Problems with Song Airlines

[bicker]

All I can say is I wasn't aware that my flight wasn't the final schedule.

Glad the DIS could help clear that up for folks.

I would recommend that folks read the Contract of Carriage, for each airline they want to hand their hard-earned money over to, and learn what it is they're buying.

 

[cigar95]

The major airlines rarely, if ever, change flight times or aircraft once their own final flight schedules are released. So if you want to avoid this "drama" with the major airlines, just wait to book your flight until the final flight schedule is released, . . . .

Brian, how can one tell when the schedule is "final"? I've never seen any notations or anything else indicating that on the Delta or United web site.

 

[bicker]

The airlines release scheduled in printed form, and those pamphlets have effective dates. This information is also published in the OAG.

 

[seashoreCM]

"You are now booked for a discount flight from Boston to Orlando that will leave sometime between 5 AM and 2 PM. )

At one time recently I thought of the idea of letting passengers specify a time range spanning two to three flights in exchange for a lower fare. The passenger would have to show up for the earliest flight in the time span but the airline would choose which flight.

 

[goofy4tink]

Brian, how can one tell when the schedule is "final"? I've never seen any notations or anything else indicating that on the Delta or United web site.

The flight is 'finalized' when the landing gear lifts up and is stowed!!!!

 

[bicker]

It is interesting. The airlines are no longer disseminating the exact dates of efficacy with the public, probably because they've noted how it adversely affects sales. We've yet-again motivated them to make our experience more troublesome, because we punished them for providing that information in the past.

 

[Lewisc]

The airlines release scheduled in printed form, and those pamphlets have effective dates. This information is also published in the OAG.

SW, and I assume other airlines, are doing away with the printed schedules. Airlines in bankruptcy don't seem to be waiting before they combine flights to reduce capacity.

 

[seashoreCM]

Practically all of us are not griping about a flight change from 8 AM to 7 AM but we would want to have something more approximate than "anytime between 9 AM and 3 PM".

 

[Lewisc]

Practically all of us are not griping about a flight change from 8 AM to 7 AM but we would want to have something more approximate than "anytime between 9 AM and 3 PM".

If you're travelling from Boston or New York you won't have a problem. Passengers flying from an airport that only has 2 flights to MCO may have a large schedule change if the airline goes to only 1 flight. The option may be a refund and go to another airport or go the night before.

 

[frayedend]

Practically all of us are not griping about a flight change from 8 AM to 7 AM but we would want to have something more approximate than "anytime between 9 AM and 3 PM".

Oh, I wasn't saying we would want something that approximate. I am saying that if that is the only guarantee we have then be up front about it. I would rather know the range of times and hope for a good time than to have a time set in my head and get angry when it changes.

 

[Lewisc]

Oh, I wasn't saying we would want something that approximate. I am saying that if that is the only guarantee we have then be up front about it. I would rather know the range of times and hope for a good time than to have a time set in my head and get angry when it changes.

Read your e-ticket confirmation. I'm sure it says something like the schedule is subject to change. I know SW has that language and they rarely change a flight once it's scheduled. The language is also in the carriers website.

The fewer flights the airline has schedued from your airport the greater the chance that a schedule change will be something you won't like. The scheduled airlines will generally find you a connecting flight or a flight on a different day that you can live with. Many people wind up getting a better flight without having to pay the extra fare that would have been required if they booked that flight in the first place. If the flight change is enough you can always get a refund.

Charter airlines like USA3000 are different. As long as they get you to your destination the same day they don't even have to give you a refund.

 

[frayedend]

Read your e-ticket confirmation. I'm sure it says something like the schedule is subject to change. I know SW has that language and they rarely change a flight once it's scheduled. The language is also in the carriers website.

The fewer flights the airline has schedued from your airport the greater the chance that a schedule change will be something you won't like. The scheduled airlines will generally find you a connecting flight or a flight on a different day that you can live with. Many people wind up getting a better flight without having to pay the extra fare that would have been required if they booked that flight in the first place. If the flight change is enough you can always get a refund.

Charter airlines like USA3000 are different. As long as they get you to your destination the same day they don't even have to give you a refund.

Good points, but as I posted earlier, I did not have e-tickets. I got them at the airport and there was nothing warning me until after I paid. I agree with the refund policy. I was told that if they changed my flight by 90 minutes then I could get a refund. But I was told that they were suggesting I change my flight, not requiring it, so no refund was available. They then told me I could be bumped the day of the flight. So this is putting me in a catch 22. I can't book jet blue and get a refund, and I know that the flight I am on is overbooked by 60 people. Hopefully things will go okay. I know they could bump me and that would be a very stressful start to a vacation. The kids don't like hanging around the airport, and if they put me on a flight with a connection it will be dramatically worse. My plan will be to get there as early as possible and get on board. In my past experience they would come on the plane and offer free tickets to people who would switch flights due to being overbooked and obviously there was someone that hadn't gotten on yet that would not switch. Anyhow, on my last flight they ended up giving 2 free tickets because noone jumped on the one free ticket. I'll see how it goes in January. I guess if the flight I am on now is overbooked then they won't cancel it and I will just stand firm about not switching.

 

[disneytraveler]

I purchased an e-ticket for sept 2006 for Boston to mco and so far it has not changed on the Song page but it has some time to go.