Frustrated with Princess E-Z air

[lazycruzer]

Sailing this July on Coral cruise tour. I am platinum on Princess. This will be cruise #15 for me with all carriers. First time I have booked E-Z air. Airlines moved my departure from Fairbanks up 2 hours, leaving us with 4 1/2 hour layover in Seattle. Did not receive any notice from Airlines or E-Z air. There was available flight with just 1 1/4 hour connection on same airline.

1. First call to Princess re E-Z air told "you booked with TA call them."

2. Called TA "E-Z air must be addressed by Princess." ( Which is why I called Princess first.)

3. Second call to E-Z air. " Can't do anything since you are at 40 days. Even though you have flexible fare. Would have to charge you extra." Agent didn't even research, just auto response. "If you call airlines they will charge you to change."

4. I have found that when airlines make a schedule change, the airlines will try to assist with this type of issue with no charge. So, called the airlines. Surprise........Shorter connection was available and the airline was happy to make change at NO charge.

5. Agent only answer to question as to what value E-Z air is when passengers have flexible fare and Platinum insurance was if you missed the ship and did not have e-z air you would have had to wait for reimbursement for any added airfare.

Don't think I will use E-Z air again. Princess needs to do continuing education for their E-Z agents. It makes me sad that Princess customer service really is deteriorating. I kept hoping that bad experiences with customer service were not as bad as I read on CC. TIA for letting me vent.:(

[caribill]

5. Agent only answer to question as to what value E-Z air is when passengers have flexible fare and Platinum insurance was if you missed the ship and did not have e-z air you would have had to wait for reimbursement for any added airfare.

 

An advantage of EZAir often is that there is lower pricing than booking directly with the airlines, especially on trans-ocean flights.

 

However, there are many instances when EZAir provides no cost advantage. Always check alternatives bnefore booking.

 

Also, if going to the ship and there are flight problems that cause you to miss the ship, with EZAir Princess will get you to the ship at a future port (when laws allow). You do not need the Plantinum insurance for this.

[Astro Flyer]

Whenever there is a flight change I call the airline directly & they have always modified our flights to a better option for us including rerouting.

 

Computers make flight changes & don't always provide us with the best alternative. I regularly check my flights as airlines are inconsistent with making flight change notifications. I'd skip the middlemen (Princess & TA) who may not be able to modify my flights and instead call the airline who can give me my best alternative flight option.

Edited May 30, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[RickEk]

Whenever there is a flight change I call the airline directly & they have always modified our flights to a better option for us including rerouting.

 

Computers make flight changes & don't always provide us with the best alternative. I regularly check my flights as airlines are inconsistent with making flight change notifications. I'd skip the middlemen (Princess & TA) who may not be able to modify my flights and instead call the airline who can give me my best alternative flight option.

 

Exactly. As a consolidator, Princess' hands are basically tied if someone is within the 45-day time period for Flexible flights. If they make the change, then fees must be paid because it would literally be a cancel and rebook. Always go to the airline directly for changes like this.

 

As an aside, I booked flights from LAX to SFO a couple of days ago and flights were significantly cheaper through eZAir. The Flexible fares were cheaper than the Restricted fares for the same flights, so I'm very pleased. :)

[Astro Flyer]

As an aside, I booked flights from LAX to SFO a couple of days ago and flights were significantly cheaper through eZAir. The Flexible fares were cheaper than the Restricted fares for the same flights, so I'm very pleased. :)

I primarily use FF miles but when purchasing tickets many times have found eZAir to easily be my best option particularly for international flights.

 

Last April flights from LAX to FLL and returning from LHR flights were as cheap as $660 for flexible air as late as a week before flying. It was one stop to FLL & non-stop from London so the flights were also good. :)

Edited May 30, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[skf]

Always go to the airline directly for changes like this.

 

That is the way to go. A couple of years ago Delta changed our return flight from FLL thru ATL to MHT. Instead, it became FLL>ATL>DTW>MHT. We called , argued a bit, and got it changed to FLL>DTW>MHT.

[Colo Cruiser]

Exactly. As a consolidator, Princess' hands are basically tied if someone is within the 45-day time period for Flexible flights. If they make the change, then fees must be paid because it would literally be a cancel and rebook. Always go to the airline directly for changes like this.

 

As an aside, I booked flights from LAX to SFO a couple of days ago and flights were significantly cheaper through eZAir. The Flexible fares were cheaper than the Restricted fares for the same flights, so I'm very pleased. :)

 

We have found pricing through easy air to be all over the place, especially the non restricted being less money then the restricted. Which makes no sense to me. :eek:

There are some good prices though, just keep checking.

[Astro Flyer]

It makes me sad that Princess customer service really is deteriorating. I kept hoping that bad experiences with customer service were not as bad as I read on CC. TIA for letting me vent.:(

I've rarely been disappointed with Princess customer service & understand that most of their agents can only provide what is displayed on their computer monitor because most are not experienced cruisers.

 

Unfortunately their lack of experience may result in providing wrong answers based more on assumptions than on facts. My experience has been they'll ask a supervisor or another section to seek accurate answers. I'm certainly not defending all of their agents but instead what to me may be why we don't always receive accurate info from them.

 

There's a reason why it's Cruise "Critic"...too often posts are from unhappy passengers and not from happy passengers. That's why the "taken with a grain of salt" outlook applies to anything that I read.

 

I've had excellent, friendly Princess CSRs & cannot recall any negative experiences. :)

Edited May 30, 2015 by Astro Flyer