Regent Air Deviation

[Anchorbuoy]

36 minutes ago, rallydave said:

You .......have to initially go thru your TA to talk to Regent Air.  That said, your TA can give you permission to talk direct to Regent Air but, has to communicate that to Regent at which time they should provide you contact information.

 

That is no longer the case.  I have talked to the Regent Air Deviation department directly, many times.

 

From Regent:   /www.rssc.com/experience/personalized-options/air-program

air concierge desk

We offer you and/or your Travel Agent the opportunity to speak to an Air/Sea Concierge Representative when making changes to your flight itineraries and/or travel dates. This service is available on all deposited bookings. Guests who make changes to their assigned flights will be charged a non-refundable fee, plus any applicable service charges and/or airline imposed fees. These charges do not apply when requesting an upgrade to First or Business Class Air*.

[Anchorbuoy]

Air/Sea Department (US):     877.722.7772

[rallydave]

18 minutes ago, Anchorbuoy said:

 

That is no longer the case.  I have talked to the Regent Air Deviation department directly, many times.

 

From Regent:   /www.rssc.com/experience/personalized-options/air-program

air concierge desk

We offer you and/or your Travel Agent the opportunity to speak to an Air/Sea Concierge Representative when making changes to your flight itineraries and/or travel dates. This service is available on all deposited bookings. Guests who make changes to their assigned flights will be charged a non-refundable fee, plus any applicable service charges and/or airline imposed fees. These charges do not apply when requesting an upgrade to First or Business Class Air*.

Thanks for the polite update.  Learn something new everyday.  

[Anchorbuoy]

3 hours ago, Anchorbuoy said:

 

Yes.  You may have 3 different fees to do so.

 

1. .....

2. Non-gateway city fee.  This is typically $249 pp, each direction.  Austin is not an included gateway in Regent's air program.

3. ........

 

1 hour ago, Texas Duck said:

It looks like - pending a conversation with Regent - that it will be a IAH trip (just don't want to pay at least $1,000 for use of Austin).

 

A correction to myself:  The non-gateway charge is typically $249 ROUND TRIP, not each direction.  Or, $124.50 each way.

Sorry !!

Edited September 8, 2020 by Anchorbuoy

[Texas Duck]

Anchorbuoy, truly thanks for correction.  We were debating between IAH and AUS and, because of cost, went to IAH.  I love to debate so now we are, again, debating between the two cities - there is a book about this tale.

 

Between covid and retirement, we have way too much time on our hands.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Texas Duck
more thoughts.

[GrJ Berkshire]

The main problem is that the airlines will not survive and air deviation might not be possible. The idea that you will have the opportunity to pick and choose which flights as many will be consolidated. After the furloughing scheme ends many flights will simply not be there. Regent 's problem in the future will be getting people to embarkation ports and especially crew, as the airlines from countries such as the Philippines , Indonesia, India will be even more decimated .

 

[jhenry1]

Texas Duck,

We live in Georgetown and have flown the BA non stop flights to London many times for our Regent cruises. The great thing is that once at Heathrow you can get to almost anywhere. We always deviate and pay the charge as it has always been better for us especially trying to get from Austin can be a nightmare with many stops. I wish Regent would make Austin a gateway city as there are a lot of customers that live in this area.  I always do a lot of research prior to the time and have multiple choices when I call the air department.  It is much easier if I call and easier for  my TA .  BA from Austin to London has only been late once and only 45 minutes .  Good luck.  Easy to park and Ride in Austin also.

[Texas Duck]

jhenry1 - thanks for sharing local knowledge.  We live in Bulverde.  Instead of raising cattle, we raise Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  Instead of pulling for Texas, we pull for Texas Tech.

 

QUESTION  I am also a research fanatic.  Too much time on my hands.  With Austin/British Air - did you ended up paying the $175 + $249 pp?  No other upcharges?  Interesting, when you compare published business class flight cost between Austin and Houston,  Austin is about $1,000 rt less pp.

 

Austin has done a marvelous job of getting good flights versus San Antonio.  Fortunately, we are almost as close to AUS than we are to SAT.  Agreed, easy parking.

[rallydave]

Just remember past history dies not predict the future especially with all the current and future changes in the airline industry. 

[jhenry1]

Most of the time our TA did not require the fees as they covered those.  With our cruise we now have booked in May and the one in Dec to Africa we did have to pay the  $249 per person but that was it.  We did find when we book our air for our Jerusalem last month for our cruise in May that there seemed to be a lot less options to choose from.  Many of my choices flying to Tel Aviv and returning from Rome were not available or a very large upgrade price one was even a $1,000 per person.  I have never had that issue before.  I guess it is a sign of the times.  I was able to get United flights both ways with only 1 stop going and returning.  I wanted Delta but Delta has not released their flights for that time to Regent so went ahead and booked rather than ending up with multiple stops.  Usually I have been able to get what I wanted as far as flights were concerned.  BA was not an option as the timing was really bad.  

[GrJ Berkshire]

On 9/9/2020 at 7:25 PM, jhenry1 said:

Texas Duck,

We live in Georgetown and have flown the BA non stop flights to London many times for our Regent cruises. The great thing is that once at Heathrow you can get to almost anywhere. We always deviate and pay the charge as it has always been better for us especially trying to get from Austin can be a nightmare with many stops. I wish Regent would make Austin a gateway city as there are a lot of customers that live in this area.  I always do a lot of research prior to the time and have multiple choices when I call the air department.  It is much easier if I call and easier for  my TA .  BA from Austin to London has only been late once and only 45 minutes .  Good luck.  Easy to park and Ride in Austin also.

Very much was the case, London Heathrow is like a 'ghost' airport working at 20% normal, doubt if ' minor' routes like Austin -LHR will survive BA's cull, not with Dallas and IAH routes as well, London Gatwick is barely functioning with Virgin, BA both intending to end operations here , so secondary routes will be thinned out. Doubt if many US airlines will want to continue to and from Gatwick.

From this the whole aviation industry is in trouble, who will buy or lease new planes in this economic climate? Several specialist aviation engineering companies who produce parts for aircraft engines are going to the wall ! even Boeing after the 737 max issue is struggling. Many European airlines are talking 5 years to return to 2019 levels .

The lack of planes will be one of the main ways that Regent will have to change schedules as getting passengers and crew to some embarkation ports will be a major challenge on top of everything else. Sorry to be pessimistic, but realism on this is needed.

[Texas Duck]

Excellent information from cruisecritic people.  Thanks!  Seems like as many questions as answers.

 

I booked our airfare yesterday - 270 days from embarkation date.  Perhaps my good experience may help other Regent travelers from middle part of Texas.

 

*     I called the Regent Air Concierge department at 877.722.7772 (they open at 8am Central Time) on the 272 day before embarkation date.  We used a TA but called the  Regent number directly.  Was not sure if 270 days was when you were leaving for the cruise or the embarkation date -- it is EMBARKATION date.  So, called back two days later and talked with Air Concierge.

*     Air Concierge records indicated that we were entitled to free coach instead of business class airfare.  Air Concierge transferred me to sales and they corrected their mistake immediately.  They then transferred me back to Air Concierge.

*     They OK'ed our first choice which was British Airways from Austin nonstop to Heathrow.  Short flight after that to Stockholm.  I know, I know, hopefully BA will be flying that route next June.  Both the pond and continent flights are business/first class.  I also am aware that European business/first class is not like the USA.

*     I had done my research and was able to book the window seats with two windows - A350-1000.

*     We wanted to arrive in Stockholm the day before embarkation - not the morning of.  We preferred Austin over Houston (we live in Texas Hill Country).  We knew about and were happy to pay the $175 and the $249 pp charges.  HOWEVER, remember that if you book directly with BA, you will pay about $125 pp to get seat assignments before the 24 hour open period.   YOU DO  NOT pay the early booking seat assignment fee by going through Regent.  Offsets some of the Regent fees.

*     Regent forwarded the flight information overnight to our TA.  The TA this  morning recorded and sent us an invoice.

 

Helped a fellow traveler make the same flight reservations last night.  They confirmed and she paid immediately.  She did not use a TA but rather booked directly with Regent.  A little easier but no big deal either way.  

 

Let me know if you have  any questions.

[GrJ Berkshire]

4 hours ago, Texas Duck said:

Excellent information from cruisecritic people.  Thanks!  Seems like as many questions as answers.

 

I booked our airfare yesterday - 270 days from embarkation date.  Perhaps my good experience may help other Regent travelers from middle part of Texas.

 

*     I called the Regent Air Concierge department at 877.722.7772 (they open at 8am Central Time) on the 272 day before embarkation date.  We used a TA but called the  Regent number directly.  Was not sure if 270 days was when you were leaving for the cruise or the embarkation date -- it is EMBARKATION date.  So, called back two days later and talked with Air Concierge.

*     Air Concierge records indicated that we were entitled to free coach instead of business class airfare.  Air Concierge transferred me to sales and they corrected their mistake immediately.  They then transferred me back to Air Concierge.

*     They OK'ed our first choice which was British Airways from Austin nonstop to Heathrow.  Short flight after that to Stockholm.  I know, I know, hopefully BA will be flying that route next June.  Both the pond and continent flights are business/first class.  I also am aware that European business/first class is not like the USA.

*     I had done my research and was able to book the window seats with two windows - A350-1000.

*     We wanted to arrive in Stockholm the day before embarkation - not the morning of.  We preferred Austin over Houston (we live in Texas Hill Country).  We knew about and were happy to pay the $175 and the $249 pp charges.  HOWEVER, remember that if you book directly with BA, you will pay about $125 pp to get seat assignments before the 24 hour open period.   YOU DO  NOT pay the early booking seat assignment fee by going through Regent.  Offsets some of the Regent fees.

*     Regent forwarded the flight information overnight to our TA.  The TA this  morning recorded and sent us an invoice.

 

Helped a fellow traveler make the same flight reservations last night.  They confirmed and she paid immediately.  She did not use a TA but rather booked directly with Regent.  A little easier but no big deal either way.  

 

Let me know if you have  any questions.

Hope it works out OK for you