It did so I booked with Travelocity for the mypoints reward.

Shocking as this might be to everyone Airtran made a flight change. It was only 10 minutes but it made my layover in Atlanta less than 40 minutes and with little ones that obviously was not acceptable. So I called and Airtran happily changed my kids and I to another flight - we changed cities b/c we were on the only flight into Palm Beach in the mid afternoon. So we switched to a flight into Fort Lauderdale. But they couldn't switch my DH b/c he was booked through Travelocity.

So I call Travelocity - explain the whole situation - the girl calls Airtran for permission leaves me on hold for over 1/2 an hour and comes back to say - you may not make the changes without a change fee b/c you are changing your destination .... I explain that is not true since I just did it with the airline and then ask her to either conference with me to Airtran or let me speak with a supervisor. She refused both and told me she would transfer me to Airtran and I could get permission from them and call them back. I explained I already got permission from Airtran and she didn't believe me so how would that help and I then reiterate my desire to speak to a supervisor. She refuses and tells me she will transfer me to Airtran and I should just make the change with them.

I assume this means she did something to release my reservation to Airtran. NOPE...no such luck. I get put into the Airtran regular old line and get an agent (within 5 minutes). I explain my whole saga to her and she is very sympathetic tells me that was HORRIBLE customer service as once a supervisor is requested I should have IMMEDIATELY been transferred to one. She tells me the changes are fine but she can't make them for me but she makes notes in my reservation that the change is authorized at no cost.

So I call back to Travelocity...get an agent on the line explain to him and ask him to call Airtran for authorization since I just spoke to them again. He tells me - the notes in your record show that we already called for authorization and they said there is a change fee... DID YOU NOT LISTEN TO ME...but I kept my cool and said yes but I have since called and they noted the record if you call them back they will authorize the change now. Then he says - I am looking at your reservation and your flights did not change. So I explain yes they did by 10 minutes and now the connection was too tight - which Airtran agrees and is why they changed my flights already and authorized the change. He FINALLY agrees to call...comes back after 10 minutes and tells me the wait time is over 1/2 hour and he will call me back later. So I agree and ask him if they call a special line or regular line. He said normally they call an agent line but it is not open on nights and weekends so he called the regular line...funny that I got through in 5 minutes on that line twice tonight - isn't it

So I am sitting here waiting and trying not to fume.... Lesson learned - book directly with airlines...

Sorry this is so long - I just need to vent -

OH - question though - can I ask travelocity to release the reservation to Airtran?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think, no, Travelocity will not release the reservation back to the airline, or to you. So

I agree and ask him if they call a special line or regular line. He said normally they call an agent line but it is not open on nights and weekends so he called the regular line...funny that I got through in 5 minutes on that line twice tonight - isn't it

I think an agent line would be a different/direct line that Travel Agents use to call the airline. Since most Travel Agencies aren't open late nights/weekends*, it makes sense that an airline wouldn't staff that line at off times.

*Yes, I realize Travelocity, Orbitz, etc. are Travel Agencies, but given that they primarily do business online, it's reasonable that an airline would expect issues - like this - to be dealt with online as well, and so not have "agent line" employees working outside normal business hours.