Jump to content

Has anyone missed embarkation & had to get on at first port?


Recommended Posts

On 7/19/2019 at 1:36 AM, JHawk63 said:

Long story, short, I booked afternoon flights the day before our cruise & now the airline has changed the flights & the connecting flight is now 34 min! I stupidly booked with a third party, whom I called this morning & they agreed it was too short of time, but the airline is saying it is "do-able" & won't allow a change without a change fee & difference in ticket! The cost to change the flights is more than I originally paid for the 2 tickets. 

I booked some flights in the past through Expedia (never again) and the airline changed flight times shortening our connection.   I called the airline to discuss this and learned they can't do anything since I booked through Ex...  they told me that AIRLINE INITIATED CHANGES TO ITINERARIES  do not have fees associated with changing booking to better connection times.   At least in Canada.....  I'd call the airline and tell them whats going on and what your rights as a consumer are and then (hopefully same as me) call the 3rd party and get this fixed.  If you did use Ex, expect to spend a while waiting for the csr to check into it but he will never be able to make changes, ask repeatedly to speak with their supervisor.  They are the ones who make the changes.

 

Spending 3 hours on the dam phone to fix my issue is why I will never use them again.  I'll search flight options through them and then book directly with the airline.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another thing to try.

 

Go on AA site and see it will give you this flight connection for the same route on the same day.

 

If they will not currently book that connection, that is a good talking point about changing things.

 

But with AA, good luck.

 

I had dinner with an AA flight attendant a few weeks ago.  She says she will not fly AA other than for work. 😄

 

---------EDIT--------------

 

I tried this for a one way on 9/20 (about 2 months from now).  It will book it, but it does have a note that says "Note connecting time."


Scary thing is, for the OKC - PHX flight it says:

 



Performance*
On time: 55%**
Late: 39%
Canceled: 6%
 
45% chance of missing the next flight.

Edited by SRF
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/18/2019 at 10:05 PM, JHawk63 said:

No, its leaving Vancouver, first port is Seattle, then a bunch of sea days before the first Hawaiian island. We're flying OKC-PHX-YVR. I've checked flights out of PHX if we miss this connection & there are several,  just 1 later on AA, but several on other airlines. There is an early flight out the next morning, which would get us into YVR around 11 am & another at 1pm, but that one makes me nervous, too. My husband thinks I'm worrying about nothing, but I'm the planner & he is the "adventurous" one. UGH! I thought we had this all planned out & perfect, now I don't know what to do.

Which airline are you on?  Depending on the terminal at PHX you *might* be able to do this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even if the connection is made there is a good chance checked luggage won’t with that short a connection. That has been my experience. You don’t want that connection. I would continue calling back the third party and also AA. The phone agents can be inconsistent. Often find one who can take initiative and make a change. Sometimes if they won’t I ask to go to a higher level.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is a bummer. I volunteer at the airport and I see so many people get stuck there overnight. First cruise I was so naive that I booked the embarkation/disembarkation flights the morning and afternoon of each. We got lucky and after hearing stories on cruise critic I will never do that again. I plan to book at least two days before and 1 day after in the future. Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, 123funcruiser said:

 

Why would there be a Problem Clearing customs without your luggage? It´s Happening every day all around the workd and customs on´t even know if you were supposed to have more luggage than there is Right there with you.

 

Luggage flies around the world every day without the Person it belongs to being OnBoard, of Course that is legal. The Airlines forwn About the luggage making it and the Pax not, that´s when they will offload the luggage, but have you ever heard About PAX being offloaded when their luggage didn´t make it? 

 

Of Course the Airline will deliver your bags after international flights, how Long that may take is another Story though. If your luggage has no forbidden articles / substances in it there will be no issue with Clearing customs either. Of Course the Airline won´t guarantee this, as they can´t know what you ay pack.

 

I´ve had all of this Happening to me and These Question won´t make a Change as they are non-issues in international travel. PITA for the PAX, but non-issues in regards to legality. 

 

In the wake of the PanAm disaster over Lockerbie international flights are treated differently than domestic flight.  Domestically it's very common for luggage and passengers to be separated.  Not so much on international flights.  As a Million Miler I've been separated from my bags domestically more than I care for.   

 

Despite that it can still occur on flights to Canada.  When it does there is process that must be followed.

 

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-6-4-eng.html

 

  • Delayed Baggage
  • 1. Usually, travellers arriving in or returning to Canada present their baggage to CBSA for inspection. However, certain travellers may be unable to do so if their baggage does not arrive with them. In such cases, the carrier may clear the delayed baggage through CBSA on the travellers’ behalf once it arrives.
  • 2. Form A23, Delayed Baggage Report, is a two-part form designed to make this process easier. The carrier agent and traveller complete the form to identify the traveller, the traveller’s status in Canada, the traveller’s declaration to CBSA, and goods in the delayed baggage that would be of interest to CBSA. Once the traveller signs the form, the carrier is authorized to act as the traveller’s agent, to present the baggage to CBSA, and to open it for inspection.
  • 3. CBSA or the carrier agents direct travellers with missing baggage to the carrier’s representative in the CBSA facility to complete the carrier’s Missing Baggage Report. The carrier representative also gives the traveller a Form A23 to complete. It is important for travellers to provide all the relevant information on this form. If CBSA officers are available, they may help travellers complete the form.

 

and so on.  

 

  • Arrival of delayed luggage
  • 8. The carrier is responsible for delivering all delayed baggage to the CBSA office where the traveller cleared. When the delayed baggage arrives, the carrier representative matches the baggage with the carrier’s Missing Baggage Report and presents the baggage to CBSA along with both copies of the traveller’s completed Form A23. If the traveller inadvertently failed to complete Form A23 or if the completed form is lost, the carrier representative must still present the baggage to CBSA for examination.

As you could imagine this is not an expeditious process.  Both for the passenger arriving in Canada and later when their luggage does.  Maybe you'll get your luggage before the cruise, maybe you won't.  Either way it will be a stressful start to boarding day as you try to get information regarding your lost luggage and we all know how well airlines communicate about such things.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

You are fortunate, we've had several flight changes with no notice given.

 

Me too. Including complete re-routing involving additional layovers with no notice. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'm going to be making a call back to AA Mon morning & ask for a supervisor. I did get the last person I talked with from AA to take the third party flag off, so i don't have to deal with Hopper. I've written down several flights that would work better & will also mention the luggage, flying into an international gate & the gates closing 10 before scheduled take off. I have all this written down, so I can plead my case factually & will do my very best to be polite, but firm. Wish me luck!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, JHawk63 said:

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'm going to be making a call back to AA Mon morning & ask for a supervisor. I did get the last person I talked with from AA to take the third party flag off, so i don't have to deal with Hopper. I've written down several flights that would work better & will also mention the luggage, flying into an international gate & the gates closing 10 before scheduled take off. I have all this written down, so I can plead my case factually & will do my very best to be polite, but firm. Wish me luck!

Absolutely make sure to advise them you are conneting domestic to international!

I have NOT found any documentation that a DOM to INT connection is valid under 45 minutes at PHX!🙄

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, twangster said:

 

In the wake of the PanAm disaster over Lockerbie international flights are treated differently than domestic flight.  Domestically it's very common for luggage and passengers to be separated.  Not so much on international flights.  As a Million Miler I've been separated from my bags domestically more than I care for.   

h things.

 

The thing they frown on, and will not allow, is for your bags to make your booked flight, and for you to not be on board.  That is when they will offload bags.

 

If you make your flight, and your bags do not, there is no problem with your bags flying on another flight without you.

 

PLENTY of freight goes on passenger airlines these days.  That is why the stricter limits or costs for checked luggage.  The less luggage, the more paying freight they can carry

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Absolutely make sure to advise them you are conneting domestic to international!

I have NOT found any documentation that a DOM to INT connection is valid under 45 minutes at PHX!🙄

 

As I posted, AA will allow you to book that exact connection (34 min) right NOW.  They just have a warning the check the connection time.

 

Domestic to international is no problem.  You walk from arrival gate to departure gate and board.

 

International to domestic is a DIFFERENT story.  You must clear immigration, the collect your luggage, then recheck it.  And go through security again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/19/2019 at 1:27 AM, Sailor Taylor said:

Which airline is it?  Is it Delta?  They are notorious for booking ridiculously short connections and claim they are legit. 

 

Every airline has an established minimum connect time, or MCT.  It can vary depending on whether the connection is domestic or international, and it can vary from one airport to another.  There is no "claiming" a connection is legit; it either meets MCT or it doesn't.

 

On 7/19/2019 at 1:33 AM, JHawk63 said:

No, I didn't get insurance. It's American Airlines. When I called first thing this morning, the lady said, "no, that's too close, but call the company you booked with & have them change it". Which I did, & Hopper said no problem, we'll get it taken care of. THEN, I get a call in the afternoon that the airline says its a legit connection, blah, blah, blah. I think I'll call American again in the morning & see if I can get them to budge.

 

Call American and get confirmation that it does not met their established MCT, and then emphasize that to Hopper. 

 

On 7/19/2019 at 7:39 AM, cruisinfanatic said:

I'd be screaming to get the flight changed. Never heard of an airline refusing to do it when they made the change in schedule. Keep calling them. You shouldn't have to deal through the 3rd party

 

It depends on how much the schedule changed and whether it is still a "legal" connection, meaning whether it still meets MCT.  Often the airline policy will say that the connection time must change by, for example, 60 min or more, in order to allow a free change, unless of course the new connection does not meet MCT.  If it doesn't meet MCT, then even if the change was only 2 minutes you are entitled to be rebooked.

 

On 7/19/2019 at 10:40 AM, Bubbleblower21 said:

American closes boarding at least 10 minutes before the scheduled flight time - and sometimes earlier.  No way I’d accept a 34 minute connection even if it technically meets the Minimum Connection Time.   Americans policy is to allow you to decline the change for a refund or to rebook with certain restrictions based on the length of time of the change, change of equipment, etc - but no matter what you should be able to decline the change. 

 

Not quite; usually the the change must meet a certain minimum to be eligible for the complimentary change/refund.

 

On 7/19/2019 at 12:41 PM, jamesboat said:

Phoenix is also an AA hub, so if you miss your flight, you will be fine. They will get you on another one no problem.


Relax, you have plenty of time to make your cruise.

 

I don't think I'd have such a cavalier attitude.  The fact that PHX is an AA hub is good, but there is no guarantee that they will get someone on another flight "no problem."  If later flights are full, the options may be limited.

 

On 7/19/2019 at 11:36 PM, Mythbuster said:

I suggest you go into AA's website and do a mock booking.  You can see the flights that you may have to take if you miss your connection in PHX.  Click on the word "Seats" on the flight.  You will be able to see how many seats are still available.  If there are only a few

 

Be aware that looking at the seat map is still somewhat of a guessing game.  If tickets are sold but those pax have not selected seats, you will see far more availability on the seat map than actually remains. i.e. the seat map could show 40 available seats, but the airline could have 35 pax who have purchased basic economy tickets and cannot select their seats in advance, meaning only 5 of those 40 seats are truly available for purchase.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, waterbug123 said:

Call American and get confirmation that it does not met their established MCT, and then emphasize that to Hopper. 

 

 

It depends on how much the schedule changed and whether it is still a "legal" connection, meaning whether it still meets MCT.  Often the airline policy will say that the connection time must change by, for example, 60 min or more, in order to allow a free change, unless of course the new connection does not meet MCT.  If it doesn't meet MCT, then even if the change was only 2 minutes you are entitled to be rebooked.

 

As I have pointed out. AA will BOOK that connection right now.

 

So it meets their requirements.

 

If you don;t believe, go to AA.com, pick a date in Sept and do a one way booking OKC to Vancouver.  It WILL show up to be booked.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

As I have pointed out. AA will BOOK that connection right now.

 

So it meets their requirements.

 

If you don;t believe, go to AA.com, pick a date in Sept and do a one way booking OKC to Vancouver.  It WILL show up to be booked.

 

 

This has no value - as they have a disclaimer it may very well NOT meet the criteria ...but they are selling it anyway!🙄

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you ALL for your suggestions! I just got off the phone with the International Desk & the very kind lady had NO PROBLEM changing the flight for no fee. We now are leaving OKC a little earlier, flying thru DFW with a 3 hour layover, that I will happily sit thru knowing I will make it to Vancouver that evening! Doing a happy dance right now & my husband is thrilled that I'm done stressing over this!! :classic_biggrin:

  • Like 16
Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, JHawk63 said:

Thank you ALL for your suggestions! I just got off the phone with the International Desk & the very kind lady had NO PROBLEM changing the flight for no fee. We now are leaving OKC a little earlier, flying thru DFW with a 3 hour layover, that I will happily sit thru knowing I will make it to Vancouver that evening! Doing a happy dance right now & my husband is thrilled that I'm done stressing over this!! :classic_biggrin:

👍👍👍

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Absolutely make sure to advise them you are conneting domestic to international!

I have NOT found any documentation that a DOM to INT connection is valid under 45 minutes at PHX!🙄

If no one has mentioned it yet, be sure to tell the airline is for a cruise. 

My and friends’ past history indicates you have a better chance of getting flights that work better. 

Even at check in I let agent know I’m flying to a cruise. They will not be as likely to pick you to bumper. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, JHawk63 said:

Thank you ALL for your suggestions! I just got off the phone with the International Desk & the very kind lady had NO PROBLEM changing the flight for no fee. We now are leaving OKC a little earlier, flying thru DFW with a 3 hour layover, that I will happily sit thru knowing I will make it to Vancouver that evening! Doing a happy dance right now & my husband is thrilled that I'm done stressing over this!! :classic_biggrin:

That's great news. Enjoy your cruise.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, JHawk63 said:

Thank you ALL for your suggestions! I just got off the phone with the International Desk & the very kind lady had NO PROBLEM changing the flight for no fee. We now are leaving OKC a little earlier, flying thru DFW with a 3 hour layover, that I will happily sit thru knowing I will make it to Vancouver that evening! Doing a happy dance right now & my husband is thrilled that I'm done stressing over this!! :classic_biggrin:

Great news, I also do all booking in our family and I would have done the same...keep persisting until you get what you want!

 

Good for you!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/21/2019 at 5:53 AM, SRF said:

 

The thing they frown on, and will not allow, is for your bags to make your booked flight, and for you to not be on board.  That is when they will offload bags.

 

If you make your flight, and your bags do not, there is no problem with your bags flying on another flight without you.

 

 

Right.  So on the originating flight you are sitting at the back of the plane, your gate is occupied by another plane, the jet bridge driver doesn't show up, your connecting gate is the furthest possible gate, they close the flight 15 minutes before posted departure.   All distinct possibilities. Your bags make it, you don't.  The point is to emphasize the international aspect so the CSR might be more flexible in accommodating a request to change flights. OP didn't book this connection, the airline changed flight times.  

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/21/2019 at 11:43 AM, Thorben-Hendrik said:

This has no value - as they have a disclaimer it may very well NOT meet the criteria ...but they are selling it anyway!🙄

 

No, they do NOT say that.

 

They say, "note the connection time."

 

They point you that it is short, but it still a legal connection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...