Airline schedule change

[OceanMonarch]

We have just been notified of a flight schedule change on American Airlines for our upcoming Christmas cruise. Our nonstop flight now departs at 10.19 am and AA do not consider the change significant enough to allow us to choose a suitable later flight with a stopover.

 

My question is - with express disembarkation at Miami are we likely to make this flight ? How long does customs/immigration take? How readily available are taxis? I realize there is always the possibility of late docking etc. Just trying to find out readers personal experience at Miami before contacting AA again.

[CruiserN1]

If I were you, I'd call AA and argue for a free change to a flight you know you can make.

[didicruiser]

What ship? At Miami?

[JohninDC]

For a 10:19 flight at MIA you need to be at the airport by about 8:50 - earlier is better (TSA at MIA is usually chaos! :( and around Christmas New Year it will be extra busy). A taxi from POM to MIA takes about 15+ minutes (flat rate cab fare is $27+tip). IF you walk off with your bags and IF there is no delay with customs/immigration you might make it.

 

Too much stress for me - go back to AA, explain that the change affects your cruise and you cannot just show up early and book a flight leaving closer to noon (even if you need to take a connecting flight). Do you want to spend your cruise worried about making your flight home? :eek:

[MommaBear55]

If I were you, I'd call AA and argue for a free change to a flight you know you can make.

 

Agreed. If needed ask to speak to a supervisor. It may not be significant to them, but it might make a huge difference to you

[OceanMonarch]

What ship? At Miami?

 

Eclipse. Returns on January 2nd.

[sound_guy0918]

Agreed. If needed ask to speak to a supervisor. It may not be significant to them, but it might make a huge difference to you

 

Agreed. Our flight to/from SJU was changed by AA (without us receiving any notification, I might add - I only noticed when I logged in and checked my reservation) and they basically allowed us to switch to any other flight that day for no charge. Don't take no for an answer.

Edited October 17, 2016 by sound_guy0918

[watchdiva]

No way would I ever hope to make a 10:19 flight out of MIA. Boarding starts 30 minutes prior to liftoff with doors closing 10 minutes before liftoff. Insist sweetly that they change your flight. It will just take ONE burp and you will miss that plane....

 

 

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[BEAV]

I had a similar experience with a United schedule change following disembarkation of a cruise. While the schedule change wasn't significant enough for the airline to reschedule me without charging a change fee, when I explained the circumstances, the Agent checked with a Supervisor and I was permitted to switch to a later flight without any fees.

[dodger1964]

We did 945am flight from MIA after Reflection cruise...could have made 830am!

 

Of course that was our experience and had NO issues...you will probably make your flight (make sure you do all the right things to make that the highest probability with what you can control), but I would still recommend changing the flight...they can/should be able to do it (unless it was a 15 or 30 minute time change!)

[Tiggertastic]

Eclipse. Returns on January 2nd.

 

 

Were due to dock at 7am, be prepared to walk off with your bags and through to a cab. Last cruise I did I had a flight at 10.20am walked bags off to a pre booked car waiting for us at 7.30 and we did ok but I wasn't looking forward to it and thought we were lucky to get straight through. Wouldn't do it again.

 

 

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[OceanMonarch]

Were due to dock at 7am, be prepared to walk off with your bags and through to a cab. Last cruise I did I had a flight at 10.20am walked bags off to a pre booked car waiting for us at 7.30 and we did ok but I wasn't looking forward to it and thought we were lucky to get straight through. Wouldn't do it again.

 

 

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Thanks to everyone for their advice. Armed with this knowledge I will very sweetly 'fight my corner' I do not wish to spend my vacation stressing about missing my flight. Even though the change was just 45 minutes, it was 45 minutes in wrong direction!

[jagoffee]

We have just been notified of a flight schedule change on American Airlines for our upcoming Christmas cruise. Our nonstop flight now departs at 10.19 am and AA do not consider the change significant enough to allow us to choose a suitable later flight with a stopover.

 

My question is - with express disembarkation at Miami are we likely to make this flight ? How long does customs/immigration take? How readily available are taxis? I realize there is always the possibility of late docking etc. Just trying to find out readers personal experience at Miami before contacting AA again.

 

Thanks to everyone for their advice. Armed with this knowledge I will very sweetly 'fight my corner' I do not wish to spend my vacation stressing about missing my flight. Even though the change was just 45 minutes, it was 45 minutes in wrong direction!

 

 

By stopover do you mean just a stop somewhere or do you mean a stop with over a four hour lay over?

I suggest you see if there are any other later flights that include a legal stop with availability and call back and explain the situation. I would think AA will help you. It is useful to have some options that would work for you. Is this a purchased ticket or an award?

[OceanMonarch]

By stopover do you mean just a stop somewhere or do you mean a stop with over a four hour lay over?

I suggest you see if there are any other later flights that include a legal stop with availability and call back and explain the situation. I would think AA will help you. It is useful to have some options that would work for you. Is this a purchased ticket or an award?

 

This was a purchased ticket (almost $400 for a one way flight). On my initial call I did give acceptable options with availibility (connecting flights via CLT or arriving into nearby airports) but was advised that these options involved an additional fee.

 

But I am going to try again and speak to another agent.:)

[bananawindnj]

AA Changed our flight times on a connecter flight, but said if less than an hour change, they wouldn't rebook to another flight time for free.

It will still be very stressful for us to make such a short connection. Luckily it is on the way home.

 

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Edited October 17, 2016 by bananawindnj

[Sonoma fans]

We have had to do the same thing twice. Flight was changed to 1000 out of Miami. We did self disembark at 0650, grabbed a cab and were at the gate by 0830. It can work but no guarantees on ship allowing disembark at 0700 or earlier, and Miami is a bit chaotic. Try the airline, but definitely do able as long as you do not stress your whole cruise worrying....

[Hlitner]

Maybe yes and maybe no. AA just (sometime in the past few weeks) changed our scheduled flights to Puerto Vallarta (our winter home). AA did not even have the courtesy to notify us of the change....which would have had us arrive at Chicago more then 40 minutes AFTER our flight departed for Puerto Vallarta. In addition, we had payed for Business Class...and AA changed part of our reservation to Economy (without telling us) and was reticent to give us a refund! My reaction was simple. "Please cancel my entire booking an give us a complete refund!" The AA agent then offered to still get us to our destination if we wanted to catch a 6am flight, have a 5 1/2 hour layover, and make 2 plane changes (in Northern airports during January). I laughed at him and said, "give me a refund and we will book with Delta." End of story,

 

Vote with your money folks. As to the 10:12 flight out of MIA....we would only do it if the airline agreed (in writing) to get us home on later flights...if necessary...with no penalties or price changes.

 

Hank

P.S. We get sick of being pushed around by the airlines and think its time for consumers to push back!

[cb at sea]

If a flight is changed by 90 mins. or more, you CAN cancel without penalty.

 

BUT...If you are coming into Port of Miami, I'd do a 10:12 flight....just be in the 1st group off the ship!

[jagoffee]

This was a purchased ticket (almost $400 for a one way flight). On my initial call I did give acceptable options with availibility (connecting flights via CLT or arriving into nearby airports) but was advised that these options involved an additional fee.

 

But I am going to try again and speak to another agent.:)

 

It is always a good idea to retry and explain your situation.

 

Best of luck.

[macaroni]

If AA doesn't change it...get on line to self disembark about 45 minutes before they say...we were on the eclipse last year in February and had a delay in customs and still got to the airport to make a 9:30 flight...we were one of the first ones on line..finished with our issue with customs and walked right out to a taxi...no issues...print out your boarding passes ahead of time...

[hcat]

And if that doesn't work i'd try to cancel...would never fly that airline again...

 

For international flights DELTA almost always changes times, equipment ( requiring seat changes) etc but seems to work things out, no extra charge.

 

We use SW Air...can bank credit...no change fees...

 

Good luck...very stressful way to end a cruise!

[Charles4515]

This was a purchased ticket (almost $400 for a one way flight). On my initial call I did give acceptable options with availibility (connecting flights via CLT or arriving into nearby airports) but was advised that these options involved an additional fee.

 

 

 

But I am going to try again and speak to another agent.:)

 

 

The Miami airport can be a mess. You would be best with a later flight. Since they changed the flight they should not be charging an additional fee. But I guess it is because it is a 45 minute difference. I never would have booked a flight before 11:30 out of Miami for that very reason. The airlines always change my flight if booked several months out. For my cruise out of Miami coming up in December I booked a 12:35 flight to Reagan on AA and sure enough they did change it. But to 12:26 which is a change I can live with.

 

 

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Edited October 18, 2016 by Charles4515

[sanger727]

That is unreasonable. I usually fly with delta, who has changed our flights times on several occassions, but they have also always allowed us to opt for a different flight time for no fee. Def escalate to a supervisor. You booked a flight that you could make, they switched you to a flight that you couldn't make. That shouldn't be your problem.

 

I always find it ironic when people complain that they can't get the perk they want at the same price or get to switch to the last minute low pricing on cruises. In my experience, airline policies are much worse than cruise line policies. I've never had an airline refund me the difference if the price drops or allow me to cancel for free 90 days ahead.

[basil's mom]

I book my flights far in advance so there is always a good chance the flights will be changed (it happens almost every time). We are Advantage members and I call the Advantage desk, explain that they changed my flight to one I do not want, and need to change it to something more convenient for me. Since I am a night owl, I always call late at night or before the crack of dawn. It seems that the representatives are more willing to help and spend time searching for flights. If you aren't an Advantage member yet, sign up before you call them.

[Charles4515]

That is unreasonable. I usually fly with delta, who has changed our flights times on several occassions, but they have also always allowed us to opt for a different flight time for no fee. Def escalate to a supervisor. You booked a flight that you could make, they switched you to a flight that you couldn't make. That shouldn't be your problem.

 

 

 

I always find it ironic when people complain that they can't get the perk they want at the same price or get to switch to the last minute low pricing on cruises. In my experience, airline policies are much worse than cruise line policies. I've never had an airline refund me the difference if the price drops or allow me to cancel for free 90 days ahead.

 

 

 

I guess you don't fly Southwest!

 

 

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