HAL's air program

[GeorgesGal]

Has anyone had any experience booking their air through HAL's air program?

 

What has been your experience, price wise and air itineraries?

 

We are thinking of using it for our upcoming Med cruise in August, and wondered how it worked.

 

Thanks,

Donna

[whogo]

Flight Ease worked beautifully for us. You agree to airline, routing, and price before booking, just like booking through a travel agent. Compare HAL's offer to what you can find by other means, don't use Flight Ease unless it is better.

[GeorgesGal]

Thanks, Whogo. No I won't use them if their price is higher than I can get direct with the airline.

[Love the beach]

We used them last Oct for our Med trip. Did our research ahead of time and knew what flights we wanted....called our PCC and were given a price much lower than we could get on our own for those same flights.

This was not the case on our previous Med trip 3 yrs earlier....we did better on our own.

Have a great trip!

[ehschief]

HAL booked us on a one way from Barcelona for 600 dollars, the same flight is 2500 dollars if we booked through the airline on our own...

[rkacruiser]

Particularly for open jaw itineraries, I have found HAL's prices to be much better than anything that I could find on my own. That is: I have in the past. Attempted within the last 2 weeks to book DAY-SEA; SIN-SFO; SFO-DAY requesting specific dates and flights, which I have done in the past. HAL's price was higher than what I personally found. I wonder why. The "name" of their air/sea program is different than what it had been so maybe the way it works is different as well.

 

I certainly would check to see what they can do. Since one of my flights is on Singapore Airlines, I am thinking that they do not have a contract for better rates with them and perhaps that is the reason for why they could not offer a better price.

Edited March 11, 2015 by rkacruiser

[momatibm]

We used HAL air going to Valpariso rtn Buenos Aires. Every this was wonderful. My agent wanted me to drive to another airport- ATL, but the difference wasn't worth the aggravation. We were met at the airport before immigration/customs and given directions,etc. Best airport transfer ever. The same thing on the reverse from BA.

 

The convenience of the baggage transfers, etc is worth the little extra expense.

[jegoodman]

I booked a one-way yesterday from Copenhagen to LAX. I'm flying Norwegian Airlines. HAL's price through Flight Ease was superior to Norwegian but HAL's customer service was a total flop. Norwegian is a budget airline and seat selection, luggage, and even food are usually extras. My travel agent told me that she had a pop up that said the fare included all the above but when she spoke to HAL the agent said that everything was a la carte, included none of the above, and they would never have a pop up on their reservation page. Long story short, I decided to book it anyways and YES, everything is included as now confirmed by the airline.

 

I just don't think their agents are well versed in booking flights and G-d forbid they get hold of their contract with the airline. The whole process should have been easier.

[HALaftSuitesfor2]

We have not used HAL for air bookings yet but we are looking to book one way Copenhagen to either Philadelphia or Washington Dulles this coming July, for our 2016 TA.

When our PCC ran a cursory check based on this year's dates, HAL was significantly less than what we could do with the airlines, using the same 2015 dates. We shall see what happens. Will post for sure either way. We have found Copenhagen is not the easiest of places to fly from.

[Ricktan]

I booked our tickets round trip....ATL-Barcelona and then Venice-ATL though HAL. Was a very easy booking, gave me several choices. We saved almost 800.00 (for 2 of us) compared to best I could find on my own. Was super easy .....love the idea of the transfers to our hotels (booked through them also).

[rkacruiser]

I booked our tickets round trip....ATL-Barcelona and then Venice-ATL though HAL. Was a very easy booking, gave me several choices. We saved almost 800.00 (for 2 of us) compared to best I could find on my own. Was super easy .....love the idea of the transfers to our hotels (booked through them also).

 

There is in my mind no question about the ease of transfers that include HAL Air as well as their hotel package. I have done that before it is as close to seamless as travel can be.

 

But, with my 2015 itinerary, the Singapore hotel package is priced far too much for what one receives, particularly when one compares the actual hotel's prices and knowing that Singapore taxis are not expensive.

 

I can only guess that there is just not that much SIN-North America flight/hotel requests to try to get a better "deal".

Edited March 12, 2015 by rkacruiser

[GeorgesGal]

Thanks, all, for your responses. I'm waiting to hear from my TA (who just returned from vacation yesterday) as to what he finds out from HAL.

 

Ill be back with whatever info he comes up with, as well as just checking in from time to time.

[catl331]

We put a deposit on the Iceland cruise: Copenhagen to NY. After looking at airfares for one way (Just $100 short of round trip) we almost canceled. We ended up with a satisfactory rate from HAL. Shop around is the best advice.

[HALaftSuitesfor2]

We put a deposit on the Iceland cruise: Copenhagen to NY. After looking at airfares for one way (Just $100 short of round trip) we almost canceled. We ended up with a satisfactory rate from HAL. Shop around is the best advice.

 

That's what we are experiencing. They need to be running TA back and forth to get people back to the east coast

[holacanada]

Too bad,

 

Twice the price and more stopovers with the HA Air Program.

 

The less expensive solution (just before the Internet way) is… with a traditional TA near you.

I can leave from my hometown (with a national carrier) just one stop to Sydney (AUS) and back from Vancouver with a seat preference choice for thousand dollars less... Yes !

 

Holacanada

Edited March 13, 2015 by holacanada
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