Just found out NW changed my flight-ugh!

[Psychodisney]

We booked our air for our March cruise through travelocity and just got an email saying our nonstop flight now has a change in Memphis(30 min layover). I'm on hold with travelocity now. I'm so frustrated. We booked early to get the best rates for sping break. Here's hoping they'll let me change airlines to get my nonstop back! Anybody have any experience with this?

 

[Psychodisney]

No luck-they told me they could refund my entire trip but I don't want to lose my return flight. To rebook would be almost $200 per person more! UGH!

 

[NancyIL]

You need more than a 30-minute layover in Memphis! Even if you make the flight, chances are good your luggage won't. First - look at Northwest's schedule and find the flights YOU would like to take. Travelocity ought to accommodate you, since the airline changed the schedule.

Is Lindenhurst a Chicago suburb? If Travelocity won't help you, I'd take the refund and hope for the best when Southwest books for March. AirTran also has some non-stops to Orlando out of Midway, and they are booking for March now. A good search engine is www.kayak.com. In the future, I would book directly with the airline and not with Travelocity, unless Travelocity's fares were lower than elsewhere.

One more thing - I hope you planned to arrive in Orlando at least one day BEFORE your cruise, and not the day of!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

When you book an airline ticket so very far in advance, you can pretty much count on a schedule change.

You need more than a 30-minute layover in Memphis! Even if you make the flight, chances are good your luggage won't.

OP said she would have a layover, not a plane change.

 

[NancyIL]

When you book an airline ticket so very far in advance, you can pretty much count on a schedule change.



OP said she would have a layover, not a plane change.

Actually, the OP said "our nonstop flight now has a change in Memphis(30 min layover)" - which could mean just a 30-minute stop or an actual change of planes - since 30 minutes is a legal connection time on some airlines.

**Just checked NWA's schedule for March, and flight #933 departs Chicago at 7:01 a.m.- arriving in Memphis at 8:50 a.m. It connects to flight #954 departing Memphis at 9:20 a.m. - arriving in Orlando at 12:17 p.m. That's definitely a change of planes.

 

[Psychodisney]

Yes it's a change of planes. I checked AirTrain-almost $600 per person. I can't imagine the luggage maknig the flight even if we do. I realize that schedules change but to change from a nonstop to an impossible change of planes is crazy. I'm sick to my stomach!

 

[NancyIL]

Yes it's a change of planes. I checked AirTrain-almost $600 per person. I can't imagine the luggage maknig the flight even if we do. I realize that schedules change but to change from a nonstop to an impossible change of planes is crazy. I'm sick to my stomach!

I noticed only that one flight changing in Memphis - with the others changing either in Detroit or Minneapolis. If it were me - I'd look at Kayak and see what is available on other airlines, but realize that chances are good that your flight times will change one or more times before March.

With AirTran you need to get on their e-mail list and book when they have a special - or else wait for Southwest.

 

[Psychodisney]

My flight isn't even listed on the NWA website-odd huh. I looked at Kayak and the prices were high and the flight choices weren't great. We are almost at the Wis border so I'm not a big fan of Midway but might have to take a look at Soutwest-but I'm nervous about that too. If we go Midwest and fly out Sun mornig coming home we can get $360pp ( up from 290) plus another overnight. The change will probably end up costing us a grand either way!

One of the flights on the NWA website goes through Detroit with a 45 min window for the plane change-better but not great. Why sdo they give themselves such a small window?

 

[NancyIL]

My flight isn't even listed on the NWA website-odd huh. I looked at Kayak and the prices were high and the flight choices weren't great. We are almost at the Wis border so I'm not a big fan of Midway but might have to take a look at Soutwest-but I'm nervous about that too. If we go Midwest and fly out Sun mornig coming home we can get $360pp ( up from 290) plus another overnight. The change will probably end up costing us a grand either way!

One of the flights on the NWA website goes through Detroit with a 45 min window for the plane change-better but not great. Why sdo they give themselves such a small window?

Is your new flight the 7:01 a.m. one I posted about above? I just picked a random date in March to check. When is your cruise, and are you arriving in Orlando at least one day before?

Have you checked fares from Milwaukee? Oops...you already did - assuming the Midwest flight is out of Milwaukee.

 

[Psychodisney]

Yes we are flying in the day before. We are on the 3/24 Western. Had hoped to enjoy the day at BB or TL-so much for that! Yes that's our flight the 7:01. I noticed that all of their connections have very short times in between-45 min at the most and some less than 30 min.

 

[NancyIL]

On NWA's web site - do a search for one-way flights only. It will list them by price. On THAT page click on "more search options" - then fill in one-way destination, date, and click "search by schedule" - which will make it easier to see your flight options.

 

[Yzerbear19]

I'd just sit back and be patient. You have time before you leave. I always heard it was better to wait to purchase your airfare until closer to your departure date, generally 30 days out. I'm sure the prices will decrease the closer you get to when you want to leave. I've been checking the prices for our flight once or twice a week for several months now and it has gone down considerable. Also something to think about is as you get closer to the date you leave there may be special fare sales, promotions, etc. I would actually get the refund and then wait to see, they may add flights / times to the schedule. When we first looked for our flight from Detroit Metro to MCO on Northwest back in March/April there was only one morning flight option, 6:40 am. Since then there have been others added. So I would just be patient. You have plenty of time before you leave.

 

[NancyIL]

I'd just sit back and be patient. You have time before you leave. I always heard it was better to wait to purchase your airfare until closer to your departure date, generally 30 days out. I'm sure the prices will decrease the closer you get to when you want to leave. I've been checking the prices for our flight once or twice a week for several months now and it has gone down considerable. Also something to think about is as you get closer to the date you leave there may be special fare sales, promotions, etc. I would actually get the refund and then wait to see, they may add flights / times to the schedule. When we first looked for our flight from Detroit Metro to MCO on Northwest back in March/April there was only one morning flight option, 6:40 am. Since then there have been others added. So I would just be patient. You have plenty of time before you leave.

You definitely shouldn't wait to purchase airfare for spring break until 30 days before. You might get a bargain, but you'd be a nervous wreck in the meantime. At least I know I would be a wreck!

 

[bicker]

No luck-they told me they could refund my entire trip

That is correct, and is the case with most airlines -- they're only promising the cities and dates -- everything else (including times, number of stops, aircraft, seats, etc.) is subject to change, and your only recourse with regard to times is a full refund, and then, only if the change is significant.

I would sit tight and keep checking back. It's a bit of work, but eventually, if you're polite and persistent, you might get lucky.

 

[Psychodisney]

I'm definitely not waitng until 30 days before. We're talking spring break in Chicago trying to get to Florida-all the deals will be blacked out! I'm thinking about cancelling and biting the bullet and making a new reservation(not with Travelocity or Northwest).

 

[NancyIL]

I'm definitely not waitng until 30 days before. We're talking spring break in Chicago trying to get to Florida-all the deals will be blacked out! I'm thinking about cancelling and biting the bullet and making a new reservation(not with Travelocity or Northwest).

What you might want to do is keep the reservation you have until something better turns up. Flight times will change again between now and March, and it's possible they could change in a way that would give you more time between Northwest flights. If it were me, I would be looking for better flight times/fares daily, but keep what I have until I found something else.

 

[Psychodisney]

Good news(I hope). My husband spent three hours patiently on the phone with NW today. He went the polite, patient route and NW agreed to keep out return flight which is on Midwest(direct) and fly us out on Midwest direct. It will cost us $37 per ticket to change-no biggie compared to hundreds! I have to go to the airport tomorrow to complete the exchange.