Anyone else have this happen?

[basketballmom]

We booked our flights online with well known site. My flight has changed three times since I booked. I had early morning flights out of Boston in late July, on American, now they have been changed to late afternoon flights. Same on the trip back. I went to AA's website and don't see any morning flights listed any more. Would they start canceling flights this far in advance? Good thing I did book flights for a few days before the cruise and the day after!

[tef43]

We booked our flights online with well known site. My flight has changed three times since I booked. I had early morning flights out of Boston in late July, on American, now they have been changed to late afternoon flights. Same on the trip back. I went to AA's website and don't see any morning flights listed any more. Would they start canceling flights this far in advance? Good thing I did book flights for a few days before the cruise and the day after!

This happens more often that you might expect.

 

Last month, I had a flight cancelled the day after I booked it.

[dbcruzin]

If they changed more than 90 minutes, you can change them..............

[cruzin2paradise]

I had this happen on TWA right before AA took over. The airline called and told me the flight had been cancelled . . . turned out they lied - they bumped us off without asking us! Ended up writing letters and finding out that they cannot bump you (4 of us) without asking! Received 4 free airlined vouchers.

 

There's more to the story, but it's a longgggggg story. I would double check and see if the flight has actually been cancelled. Sometimes they sell out, take them off the schedule -- then they bump you 'cause they have someone else willing to pay more . . .

 

Ok - I know it's a generalization - just going on my experience.

 

Happy Cruzin' anyway.

[iluvdoxies]

Airlines change their flight schedules all the time, nothing new,

But the op is right, if your original flight timr has changed more than 90 min- you can change to any of their flights you want for no change fee.

[gtalum]

If they changed more than 90 minutes, you can change them..............

 

This is good information. Anytime the airline changes your schedule by more than 90 minutes or so (sometimes less for different airlines) you have basically been given a free pass to make changes to your reservation without the change fee or paying the fare difference. Call the airline and make them give you flights that you find acceptable. Remember the particular airline's "alliance" and "codeshare" partners, and if you have to get the flights on one of those airlines.

[Boston6]

AA is the worst for these changes. Friend of mine with 5 children, oldest 8 yrs old, booked non-stop flights to florida so make the trip easier. Without notice, AA transferred them to a connecting flight that left at approximately the same time but required them to change planes. They complained but AA would not refund their $$ or allow them to re-book on another flight without penalty.

[City_Woman]

The further ahead you book your flight the more chance there is for change.

 

Same thing happened to me with week (with another airline). I called and changed my flight to a better time and there was no change fee because the airline changed the flight.

 

They told me that the shedule may continue to change up to the beginning of April when the time changes. That's about when the do up the new schedule.

 

CityWoman

[finally928]

This happened to me as well. Booked flights in October for our cruise next month. In January, they changed the departure flights for my BF to a schedule that just would not work -- it more than doubled his flight time! I called American and they were able to get him on a direct flight ((he had been on a connecting itinerary originally)).

 

Now I just wish they would change his return flights so I can get him on a direct flight home as well!! Luckily, mine are direct flights already -- providing they don't change anything in the next four weeks!! :) ((For those confused, we fly out of different airports as we are LDR))

 

But what has been written is correct -- if the flights you have been reassigned to don't work, try calling and tell then what you would like to be switched to. I looked online, got the flight times and number and asked to have him switched to that flight -- done in less than 10 minutes.

[gtalum]

AA is the worst for these changes. Friend of mine with 5 children, oldest 8 yrs old, booked non-stop flights to florida so make the trip easier. Without notice, AA transferred them to a connecting flight that left at approximately the same time but required them to change planes. They complained but AA would not refund their $$ or allow them to re-book on another flight without penalty.

 

AA isn't any worse than any of the other big airlines for making changes. They all do it, espoecially if you book more than a couple of months in advance.

 

You have to look at the bright side. A connection means more frequent flyer miles! :D

[basketballmom]

I'm not so PO'd after hearing it happens all the time. I've never had it happen to me before. I guess the bright side is they are still direct flights and we won't have to get up as early. I will try calling the agency I used and see what is up with the flights. We really wanted to get that extra day in Orlando.

[gtalum]

Since they changed your flight, maybe you could get them to put you on a flight the day before, and you'd still get your extra day in orlando. Just tell them you really needed to be in orlando that morning. they'll likely accomodate you.

 

As a general note, keep in mind that airline schedules are released quarterly, and are really only set in stone for the current quarter. If you're a little flexible, it can really work in your favor because once they change your itinerary you can make changes without the change fee and without paying the fare difference.

[HeidiHo]

AA changed our flights 3 times before we flew too. It was no big deal but every time they made a change, the time between connections in Dallas got shorter and shorter so I was getting nervous that we might have a problem if the first leg was delayed. In the end, our flight was cancelled due to fog and we were switched to another airline and a different airport (very long story) but everything worked out fine.

[spongerob]

I have grown accustomed to having flight numbers and departure times changed slightly when flying AA, but nothing as drastic as having my departure time changed by several hours. I believe that there is a limit to how much of a change is permitted before you are allowed to cancel and re-book with no penalty, regardless of the fare you paid. I remember reading something about this on the old boards. Perhaps someone here can tell us more about the rules regarding involuntary itinerary changes.

[judyf]

We booked our flights online with well known site. My flight has changed three times since I booked. I had early morning flights out of Boston in late July, on American, now they have been changed to late afternoon flights. Same on the trip back. I went to AA's website and don't see any morning flights listed any more. Would they start canceling flights this far in advance? Good thing I did book flights for a few days before the cruise and the day after!

 

Yes! This has happened to me. Now I always book at least a dat ahead of sailing!

[workingmom]

Thank you for posting this - I never had this happen - and I just happened to check ours based on this post - whaddya know - they changed ours too! Good thing I checked - I could just see me getting into it w/ the curbside staff about the flight numbers.

 

:)

 

 

 

2 days til we leave!

[basketballmom]

We are flying out two days in advance of the cruise so at least the changes are not taking place the day of the cruise! Talked it over with DH and we are going to keep the new flight times.

 

Internet agency said we could change them since there is a 7 hour difference. Went to AA website and got a flight schedule for all carriers flying to Orlando that day. Seems like AA has dropped their non-stop flights and just have the one in the afternoon now. We just won't have to get up at 4:30 in the AM to be at Logan by 6:00!

[Kuyaba]

This just happened to us. Help. Orbitz e-mailed me about flight changes Sunday morning for our return flights. There are 8 of us traveling. Four were changed to a later flight out of Miami which is fine, but 4 were changed to an earlier flight (11:47). I am freaking out. I don't think they have time to debark the ship and make their flight. The time change is 88 minutes, is that close enough to 90 or did they do that just mess with us? I called Orbitz and they have to have some specialist call me back in 48 hours, but it's now been 70 hours and they haven't called yet. Any suggestions.

[basketballmom]

Keep calling them and let them know no one has returned your call yet. I would keep calling twice a day until the call is returned. Be a real pest!

 

I think a flight that early might be cutting it awfully close. Sometimes disembarkation is a breeze and sometimes it can be a nightmare.

 

Good Luck!

[Kuyaba]

Wow. I already got everything straightened out and I was able to get us all non-stop flights on the way home for which we had a lay-over before. They had changed 4 of us to a later flight from 12:55 to 1:56, which was good, but the other 4 to that earlier flight which was very bad.

 

But the whole scenario was very weird and I still don’t understand it.

 

I called Customer Service at Orbitz Sunday morning which must have been minutes after they e-mailed me the flight changes. I was on the phone with her for a long time. She said that there was not room to book the others on the 1:56 pm flight. She had me on hold and came back and said that she couldn’t find any flights and would have the Schedule Changer call me and that I would get a call within 48 hours. Now I’m really nervous because she can’t find a flight.

 

Monday morning I decided to check flights myself on Orbitz. I saw that there was a non-stop flight at 1:47 pm (must have been a new flight). So, I called and told this customer service rep the story and that the other rep couldn’t find an alternate flight, but I did and asked if she could she make that change. She told me to hold on, came back 15 minutes later and said she’d have the Schedule Changer call me back and it would be sometime within 3-10 days. I asked why she couldn’t change it? She just couldn’t.

 

So, this morning was the 3rd day that I hadn’t heard from the Scheduler Changer. I posted the message above this morning and also decided to call and saw Basketballmom's response to my msg and I picked up the phone.

 

I told this Customer Service rep my story. She said let me see what I can do. She said I see a non-stop flight at 1:47 pm. I said, yes, that’s what I want. She said, well I can make that change for you. YOU CAN?? She changed it. I asked if she could change the other 4 flights because we all wanted to fly together (and would rather have a nonstop). She said sure, and in 5 minutes everything was hunky dory. She didn’t know why no one else I spoke with could help me.

Can anyone tell me what went on here?

[basketballmom]

Sometimes it pays to be a pest :) I'm glad everything worked out for you and your fellow travelers. I just with the airlines wouldn't keep making changes months and months in advance. I'm sure in a few months I will be getting an email saying they have added a non-stop morning flight so we can fly in the morning again!

[guenth2]

This also happened to us. We booked through Lowestfare.com from Missouri to Los Angeles and was suppose to leave for home early afternoon. AA changed our airline 3 times. We ended up leaving at 4:30 p.m.. We sat in the airport for 5 hours. Then had over a 3 hour flight to St. Louis. And... finally ended up home at 12:30 in the morning. We sure were tired.

Debbie from Missouri