The downside to booking flights 330 in advance

[debster812]

Well, it's not really a downside either, since I am flying for February School vacation, and our Song Flight was only $59 for the one way.

But, the downside is that our flight times had changed 3 times already, nothing big, 15 minutes here, 15 minutes there, no biggie. But now, we have a new flight number, a new flight time, and did not have seat assignments that I could see online.

I called 1-800-FLYSONG and spoke to a delightful rep. She got us our seat assigments, and re-emailed the confirmation.

She said the seats were there all the time, they just did not re-assign them until we confirmed the changes.

So, it's all good, and we will get an extra hour to play with the Mouse.

 

[bicker]

When we book more than a few months prior to a flight, we're actually booking against a forecast, not an actual flight schedule. The airlines release their actual flight schedules four or five times per year, just a month or two before a schedule becomes valid. If you book before then, all that is confirmed when you have a "confirmed" reservation are the two cities you're flying between, and the date. Everything else, flight times, aircraft, number of connections, seat assignments, etc., are treated as requests -- passengers shouldn't think of them as part of what was confirmed.

 

[debster812]

You know what Bicker--that makes perfect sense. I never actually thought of it that way. And it's actually fine for us, as it gets us in earlier.

 

[Pinnie]

When we book more than a few months prior to a flight, we're actually booking against a forecast, not an actual flight schedule. The airlines release their actual flight schedules four or five times per year, just a month or two before a schedule becomes valid. If you book before then, all that is confirmed when you have a "confirmed" reservation are the two cities you're flying between, and the date. Everything else, flight times, aircraft, number of connections, seat assignments, etc., are treated as requests -- passengers shouldn't think of them as part of what was confirmed.

Very well put. bicker! This is the reason that I like flying SWA. I KNOW that once their schedule is up, it won't change, bar weather or mechanical problems.

Also, I note elsewhere on this board a lot of people talking about losing their seats when the airline changes their flight. All a ticket represents is a SEAT on that plane, not a specific seat. I still like SWA's "get your rear in a seat and let's take off" philosphy.

pinnie

 

[hercamore]

For $59, one way, I'd wouldn't care about time changes or seat asisignments.

I'm looking at $350-400 pp out of MN early Jan. We may not be able to go at all. I get a condo for less than $400, but payhing $1200 for airfare. Nuts.


herc.

 

[mbb]

When we book more than a few months prior to a flight, we're actually booking against a forecast, not an actual flight schedule. The airlines release their actual flight schedules four or five times per year, just a month or two before a schedule becomes valid. If you book before then, all that is confirmed when you have a "confirmed" reservation are the two cities you're flying between, and the date. Everything else, flight times, aircraft, number of connections, seat assignments, etc., are treated as requests -- passengers shouldn't think of them as part of what was confirmed.

Yep...and here's a tip - if seat selection has an additional fee, I never do it. Chances are there will be -as debster said - multiple sked changes, and when you call 3 or 4 months out (to confirm everything - the first of many times!!LOL), they'll usually book your seats for free because of all the schedule changes.

HTH!!

 

[debster812]

For $59, one way, I'd wouldn't care about time changes or seat asisignments.

I'm looking at $350-400 pp out of MN early Jan. We may not be able to go at all. I get a condo for less than $400, but payhing $1200 for airfare. Nuts.


herc.

I agree 100% hercamore. For that price they can change the flight time 4 MORE times. I ended up paying $229 for the flight home out of Ft Myers

But, it gets us out of NE in February , so it's all good. And we pay nothing for our lodging in Ft Myers (my parents winter there), so it's still OK.