EzAir - Our Experience

[vantec]

Yes' date=' Alaska Airlines is great! That is the difference.

 

I had similar difficulties, as the OP, when using another of the "major" airlines. (I am always booking my own flights, now. I would reconsider if Alaska was flying to London:)[/quote']

 

We always book our own flights, also - except for this time, EzAir looked so good - but we ended up on an airline we would not normally pick, with problems we usually don't have to deal with. We learned our lesson.

[vent1020]

For what it's worth we have a cruise scheduled in November and used EZAir. I just checked the booking as we are flying on AA and as of now it shows us having assigned seats.

[tgwabd]

Both times that we have used EZ air it has been great, the system is easy to use. And as long as you pay immediately you get your flight at the price that you are quoted, if you wait the price can go up, it is all explained in the details. The prices that we got were the best, and I shopped around.

 

One must remember that the airlines can bump you or change your seats at any time, the main reasons for seat changes are for family's with children and handicap access, and there is nothing any TA can do about it as long as you are on the flight.

[pshaze]

This. I book on AA.com and call the Platinum Desk if any issues come up. I have never found that I pay more. In fact, EZ Air advertises that they get the same rate as the airline offers so what's the point? Even if I saved a few shekels, it still wouldn't be worth it. Life is not just a game of pricing where the goal is to pay the least amount of money. Peace of mind has real value.

 

We used EZ Air for the first time on our upcoming trip. I wanted a specific direct flight with Delta. The cost of the ticket on EZ air flexible was $950, EZ air restricted was $1500. On Delta.com it was $1500 and is now $1600.

 

Of course I jumped on that fare and paid our cruise in full, then paid for the EZ Air Flexible rate of $950. I think saving over $1000 on two tickets was well worth it.

[Cauzneffct]

We used EZ Air for the first time on our upcoming trip. I wanted a specific direct flight with Delta. The cost of the ticket on EZ air flexible was $950, EZ air restricted was $1500. On Delta.com it was $1500 and is now $1600.

 

Of course I jumped on that fare and paid our cruise in full, then paid for the EZ Air Flexible rate of $950. I think saving over $1000 on two tickets was well worth it.

 

We used EZ Air both because the price was comparable, and also, since we have to fly in the morning of debarkation, if there's a snafu and the flight is delayed/connections missed, Princess will get us to the next port.

[vantec]

Both times that we have used EZ air it has been great, the system is easy to use. And as long as you pay immediately you get your flight at the price that you are quoted, if you wait the price can go up, it is all explained in the details. The prices that we got were the best, and I shopped around.

 

One must remember that the airlines can bump you or change your seats at any time, the main reasons for seat changes are for family's with children and handicap access, and there is nothing any TA can do about it as long as you are on the flight.

 

Fine - but why can't we pick other seats? Why aren't we allowed to have a seat assignment when other people on the flight can?

[vantec]

We used EZ Air both because the price was comparable, and also, since we have to fly in the morning of debarkation, if there's a snafu and the flight is delayed/connections missed, Princess will get us to the next port.

 

That's a nice thought, but so far Princess has done nothing to help us before the flight. They took our money and now we are on our own. Maybe if we have problems as we are flying to our cruise we will appreciate we have eZair, but so far there has not been one benefit to us.

[caribill]

We always book our own flights, also - except for this time, EzAir looked so good - but we ended up on an airline we would not normally pick, with problems we usually don't have to deal with.

 

The EZAir computer did not select your flight, you did. There was a choice of flights and you picked the one you liked best.

[LindaM]

Once you have booked a flight with EZAir, you are dealing with the airline. Princess has nothing to do with it. You are done.

 

We booked EZ, using Alitalia and Delta. Unfortunately, the airlines change their equipment between the time of the booking and the actual flight. Even if you had a seat, that could change. Alitalia changed our seats right before the flight. We weren't even in the same row, but across the aisle from each other. In our case, it was a blessing, because DH spilled red wine. If we were in our original seats, it would have been all over me!

 

 

It took me years to realize the cruiseline really doesn't have control over the air. That is why it's almost better to book your own flights, if the cost is less. The cruiseline is only a middleman.

[donaldsc]

We did ez-air for the first time on our recent cruise out of Dover. Saved about $300 per ticket over the best we could get elsewhere and had no problems. In fact, the routed us through Toronto through Air Canada which was much better than return flight on United.

 

I have done it only once but so far I am satisfied.

 

One thing that people may not be aware of is that you can book a flight up to 30 days prior to the cruise and up to 30 days after the cruise. We did 17 days in England pre-cruise and 7 days in London (yes, I know that London is in England) post-cruise.

 

DON

[vantec]

We did ez-air for the first time on our recent cruise out of Dover. Saved about $300 per ticket over the best we could get elsewhere and had no problems. In fact, the routed us through Toronto through Air Canada which was much better than return flight on United.

 

I have done it only once but so far I am satisfied.

 

One thing that people may not be aware of is that you can book a flight up to 30 days prior to the cruise and up to 30 days after the cruise. We did 17 days in England pre-cruise and 7 days in London (yes, I know that London is in England) post-cruise.

 

DON

 

We also did that - arriving in London a few days before the cruise and staying a few days after the cruise. I have emailed Princess and hope this problem can be resolved. So far today we still haven't found anybody that can help.

[JimmyVWine]

We used EZ Air for the first time on our upcoming trip. I wanted a specific direct flight with Delta. The cost of the ticket on EZ air flexible was $950, EZ air restricted was $1500. On Delta.com it was $1500 and is now $1600.

 

Of course I jumped on that fare and paid our cruise in full, then paid for the EZ Air Flexible rate of $950. I think saving over $1000 on two tickets was well worth it.

 

But air fares fluctuate all the time. While the EZ Air fare may have been $1000 cheaper on the day you checked, that savings would likely have evaporated over time. People generally book their cruises farther out in time than when the best air fares pop up. People here routinely book cruises 1+ years ahead of time. Published air fares are never cheapest at that time. If I tried to book a flight to FLL today for a flight a year from now, I would probably pay $500 per person. And perhaps EZ Air can (and would) beat that price. But at some point between now and a year from now, I know that that fare is going to drop to $175-$225 per person. You just have to be vigilant and watch for the sales.

[billco]

But air fares fluctuate all the time. While the EZ Air fare may have been $1000 cheaper on the day you checked, that savings would likely have evaporated over time. People generally book their cruises farther out in time than when the best air fares pop up. People here routinely book cruises 1+ years ahead of time. Published air fares are never cheapest at that time. If I tried to book a flight to FLL today for a flight a year from now, I would probably pay $500 per person. And perhaps EZ Air can (and would) beat that price. But at some point between now and a year from now, I know that that fare is going to drop to $175-$225 per person. You just have to be vigilant and watch for the sales.

That is one reason why I like Flexible EzAir. I can cancel or modify my booking up to 45 days before the cruise with no fee or penalty. You can book a flight 330 days before the end of your cruise. We booked last December for a cruise this Fall. I checked the booking often, because I was worried the fare might increase before I made final payment on the cruise, but it didn't. After making final payment on both the cruise and air, I did a search and noticed the airfare dropped $100/person. I called Princess and rebooked at the lower fare. Princess credited $200 to my CC. I could still make a change up to 45 days before the cruise, but don't think I will, because seat selection is getting tight.

[pshaze]

But air fares fluctuate all the time. While the EZ Air fare may have been $1000 cheaper on the day you checked, that savings would likely have evaporated over time. People generally book their cruises farther out in time than when the best air fares pop up. People here routinely book cruises 1+ years ahead of time. Published air fares are never cheapest at that time. If I tried to book a flight to FLL today for a flight a year from now, I would probably pay $500 per person. And perhaps EZ Air can (and would) beat that price. But at some point between now and a year from now, I know that that fare is going to drop to $175-$225 per person. You just have to be vigilant and watch for the sales.

 

Actually, I booked that flight in April 2013 for August 2013. We booked the cruise during a sale earlier this year after watching the cruise fare and air fare for some time.

 

I also have been keeping an eye on the air fares to see if it went down since I booked, it hasn't.

 

With Flexible EZ Air you can change your flight up to 45 days before travel without penalty. I choose to lock my fare in after watching the fares for a while and not seeing any drops.

 

We fly at least 7-8 times a year so I am familiar with airline pricing. My point was, that for us, EZ Air was the much cheaper option than booking direct with my preferred airline. I got the flight I wanted, on the airline I wanted at a much cheaper price.

[Carolyn R]

This info might be helpful. I booked BA on my own for my flight to Venice this fall. If I wanted to pay a premium I could have selected a seat. Seat selection for other passengers open 24 hours prior to the flight when boarding passes are available. I am flying coach.

[vantec]

This info might be helpful. I booked BA on my own for my flight to Venice this fall. If I wanted to pay a premium I could have selected a seat. Seat selection for other passengers open 24 hours prior to the flight when boarding passes are available. I am flying coach.

 

Our flight is actually on American - we thought we are going to be on BA, but then it turns out American is the carrier. We contacted BA, they said we had to contact American, American said since the ticket is through BA we have to contact BA, and on and on and on . . . nobody can do anything, or so they say.

[blazerjan]

Same thing happened to us in 2009... And if I remember correctly, it was American Airlines. We had booked (thru our TA) flights for both our sons and their families to fly from Michigan to FLL to join us on a cruise. This was 4 adults and 3 children so of course we got seat assignments so the kids would be next to their parents. A few months before the cruise, their seat assignments were taken away and we were told they could "try" to get seats together once they got to the airport. It all worked out in the end but caused a lot of unnecessary frustration for all of us. I hope it works out for you as well....

[vantec]

Same thing happened to us in 2009... And if I remember correctly, it was American Airlines. We had booked (thru our TA) flights for both our sons and their families to fly from Michigan to FLL to join us on a cruise. This was 4 adults and 3 children so of course we got seat assignments so the kids would be next to their parents. A few months before the cruise, their seat assignments were taken away and we were told they could "try" to get seats together once they got to the airport. It all worked out in the end but caused a lot of unnecessary frustration for all of us. I hope it works out for you as well....

 

Thank you - yours was a much more frustrating experience than ours, but we are still very unhappy. We are hearing more and more about American Airlines and how miserable they are to deal with, certainly true in our case. I'm also disappointed in Princess, I had hoped they would say something to me other than "there's nothing we can do". As pointed out by someone else on this thread, our credit card shows the charge in Princess's name, not in the name of an airline.

[caribill]

Thank you - yours was a much more frustrating experience than ours, but we are still very unhappy. We are hearing more and more about American Airlines and how miserable they are to deal with, certainly true in our case. I'm also disappointed in Princess, I had hoped they would say something to me other than "there's nothing we can do". As pointed out by someone else on this thread, our credit card shows the charge in Princess's name, not in the name of an airline.

 

If you had booked the flights directly with British Air, I suspect your experience would be the same. Ditto if you had used a travel agency.

 

British Air does not assign seats in advance in many circumstances and American Airlines will not assign seats in advance unless the booking was made with them, not with a different airline.

 

I would not blame Princess in this instance.

[RDC1]

Fine - but why can't we pick other seats? Why aren't we allowed to have a seat assignment when other people on the flight can?

 

Because it is BA policy

 

This is from the BA web site. Have you logged into the BA web site and try selecting there. If you do it will tell you the charge for doing so. Only certain categories of tickets can select seats for free prior to the check in period on BA.

 

Has nothing to do with EZAir, has everything to do with BA and the fare you are booked under.

 

http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/seating/choosing-your-seat

 

Reserve your seat for free during check-in

 

Once check-in opens, from 24 hours before departure, everybody can choose their seat for free, although your choice may be limited.

 

Choose your seat in advance for more choice

 

Whether you want extra legroom or to sit together as a group, you can reserve your seat in advance. It's easy to do, either at the time of booking your flight or afterwards by using Manage My Booking. When you make your seat choice online, we will tell you whether you have to pay or not.

 

You can pay for seating if you are travelling on any flight operated by British Airways, BA CityFlyer, our franchise partner airlines or a British Airways flight operated by American Airlines.

[RDC1]

Our flight is actually on American - we thought we are going to be on BA, but then it turns out American is the carrier. We contacted BA, they said we had to contact American, American said since the ticket is through BA we have to contact BA, and on and on and on . . . nobody can do anything, or so they say.

 

On code share flights you always have to go through the booking airline. It is their ticket and fare. So it is their rules. In this case BA.

[vantec]

If you had booked the flights directly with British Air, I suspect your experience would be the same. Ditto if you had used a travel agency.

 

British Air does not assign seats in advance in many circumstances and American Airlines will not assign seats in advance unless the booking was made with them, not with a different airline.

 

I would not blame Princess in this instance.

 

Princess told us to pay for our air fare and cruise fare in full, FAX a request to Princess requesting that our flights be ticketed immediately, with an acknowledgement from us that we would not be able to cancel or change our reservation - and then we could get our seat assignments. We did exactly as they told us and followed the rules, so yes, I do blame Princess.

[bcnvcanada]

If you book the lowest economy fare on most European and Asian carriers, seat are not assigned until 24 hours before flight.

We have flown KLM, Air Canada, Cathy Pacfic, Luthansa, since January. We find that more carriers are going to this pay more for a seat. Noticed that on our forthcoming Delta flight, the site said upgrade to Economy Plus, or no seat early.

However, if you are a frequently flyer, at a high cat. they will give you as seat.

We have found Easy Air to be much cheaper to Europe one way, than anything we have every found. Example we have a one way ticket to Athens, from the west coast, cost economy 474. usd. We were not able to find any U.S. or other carrier that was that cheap.

[vantec]

If you book the lowest economy fare on most European and Asian carriers, seat are not assigned until 24 hours before flight.

We have flown KLM, Air Canada, Cathy Pacfic, Luthansa, since January. We find that more carriers are going to this pay more for a seat. Noticed that on our forthcoming Delta flight, the site said upgrade to Economy Plus, or no seat early.

However, if you are a frequently flyer, at a high cat. they will give you as seat.

We have found Easy Air to be much cheaper to Europe one way, than anything we have every found. Example we have a one way ticket to Athens, from the west coast, cost economy 474. usd. We were not able to find any U.S. or other carrier that was that cheap.

 

We asked to upgrade, they wouldn't let us.

[JEH]

After our Alaskan cruise we flew back from Seatle non stop to Chicago Midway via SW Airline. Fellow cruisers who lived about 40 minutes away from Midway using EZ Air flew to Detroit had a 2 hour lay over and then to Chicago landing at O Hare which is about 1 hour north of Midway. We always book using our TA's advice our own flights.