More to Change flight than rebook!! ~ LB-69

Ladyboy Hunter Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 192 Points: 240

I guess this is more of rant than anything. Thaiair cancelled it's LA to BKK non-stop, so for $100 bucks I cancelled and rebooked on EVA for my November trip, as they weren't sure what the flight schedule would be like yet. Ok, $100 bucks no problem.

I then went to change my US Air flight from PHX to LA, which cost me $145 total to book it. They wanted a $150 dollars to change the ticket, plus the change in fare for a total of $$350 dollars (on top of what I already paid them!!) If I rebook from scratch it would only cost me $220 dollars.

Southwest doesn't book this far in advance, but current rates put me at only $158 dollars. God I hate these US Airlines, with bullshit like this some of them deserve to go out of business and I hope they do! Evil or Very Mad

There is no such thing as customer service in the US airline industry. Southwest probably comes the closest though.

Currently stuck in San Francisco for an extra day. My flight from Denver was delayed almost 90 minutes. Ten of us were on the flight and were told to hurry to the gate. We were rushed to a shuttle and told the flight was being held for us. We raced to the gate only to find out that the flight had left 10 minutes earlier (on time). For 10 people they couldn't have waited 10 minutes?????

To add insult to injury we got NOTHING other than rebooked the next day on the same flight - it was "weather related". We were referred to some service where we apparently got a 'discount' on a hotel near the airport. There was no shuttle to the hotel.

Extra cost to me:
Hotel: $95
Lunch at Wendy's: $8
Dinner: $21
Taxi 2 ways: $30
Total: $157

Last flight I'll take on United..... Mad

Advised to delete, content to graphic and improper

thats why u have such a thing as travel insruance Wink

*Last edited by FatboyUK on Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:05 am; edited 1 time in total*

Indeed FatBoy, I too take exception to PP's widely remarked rude comment. Easy Jet are a regular source of transport to me when I travel to Malaga & Prague. Thus far they have never let me down although due to my lack of planning, I am not very organised when it comes to obtaining thier advertised low cost fares Sad

Moderator Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 2297

Up until recently I couldn't say a bad word about Easyjet or Ryan air, they really changed the way we travel around europe.

I've had tickets to Spain and Italy cheaper then a day return to London from East Anglia.

I can put up with a bit of rudeness, hustle and cattle prodding if it means getting dirt cheap flights.

The only sad thing is the way they have started to restructure the pricing, with all the hidden costs and add-ons. I know fuel prices and taxes have gone up big time but it's a shame they can't be more upfront about it rather than trying to make the flights look cheaper and yet complicating the booking and check-in process with endless new rules and penalties.

Ladyboy Hunter Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 192 Points: 240

I know your post wasn't aimed at me Fatboy, but I started it with my rant. For the record, I was pissed at the situation and don't wish anybody has to hit the unemployment line. I actually have friends that work at the very airline I was leveling, and I was raised by a Pilot and Stewardess (back in the day they were Stewardess and not cabin crew Very Happy

) Just wanted you to know...no true ill will at my end.

Still, I think if they handled things better, and got some non-airline folks in to run it, things would be so much better.

Southwest, for those who don't know, a low cost carrier in the US (the best in the biz in my view) has announced they are adding 9 new flights, and adding 15 new planes for the year. This, while the rest of the US carriers are cutting flights and removing planes from rotation.

Southwest has been known as the best in the business at hedging fuel prices on the open market, and now that has come home to help them blow away the competion. Southwest said their fuel prices are locked in till something like 2012....they won't have to raise prices based on fuel.Why couldn't the other airlines hedge their fuel positions?

Advised to delete......

Deleted by me because it offended fatboy, and that wasn't my intention

Ladyboy Hunter Joined: 10 Jul 2007 Posts: 192 Points: 240

Point taken hoot

Different airlines have different styles of operation in a bid to be competitive. It is up to the comsumer to understand these differences and purchase services with an informed decision.

If you are aware of airport locations, which may not be the busiest airports or most common airports, then simply choose an airline which serves the airports most convenient for you. For some travellers those so-called airports which aren't 'proper' airports are a godsend.

Surcharges, airport locations, check-in time dead-lines and baggage penalties etc. are all up to the customer to determine. My only gripe, in general, is that these conditions are not made clear enough by the so-called 'budget' airlines and larger airlines both.

At the end of the day, as with any service, you get what you pay for and sometimes a competitive price comes at a cost. Only YOU can weigh up whether it is worth that cost or not, if it isn't, then simply dig a little deeper and move on.

And if you don't like travelling fucking stay at home.