UPDATED!!!! Anyone ever able to change priceline airfare

[jayally]

I think that rule specifically applies only on the day of travel, not when you have sufficient notice of the changes.

I do not think you can apply this rule here.

I don't know if they were even going to notify me of a change. I happened upon by accident. Priceline said sometimes the airlines adjust their schedules and the flight was booked based on what the schedule was at the time but since it was changed I should be allowed to change it for no charge. I am sure there won't be any more priceline tickets sold for that flight as it is past their guranteed arrival time. I guess that is the bad part about booking so far ahead. I truly did not plan on buying them when I did but glad I at least have 3 tickets for a reasonable price. I am surprised airfare has not gone up more due to gas prices. The price difference now is about what it was in January.

 

[Green Tea]

My daughter orginally thought it would be fun to do a red eye and arrive the morning of our trip at the poly and be ready to go! She is 10 and thinks sleeping on the plane will be like a slumber party. Arriving in the middle of the night with nowhere to go and nothing to do is not fun and we will all be cranky. I wanted to arrive early enough to get settled in an airport hotel and unwind before bedtime so we can be ready to check into the poly for the start of our trip.
!

Don't discount out that the Poly might allow you to go ahead and check in then. It actually is the day of your arrival. You wouldn't know until you got there, so you could be stuck leaving and finding another hotel anyway. But, I checked in to a WDW resort before 6 am and actually got the room assigned. We unpacked and went to the parks for early entry.

 

[msmayor]

I don't know if they were even going to notify me of a change. I happened upon by accident. Priceline said sometimes the airlines adjust their schedules and the flight was booked based on what the schedule was at the time but since it was changed I should be allowed to change it for no charge. I am sure there won't be any more priceline tickets sold for that flight as it is past their guranteed arrival time. I guess that is the bad part about booking so far ahead. I truly did not plan on buying them when I did but glad I at least have 3 tickets for a reasonable price. I am surprised airfare has not gone up more due to gas prices. The price difference now is about what it was in January.

I don't think they are required to notify you ahead of time...its simply not possible to continually notify every single passenger of every single flight that has a schedule change so far in advance. Airfare costs would go up because of the added expense.

That rule is in place more for the passenger who is sitting at the airport waiting to get on a flight that day...who has plans on that day in their destination city...that will get screwed up with a last-minute change.

As a traveller, it is still incumbent upon you to double-check your arrangements before the day of travel. Anyone I've every known re-confirms flights well before showing up to check in at the airport...that re-confirmation you make is considered your 'notice'.

I do wish you luck in adjusting your flights. Because of the Priceline connection, you have an uphill battle.

 

[dis-happy]

I just noticed that your tickets are for next November. There is a very good chance that the posted flight times will continue to change, often another 1-3 times, when the flight is still 6 months out. At this point you may want to sit tight and see what happens, then take it up with the airline about 2 months out when their flight times are more reliable. Food for thought.....

Other than that, were you planning to take ME to the resort? It might be better to get a night at a value for that first partial night. At least you'll be on Disney property and Disney won't release your rooms for a late arrival (whereas an airport motel may).

 

[jayally]

I was going to try and get a good deal on a airport hotel or see what sales Hyatt MCO has and just book a room there for convienence and then use ME on Nov 8th for the start of our poly stay. I just hate to pay $$ for a hotel for a few hours.

I was thinking there might be more flight adjustments between now and Nov, only 5 more months but if I can get a early flight the chances of it arriving late will be very slim. The longer I wait to make any changes the less likly there will be many seats available. Right now all the flights have the entire middle sections open.

I will calm myself and prepare to do "battle" this afternoon and post the results. Priceline has so many negative posts on the internet, I would hope they would want to clean up their image a bit. Looking for positive thoughts coming my way.

 

[msmayor]

Priceline has so many negative posts on the internet, I would hope they would want to clean up their image a bit.

I do believe, though, that the majority of the 'negative posts' come from folks who truly don't get the concept of Priceline. There is a tradeoff a consumer makes when deciding to try and get rock-bottom prices for travel, and one of those costs is any flexibility in scheduling and changes.

They don't maintain an inventory of seats to make changes for the consumer. They only match a particular itinerary to your desires...if they have it, and are willing to give it to you at the price you're willing to pay, its yours. They do not have access to the entire schedule of flights that the airlines carry.

Its the same concept with special 'internet only' rates for hotels that folks will reserve and pay in advance for...they are, with rare exception, non-refundable. The hotel is willing to sell you that night at a discount for a guaranteed income. I've seen people who take these deals and then, when their plans change, become annoyed when the hotel won't refund their money or allow them to change their dates. Its not their fault that the consumer didn't fully understand what they agreed to when accepting that discounted rate.

If they do decide to help, it will be an exception...not the start of 'cleaning up their image'.

I wish you luck.

 

[kaytieeldr]

{quote] Priceline agrees United changed the arrival time on them and since they gurantee no flight will arrive later than 12:30am (unless due to mechanical or weather, this is neither) priceline is willing to refund my 3 tickets MINUS a $100 fee per ticket [/quote] I’m not sure this wording can be considered a guarantee of arrival time: “The airlines will choose your flight times. You will always be scheduled to start your trip between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Depending on when you depart, you could arrive at your final destination as late as 12:30 a.m. the next day. If you agreed to fly during off-peak hours, your trip may start as early as 5 a.m. and as late as 2 a.m. the next day, and may arrive as late as noon the next day.” See http://www.priceline.com/Customerse...291932358b1640923264&faq=ext(AIRPOP_FLTTIMES). It actually doesn't explicitly rule out arriving later, but more to the point, the arrival time does not appear to be covered by any guarantee. Airlines change flights. Check the transportation board. Posters variously hate Delta, AirTran, American, US Airways, United… all for schedule changes.

 

[DianeV]

I think some of you really are missing the fact that she realizes she bid blindly and accepted what she got. Now how does Priceline think its ok for the airline to go and change what she agreed to through PRICELINES site? If the argument is that you bid and agree to no refunds and no changes then that should apply to the airline too. She isnt getting what she bid on and received anymore.

 

[jayally]

WOW!! Priceline isn't so bad

I got my flight changed- not to a nonstop as there were no more priceline seats available but got this flight.

Lax -Dullus/Wash DC 10:20am PST arrive 6:25pm EST
Depart Dullus 7:30pm EST arrive MCO 9:45pm EST

She could not change my MCO-LAX flight but I kind of knew that. She said it is because my flight arrives after 12:30am and I am traveling with 2 children and the airline made the change. No charge! She did not call UA but was able to do it on her end and she searched for multiple flights. Another one left at 6am Lax to Dullus at 1:55pm, Dullus 2:55pm and arrive MCO at 5:18pm but I would need to be at the airport at 4am and I live an hour away so I would need to stay in a airport hotel and it didn't seem worth the early departure and added expense to arrive 4 1/2 hours earlier.

 

[MrsTao]

Another great site is Cheapoair.com. This is not buy blind. I have found AMAZING deals here... some short notice some not so short.

Terri