Help! Airline changed our itinerary.

[last_mango]

I received an e-mail from NWA this morning stating that they have changed our itinerary. We were scheduled to leave Miami following the cruise at 5:00pm (this would allow us to do a little sightseeing in Miami before returning home). They said we are now leaving at 1:15pm, then have a 4 hour layover in Detroit. :rolleyes:

 

I called the airline and they told me it would cost $75 per ticket to change the flight to one leaving closer to the departure time I originally booked. How can they do this since they changed the itinerary? Is there a sneaky way around the charge? I prepaid for these tickets in March.

 

Also, is a 1:15pm flight cutting it too close? I've never cruised before and don't know if I can get off the ship in time to make that flight. We can get over not sightseeing in Miami if we can't change the flight, but I don't want to miss the plane. Any insight on that? I'm more worried about that than anything.

[DEL67]

You should be okay with a 1:15 flight from Miami (assuming your cruise ends at the Port of Miami.) However, NWA should be willing to change your flight for free given that they changed the itinerary. Continental has done so for us in the past. Ask to speak to a supervisor.

[waterrats]

I would ask to speak to a supervisor. There is a reason you booked your tickets without a 4 hour layover. That to me is an unacceptable change in itinerary. We were more lucky. USAirways changed our flight to Florida for next month. They moved it up about 10 minutes earlier. We now will be in FLL before 10am on Friday instead of 11am. An extra hour vacation. Yeah. As far as coming home, I would not like it as well. We have booked at return flight after our cruise at 5:30pm. If they changed it earlier and added a layover, I would not want to fly the airline again.

If you get nowhere, you can always play dumb and show up at 5pm. Hopefully NWA doesn't keep records if you call in. If you do this, do check to make sure NWA does have flights around that time.

[chipster]

Any time our itinerary changes by that much, I've called the airline (doesn't seem to matter which one) and they will change the itinerary without charge. I agree - ask to speak to a supervisor. I believe it is a called a Rule 240 involuntary schedule change. Anyone else know about this and can help out here?

[last_mango]

I will look up Rule 240, thanks for that tip. My husband is going to call and demand a supervisor.

 

Playing dumb might be a good idea as well. What if I hadn't checked my e-mail? They have a flight leaving at 4:24pm, so I don't quite understand why they didn't put us on that one instead of moving us to 1:15. It also has a 3-4 hour layover, though.

 

I don't recommend flying NWA to anyone. The only reason we are using this airline now is because they screwed things up so badly for us last Christmas that we got free travel vouchers (ha, I still had to pay quite a bit to get these tickets) and 3x the mileage reward points for that trip. We are officially through with them now.

[chipster]

I myself have played dumb several times on a phone call with the airlines - it does work. In the meantime, it is always a good idea to check and recheck your itineraries on a regular basis. We have an upcoming flight to LA in November to catch a Qantas flight to Australia and the flight has changed three times in the last two months. One change was so severe that there was a chance we could have missed the Qantas flight - we are on two separate itineraries (one paid, one FF miles) and that means if we missed the flight into LA or it was severely delayed, we would not be protected on the Australia flight, losing serious money! Good luck on your call to NW.

[JJPNYC]

I've had this happen to me a few times. Usually I've been able to get back to my regular itinerary with a different routing through a different hub. Usually I ask for bonus frequent flier miles or a airport lounge pass as compensation for the inconvenience that the airline inflicted on me via the schedule change. In all cases, I was granted either the bonus miles (typically 3,000-5,000) or the lounge passes.

 

jeff

[kevinsac]

Yes, talk to a supervisor and see what they offer. Explain the choie of flights....fib (shhhhh!) a little on your ship's arrival. Tell them the new flight is cutting it too short, and so on! (You know, it's possible the later flight is booked!?! Or a computer did the re-scheduling.....read on below.)

 

I don't recommend flying NWA to anyone.

 

Honestly, we've all had problems with one airline or another. NWA is no different than any other. I have friends who recommend that we should only fly NWA. For every problem you have with NWA, someone else has the same problem with other airlines. I fly 125-150,000 miles a year. I see it all over.

 

Similar story to yours, on a airline to remain unnamed! :D My sister is flying east coast to SEA for our cruise. 7:00 am departure to Philly, then to SEA, arrival 11:00 am. (You can figure out from my mention of that hub which airline!) They just got notice the flights have changed......leaving at 3:00 pm, arrival in SEA at 10:30 at night. No big....so they were going to loose a day of sightseeing.

 

So, I called the airline. I found out that there is now a non-stop to SEA, leaving at 7:20 am....in SEA at 10:00 am. So, I got them booked on the non-stop. It seems the computer did all the re-configurations of flights, and that's what they happened to end up on.

[stellalimelight]

Previous post quoted Rule 240. Rule 240 is used for delays only. I would call the airlines and speak with a supervisor. I am sure the computer made the change automatically. I used to work at the airlines and the computer would make the schedule changes. If a passenger didn't want the flight, we would change it to any one the wanted. Since you would scheduled later originally you should be able to have it changed. You just have to be persistent nowadays.

 

Shelley

[Wennfred]

I cant beleive they did that, 1:30pm is just fine to get home... as for NWA, is that the same airline are TWA? I flew TWA on one of my cruises and never again, their planes were totally falling apart and the Home Hub St. Louis was the most nastiest I have ever seen, the People that worked there just didnt care and the airport was totally unkept and messy. I sent an email to the Major of that city and told him to fly into San Diego or Atlanta to see how a real airport is run.As for the Mayor, didnt get a reply. :cool:

[wrp96]

I cant beleive they did that, 1:30pm is just fine to get home... as for NWA, is that the same airline are TWA? I flew TWA on one of my cruises and never again, their planes were totally falling apart and the Home Hub St. Louis was the most nastiest I have ever seen, the People that worked there just didnt care and the airport was totally unkept and messy. I sent an email to the Major of that city and told him to fly into San Diego or Atlanta to see how a real airport is run.As for the Mayor, didnt get a reply. :cool:

 

TWA is no more, it is now part of American. NWA is the abbreviation for Northwest.

[gambit57]

I sent an email to the Major of that city and told him to fly into San Diego or Atlanta to see how a real airport is run. As for the Mayor, didnt get a reply.

 

Good to hear that Atlanta is a well run airport. I'm flying on Delta and there's a layover in Atlanta. I'm kinda worried cuz I don't trust any airline other than Southwest. Particularly one that might go bankrupt any minute now. Plus, my schedule can't be changed. I'm leaving for the airport from my wedding reception so I have to get on that first leg.

[jimc_usa]

Good to hear that Atlanta is a well run airport. I'm flying on Delta and there's a layover in Atlanta. I'm kinda worried cuz I don't trust any airline other than Southwest. Particularly one that might go bankrupt any minute now. Plus, my schedule can't be changed. I'm leaving for the airport from my wedding reception so I have to get on that first leg.

 

 

Atlanta may be well run - BUT - All gates can only be accessed by underground train, and the all security gates lead into the down elevator to the train. GO EARLY - It has taken me as much as a hour to get through security.

[gambit57]

I have to go through security even if I've got a layover? I guess that means my 2+ hour layover will be going through security. I'd hoped to have that time to nap at the gate.

[wrp96]

If your connection is in Atlanta, you don't have to go through security. If you are originating your flight in Atlanta, then you do have to go through security.

[gambit57]

Oh, good. Thanks. My flight's LAX to Atlanta. Stick around for a little over 2 hours, then go Atlanta to FLL. Would prefer not going through security again cuz I have 1 way tickets and since it's cross country, I'm pretty sure I'll be searched on that first leg. Would prefer to have some nap time before the cruise instead of being fondled by airport staff.