Why do they change flights so much?

[Luv Bunnies]

I'm a little frustrated today. We just paid off our December trip (booked through the Disney website) and got our confirmation form saying we had paid in full. I looked it over to make sure everything was still in place and I found that all of our flights had been changed since we booked in July. They had us leaving home almost 2 hours later than we had planned and arriving Orlando an hour later. Our original plans had us arriving at 7:30 p.m. which is late enough and now they had us arriving at 8:30. We're on the west coast so we lose 3 hours going east. They had us leaving Orlando about the same time as we had planned but they stuck us with a 2 1/2 hour layover in Dallas and had us getting home an hour later than we planned. This wouldn't be so bad but we're coming home on Christmas Day and had planned to be at my parents in time for dinner.

I spent a lot of time in July booking just the right flights and then choosing the seats we wanted. When I checked the American Airlines website, not only had they changed our flight times, they put us in crummy seats! I called American and changed things around again to more closely match our original plans, but I'm still not thrilled with they way it turned out. The American agent said to check back in early December because the flight scheduled might change yet again. This doesn't seem like a good way to run a business!!! Anyone else have this problem?

 

[disneyldwjr]

I'm a little frustrated today. We just paid off our December trip (booked through the Disney website) and got our confirmation form saying we had paid in full. I looked it over to make sure everything was still in place and I found that all of our flights had been changed since we booked in July. They had us leaving home almost 2 hours later than we had planned and arriving Orlando an hour later. Our original plans had us arriving at 7:30 p.m. which is late enough and now they had us arriving at 8:30. We're on the west coast so we lose 3 hours going east. They had us leaving Orlando about the same time as we had planned but they stuck us with a 2 1/2 hour layover in Dallas and had us getting home an hour later than we planned. This wouldn't be so bad but we're coming home on Christmas Day and had planned to be at my parents in time for dinner.

I spent a lot of time in July booking just the right flights and then choosing the seats we wanted. When I checked the American Airlines website, not only had they changed our flight times, they put us in crummy seats! I called American and changed things around again to more closely match our original plans, but I'm still not thrilled with they way it turned out. The American agent said to check back in early December because the flight scheduled might change yet again. This doesn't seem like a good way to run a business!!! Anyone else have this problem?

Unfortunately, it happens all the time. As to a way to run a business, the airlines are trying to maximize profits and cut down on expenses, hence all the changes. It is miserable for the pax, but, good for the airlines. The pax are pretty much helpless pawns in this game. A lot of us here fly SWA because you never face the changes other airlines make. Yes, they do not have assigned seating, but, what good is an assigned seat if there is no flight or it constantly changes.

 

[snowwite]

Because they can!

 

[disneyldwjr]

Because they can!

Not only because they can, they also do, often.

 

[safetymom]

If there has been a change of 2 hours or more you can ask for your money back. Look on the website to see if there are better hours and you can call and ask to be switched to those flights.

 

[bicker]

I think folks need to recognize that the airlines are extending themselves to some extent, making reservations on specific flights available so far in the future. Some airlines, like JetBlue and Southwest, aren't even willing to let customers lock in even just a fare that far in advance -- both JetBlue and Southwest make you wait. Not coincidently, they make you wait until about the point in time where the rest of the airlines pretty-much stop making many schedule changes. At that point, four to five months prior, airlines can get a good-enough picture of demand and such, which translates into a much more stable flight schedule from that time forward.

Regardless, do keep in mind that regardless of when you book, schedules can change at any time. Airlines will give you your money back if a schedule change results in a big change to your itinerary (either two hours or four hours depending on the airline), but of course that leaves you back at square one trying to find both good flights and a good fare. They'll often grant a request to be put onto another of their flights, if there are seats available in your fare class -- they're not required to do so, but they almost always will.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

As already stated, flight schedules change all the time. Wouldn't you rather know about the change now, more than 2 months before your trip, rather than have a schedule change the day of the trip (which might happen anyway!)