This could have been avoided

[MaryKatesMom]

How is this news? Things like this happen every day.

 

[truck1]

Not necessarily. They were flying out of a hub for Delta, meaning a lot of people who can't get non-stop flights from their home airport could be routed through Detroit to get to Florida (even if the original departure point makes you scratch your head at going the opposite direction than the destination). It is highly conceivable that 40 people could have booked on their own (or some might have booked through the cruise line which is why we are only hearing from one woefully inexperienced family) and be going through Detroit - either as their origin or a change point.

It is possible that it was a fluke that 40 people were in the same spot at the same time. Which is why I had that questioned. It's also not out of the realm of impossibility that the airline or cruise line never made contact with that group to say our bad here's your options.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

How is this news? Things like this happen every day.

Because people have learned that if they put a company on blast on social media or go to the news media about it, companies may cave to pressure and do something for the complainer that they are not normally required to do.

 

[truck1]

How is this news? Things like this happen every day.

Easy. It comes on the heels of several other airline passenger incidents. So someone jumped on it to sensationalized another bad situation.

 

[Dug720]

It is possible that it was a fluke that 40 people were in the same spot at the same time. Which is why I had that questioned. It's also not out of the realm of impossibility that the airline or cruise line never made contact with that group to say our bad here's your options.

There were PLANELOADS of people heading to Miami and Ft. Lauderdale and MCO at LGA a couple of weeks ago - and we were not all booked through the cruise line. Easily more than 40 per flight based on conversations you can't help but overhear. So yeah, especially with Detroit being a hub I think coincidence is the most likely thing.

It is possible it was arranged through the cruise line, but if the cruise line had arranged it, they would be named in the "they are doing nothing for us" whining. And more people would be complaining than this one family - especially once it hit the news.

 

[FigmentSpark]

What happens to a room when there's a no-show? I mean, if they had, say, a 4a, could DCL sell that as an upgrade or would the room just be empty?

 

[nearlyfallinstar]

I thought it was common sense that if you need to fly somewhere for a specific date and time, you go early. Flight delays are not a new phenomenon! A little bit of fog or storms and that plane is not going anywhere. That isn't new and it is not foreseeable.

 

[wilkeliza]

What happens to a room when there's a no-show? I mean, if they had, say, a 4a, could DCL sell that as an upgrade or would the room just be empty?

It sits empty. They could end up joining the boat at a later port and no show isn't a no show until it is too late to sell it to someone else.

 

[wilkeliza]

I thought it was common sense that if you need to fly somewhere for a specific date and time, you go early. Flight delays are not a new phenomenon! A little bit of fog or storms and that plane is not going anywhere. That isn't new and it is not foreseeable.

Early is so subjective. If finaly boarding of a cruise is 4pm and you have a flight that gets in at 8 am then some with a lot of common sense may deduce that 7 hours between 8am and 3pm (factoring drive time and luggage) would give them enough wiggle room. Weather usually is pretty well predicted these day so you can usually figure out if your going to need to change a few days prior due to weather events like snow or hurricanes.

 

[quickcat]

I thought it was common sense that if you need to fly somewhere for a specific date and time, you go early. Flight delays are not a new phenomenon! A little bit of fog or storms and that plane is not going anywhere. That isn't new and it is not foreseeable.

I completely agree weather related issues are not the airlines fault. However a pilot not showing up, a plane not working is definitely the airlines fault. Traveling by air isn't cheap and I don't believe the airline should get off with an "I am sorry here's a voucher"

 

[Dug720]

Early is so subjective. If finaly boarding of a cruise is 4pm and you have a flight that gets in at 8 am then some with a lot of common sense may deduce that 7 hours between 8am and 3pm (factoring drive time and luggage) would give them enough wiggle room. Weather usually is pretty well predicted these day so you can usually figure out if your going to need to change a few days prior due to weather events like snow or hurricanes.

But mechanical issues can happen any time. Even right after the mechanical crew has been working on other mechanical issues. That happened to me coming back from Spring Break. We could see them changing the front tire. Fine. No problem! You kind of need those for takeoff and landing. Then they boarded us while the mechanical crew fixed another issue or two. All was well and cleared. We backed up off the gate and another light went off for something unrelated to either the tire or the other issue. Back to the gate - but another gate - while they came to look at it, and 30 minutes later "this plane is out of service" so we all had to deplane and wait for information about what was going to happen. Thankfully Miami is an American hub so they had some planes - even the same model we had been on so no new seating had to be done - in the stable and they could pull one out. But if Miami wasn't a hub...we could have been sitting there until Thursday at the earliest as it was the last day of Spring Break so there were no seats available.

 

[Dug720]

I completely agree weather related issues are not the airlines fault. However a pilot not showing up, a plane not working is definitely the airlines fault. Traveling by air isn't cheap and I don't believe the airline should get off with an "I am sorry here's a voucher"

The pilot not showing up is HIS or HER fault.

While there are some things that routine maintenance will pick up, there are mechanical issues that come up without notice - just like on your car - and all they can do is try to fix it as quickly as possible or see if there is a plane somewhere that is available. I know I don't want to be flying in a plane with a mechanical issue that made them not want to go in the air.

 

[wilkeliza]

But mechanical issues can happen any time. Even right after the mechanical crew has been working on other mechanical issues. That happened to me coming back from Spring Break. We could see them changing the front tire. Fine. No problem! You kind of need those for takeoff and landing. Then they boarded us while the mechanical crew fixed another issue or two. All was well and cleared. We backed up off the gate and another light went off for something unrelated to either the tire or the other issue. Back to the gate - but another gate - while they came to look at it, and 30 minutes later "this plane is out of service" so we all had to deplane and wait for information about what was going to happen. Thankfully Miami is an American hub so they had some planes - even the same model we had been on so no new seating had to be done - in the stable and they could pull one out. But if Miami wasn't a hub...we could have been sitting there until Thursday at the earliest as it was the last day of Spring Break so there were no seats available.

Yes but if it is a crazy busy travel time then having a mechanical issue like yours or getting cancelled for weather doesn't guarentee you'll make it by your cruise anyways. Some people can't fly in several days in advance so they do as early as possible and hope for the best.

 

[soniam]

We don't always get insurance, if we are willing to forfeit the price of the vacation. However, with the price increases, we did get it for our upcoming cruise. $7000 is just too much money to lose out on for us. Plus, if you fly out the day before, at the worst, you could drive down in your own car or rent a car. Granted, they wouldn't have had their luggage, but you can buy a lot on your drive down and do laundry on the ship. The airline could lose your luggage on the way down too.

 

[truck1]

There were PLANELOADS of people heading to Miami and Ft. Lauderdale and MCO at LGA a couple of weeks ago - and we were not all booked through the cruise line. Easily more than 40 per flight based on conversations you can't help but overhear. So yeah, especially with Detroit being a hub I think coincidence is the most likely thing.

It is possible it was arranged through the cruise line, but if the cruise line had arranged it, they would be named in the "they are doing nothing for us" whining. And more people would be complaining than this one family - especially once it hit the news.

I understand that. I used to work for the airlines. We really don't know either way if they were booked thru the cruise line or on their own.

I've seen first hand the effect of planes breaking before a flight leaves, storm related delays, and even airport delays where 1 airport has issues and When others nearby take up the slack. Or at least try. I've seennit so busy at JFK where they had ground stops. In place because of weather where planes couldn't get off the gates because of not enough tractors to go around every hard stand used to park a plane and planes stacked on taxi ways because there was no where to go.

 

[Dug720]

Yes but if it is a crazy busy travel time then having a mechanical issue like yours or getting cancelled for weather doesn't guarentee you'll make it by your cruise anyways. Some people can't fly in several days in advance so they do as early as possible and hope for the best.

And if you can't fly in other than the day of, you should get trip insurance. Even a first-time traveler, if they book through the site there is the option for trip insurance - perhaps I'm weird, but that would make me investigate what it is and why it's suggested. And if they booked through a travel agency, the agent should have explained what it is and why it's a good idea. If the agent didn't, that does put some blame on the agent. If the agent did - or if the person booked independently - and the person chose to ignore the risks...I'm sorry. I have very little sympathy for them.

 

[Dug720]

I understand that. I used to work for the airlines. We really don't know either way if they were booked thru the cruise line or on their own.

I've seen first hand the effect of planes breaking before a flight leaves, storm related delays, and even airport delays where 1 airport has issues and When others nearby take up the slack. Or at least try. I've seennit so busy at JFK where they had ground stops. In place because of weather where planes couldn't get off the gates because of not enough tractors to go around every hard stand used to park a plane and planes stacked on taxi ways because there was no where to go.

Yep. And add to all of this the fact that someone "high up" has a place in Florida where he likes to go and that in and of itself is adding to the issues going in and out of Florida. When I flew to Miami, we were held up on the ground in NYC because of "heavy flight traffic" but a friend going to FLL on another airline and from another location (but still on the East Coast) was delayed leaving AND their air route was changes said her flight crew said it was because of him going into/being in the area.

 

[lklgoodman]

Dh and I went on a Disney cruise 16 yrs ago for our honeymoon. Travel agent made all arrangements, including having us fly the morning of cruise. Had problems with flights and arrived in Orlando a few hours later than had planned, luckily flights were made through Disney. I remember being so scared that we would miss the cruise and being so relieved to see the CM with the Mickey sign waiting for us. We get on the Disney bus and get going to the port to only have the bus break, another came soon and took us to the ship. 3 years ago we flew in the day before for our Alaska cruise, good thing because once again, plane troubles. We now live in Ohio and are able to get on a quick 2hr direct flight to PC. We always take the first flight out even though there's usually 4-5 later flights. Dh knows he'll be driving all night if it ever comes to it, if I drove we'd probably end up in Canada!! Feel bad for the kids, but I'm getting sick of constantly seeing "news" stories of people whining about their own bad decisions.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

they could of flew to the first port the cruise stopped at.

Not necessarily.

Many cruise lines will not allow boarding at a subsequent port.

Time was they would, but with the extra paperwork involved with allowing passengers to board at a foreign port and debark back in the US vs. a simple closed loop cruise from a US port many just don't do it now.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Our very first cruise on DCL we used the ground transfer and there was an accident en route that had the bus stopped in traffic for an hour. You never know what could happen.

I always buy travel insurance for cruises except my upcoming May cruise. It is just the two of us for 3 days and we are going nowhere else except CC. It was less than $3000 so I am rolling the dice. What I am more concerned about than the loss of the $3K is having medical evacuation from a from a foreign country. I don't know of any health insurance that covers overseas medical expenses. I figured 3 days and only CC I should be fine.