REALLY Need AirTran to Change My Itinerary

[JayhawkFans]

never thought I would wish for an airfare schedule change but I could REALLY use one today.

When I booked our airfare last month I thought I had scored a great deal. We have since found out that we have to return a day sooner due to a road gig for DH's show which means $75 per person change fee plus the additional cost of airfare. Our once cheap airfare has now jumped $360 total for the 3 of us.

I'm going to play the waiting game and see if I get that email that says "AirTran has adjusted your itinerary .. to accept click yes .. to decline click no". In which case I can click no and rebook to return the day prior at no extra charge (except for increase in fare itself).

It worked in our favor last year when our itinerary changed by 5 minutes and we opted to book a day sooner and add a day to our trip. Unfortunately I think we made that change quite a bit earlier and now we are just 3 weeks out. Yikes!!!

 

[keliblue]

Is it possible for just your husband to fly home a day early ?

 

[JayhawkFans]

Is it possible for just your husband to fly home a day early ?

I wish it would be that simple but I too have to be sure I'm back a day earlier b/c I have to travel with him to Mississippi so if for some strange reason my flight is delayed then that will really mess things up.

 

[Lewisc]

JMO...It's more likely the airfare for your return flight will go up between now and the time of your return then Airtran will make a schedule change 3 weeks before your flight.

 

[JayhawkFans]

JMO...It's more likely the airfare for your return flight will go up between now and the time of your return then Airtran will make a schedule change 3 weeks before your flight.

That's another concern .. every date before and after that one date is less than the one day we are needing. Makes no sense

 

[Lewisc]

That's another concern .. every date before and after that one date is less than the one day we are needing. Makes no sense

What airport and what dates?

Airlines offer discounted fares on flights they don't think they'll be able to sell out at higher fares. A Sunday flight from MCO might be higher then a Monday flight since people need to get home before the work week.

Makes a lot of sense, just doesn't help you. Try to make a reservation for the maximum number of seats (8 or 9?) and see what happens. If that number of seats isn't available at any price your flight might sell out without the price going down. All 8 or 9 seats available at the same price as one seat? You might get lucky.

Check other airlines.

 

[JayhawkFans]

Unfortunately for us there is just one airline to select from and that is AirTran. We are flying into and out of Branson, MO. Teeny, Tiny airport but so much more convenient for us. Our other options are St. Louis, Kansas City or Tulsa but the 3.5+ hr drive just doesn't work with our schedules.

Dates are Sept 5-13 (original return was 9/14)

We initially scored a round trip flight of $174 per person. Can't even get prices that low into and out of Kansas City or St Louis.

 

[Lewisc]

A fare of $108 is available for your date. $108 seems to be the lowest fare currently available for dates around 9/13. $108 is the current fare for flights on 9/14, your original departure date.

I doubt you'll see a lower fare. I'd be surprised to see a schedule change 3 weeks out.

You can call AT and see if they can either waive the change fee or the difference in fare. I don't think they will but it won't hurt to ask. Sounds like $75 + the fare difference is almost $100. Politely tell the CSR you don't think it's fair you have to pay almost the cost of a new ticket to make a change. It's fair but no harm in politely asking. Current change fees of $75-$150 (varies with the airline) means the value of a ticket is almost worthless if you don't want to honor the original terms of the sale.

Your choice is to pay now or wait, hope for a schedule change which might allow you to make the change for free.

edited to add--the change will cost you $360 for 3 people. It will cost you $322.80 to book 3 one way tickets. I suggest booking 3 tickets.

 

[JayhawkFans]

A fare of $108 is available for your date. $108 seems to be the lowest fare current available for dates around 9/13. $108 is the current fare for flights on 9/14, your original departure date.

I doubt you'll see a lower fare. I'd be surprised to see a schedule change 3 weeks out.

You can call AT and see if they can either waive the change fee or the difference in fare. I don't think they will but it won't hurt to ask. Sounds like $75 + the fare difference is almost $100. Politely tell the CSR you don't think it's fair you have to pay almost the cost of a new ticket to make a change. It's fair but no harm in politely asking. Current change fees of $75-$150 (varies with the airline) means the value of a ticket is almost worthless if you don't want to honor the original terms of the sale.

Great idea .. nothing ventured .. nothing gained. I will call AirTran today on lunch. The morning flight at the current rate of $135 is essential to getting DH back in time to complete all that he has to do at the last minute to wrap things up here so we can hit the road for Mississippi on Friday morning. Had we known this gig was on the horizon we would have put Disney off until December but that's the way it goes. Very thankful for the work.

Really wonky part is DH is a private pilot but taking the flying club's plane from here to Orlando was going to be cost prohibitive .. with all of our changes maybe it wouldn't have been so cost prohibitive to have just flown ourselves.

 

[JayhawkFans]

Lewisc --

Thank you so much for pointing out the obvious idea of calling AirTran direct. I called on my lunch break and they agreed to do a one time courtesy change for no fee other than the change in airfare. Saved us $200.

Thank you SO much!!!

 

[Lewisc]

Lewisc --

Thank you so much for pointing out the obvious idea of calling AirTran direct. I called on my lunch break and they agreed to do a one time courtesy change for no fee other than the change in airfare. Saved us $200.

Thank you SO much!!!

Glad it worked out. Sometimes we forget the obvious.

Ask nicely and a business may try to work with you. Anyone reading this thread. Ask and a note is generally put on the record. You generally only have one chance to ask nicely and get an exception. Start off being argumentative and demanding and you blew your only shot.

Trying to come up with a way to avoid the fee was a lost cause. When all else fails "begging" (OK asking nicely for an exception) can still work.

 

[JayhawkFans]

Glad it worked out. Sometimes we forget the obvious.

Ask nicely and a business may try to work with you. Anyone reading this thread. Ask and a note is generally put on the record. You generally only have one chance to ask nicely and get an exception. Start off being argumentative and demanding and you blew your only shot.

Trying to come up with a way to avoid the fee was a lost cause. When all else fails "begging" (OK asking nicely for an exception) can still work.

So true .. I never once got argumentative and started off the conversation by telling him I understood their change fees / prices / etc. Just plead my case very nicely that work conflicts had come up (which was not a lie) and we simply had to cut our vacation short by one day. Next time we probably won't be so lucky but it worked out this time so that's what counts.

 

[Lewisc]

So true .. I never once got argumentative and started off the conversation by telling him I understood their change fees / prices / etc. Just plead my case very nicely that work conflicts had come up (which was not a lie) and we simply had to cut our vacation short by one day. Next time we probably won't be so lucky but it worked out this time so that's what counts.

Southwest doesn't have any change fees, you just pay the difference in fare. Next time you probably won't have to ask for an exception, assuming you don't book another flight before Southwest changes that route over to Southwest operated flights.