Air confirmation, airline can't find reservation

[travelgip]

I have "free" air booked through NCL and they sent an email confirming my flights via American Airlines.  When I go to the AA site, it doesn't recognize any of the confirmation/reservation numbers NCL provided.  

Has this happened to anyone else?  How to resolve?

Thank you

[Zach1213]

It likely has to do with the fact that your tickets aren't actually booked yet. The cruise line may say you have a reservation, but you probably don't yet, and you may not until much closer in to the trip (whenever that may be). It's one of the risks of booking with the cruise line - there's always a chance they may switch your flights, not just the times (which is common even if you book with the airline itself) but routes and airlines. 

 

I would say don't worry yet if your trip is a ways out, but if your trip is next week...then, yeah, I would worry. 

[6rugrats]

Agree, it's probably not yet ticketed.  You can try calling AA and asking them.  I did go to their webpage and read about their air program and found this interesting, in light of the frequent advice to "just call the cruise line if you have any problems while traveling."  I helped a large party this summer, who had a flight canceled and needed to be rebooked for a cruise.  They stated they called NCL and the agent hung up on them and didn't help.  You don't have to advise the agent where you purchased your ticket.  We can see that right on your ticket.

 

Flight Assistance While Traveling En-Route (Pre and Post Cruise)
In the event that your flight is changed or cancelled by the airline due to mechanical, inclement weather, strikes or any other involuntary reason, you should immediately advise an airline representative at the airport that you are a guest of Norwegian Cruise Line, and you are on your way to join a cruise. In most circumstances, the airline can arrange alternative flights at the airline counter, so you can get to the ship or the hotel destination.

 

 

[klfrodo]

While cruise lines will give you a PQR number that shows you have a reservation, the cruise line doesn't actually pay money to the airline until about 6 weeks out. Once the airline has received the money, then they will "release" the reservation to be seen.

 

But, the ticket was free, so that's good.

Edited November 21, 2022 by klfrodo

[CruiserBruce]

@klfrodo, I think you mean PNR.

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, travelgip said:

I have "free" air booked through NCL and they sent an email confirming my flights via American Airlines. 

 

Until you have a 13 digit ticket number, and not just a six character locator code, you are not "confirmed" on anything.

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

Flight Assistance While Traveling En-Route (Pre and Post Cruise)
In the event that your flight is changed or cancelled by the airline due to mechanical, inclement weather, strikes or any other involuntary reason, you should immediately advise an airline representative at the airport that you are a guest of Norwegian Cruise Line, and you are on your way to join a cruise. In most circumstances, the airline can arrange alternative flights at the airline counter, so you can get to the ship or the hotel destination.

 

Ah, the old "I'm going to a cruise, so bump someone else off the next flight" advice.....🙂

[6rugrats]

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Ah, the old "I'm going to a cruise, so bump someone else off the next flight" advice.....🙂

I guarantee no customer service agent cares where you are going.  Everyone has something important they need to get to.  That's ridiculous advice they give, on par with "just dress nicely" and you will get an upgrade nonsense.

Edited November 22, 2022 by 6rugrats

[Globaliser]

12 hours ago, travelgip said:

When I go to the AA site, it doesn't recognize any of the confirmation/reservation numbers NCL provided.

 

10 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

Until you have a 13 digit ticket number, and not just a six character locator code, you are not "confirmed" on anything.

 

That's not actually quite right. A possible alternative explanation is that the airline has made confirmed reservations for the flights, but hasn't yet given the OP the reservation code/number/locator that would be recognised by AA. A confirmed reservation is confirmed, and the airline is holding space on that flight for the passenger (subject to all the usual caveats about what "holding space" means in a modern dynamic (over)booking environment), even if no ticket has yet been issued. Issuing a ticket is conceptually a different step from making a reservation, but the difference is often lost on people who have never used red carbon tickets and don't work in the industry.

 

NCL is likely to be making the booking in whatever booking system/GDS that it uses, which will generate a locator for itself. But if that's not booked directly into AA's system, so that the prime record is hosted by AA, then AA may only have its own copy of the booking record with AA's own locator, and it's possible that NCL has simply not provided that to the OP.

 

A passenger is of course in a better position once a ticket has been issued, because there is then a contract of carriage between the passenger and the airline for specific flights. Perhaps more importantly, it also means that the airline has been paid by the agent (NCL). But it looks like the OP's cruise isn't until January, so as we all think, there's a good chance that this step has not yet happened.

 

in theory, the OP could call AA and ask the agent to try to find the booking using name, date and flight number(s). The agent may or may not be able to do so, and may or may not be prepared to give the OP the AA locator, and may or may not be prepared to do any of the other customer service things that passengers often want, eg pre-allocating seats. Given that NCL could yet change the flights before ticketing (judging by what other CCers sometimes report), this could be more effort than it's worth.

[travelgip]

I have the 8 digit reservation number, 13 digit e-ticket number and PNR record locator that has numbers & letters, not the letters that AA asks for.

[fbgd]

2 hours ago, travelgip said:

I have the 8 digit reservation number, 13 digit e-ticket number and PNR record locator that has numbers & letters, not the letters that AA asks for.

 

AA use SABRE and their PNRs are only letters, no numbers. A quick Google suggests that NCL use Amadeus as their GDS.

 

You'd need to contact NCL to get your SABRE PNR....although I suspect a lot of agents will have no idea what you're talking about 😄

 

 

...also legit LOL at "You should immediately advise an airline representative at the airport that you are a guest of Norwegian Cruise Line, and you are on your way to join a cruise."

 

[Globaliser]

14 hours ago, travelgip said:

I have the 8 digit reservation number, 13 digit e-ticket number and PNR record locator that has numbers & letters, not the letters that AA asks for.

 

The 8-digit number is almost certainly nothing to do with any airline.

 

If you can't get NCL to give you your Sabre locator, then with your name, flight details and 13-digit ticket number, AA should be able to pull up your reservation anyway.

[LHT28]

On 11/23/2022 at 1:43 PM, travelgip said:

I have the 8 digit reservation number, 13 digit e-ticket number and PNR record locator that has numbers & letters, not the letters that AA asks for.

When is your cruise ?

If more than 6 weeks away  you are not ticketed yet

If you have made final payment  then ask NCL to ticket your flights

JMO

[AveSaloon]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

When is your cruise ?

If more than 6 weeks away  you are not ticketed yet

 

They say they have a 13 digit ticket number.  If so, they are ticketed.  Doesn't matter what the time frame is.

[BoozinCroozin]

Through NCL, you will get your confirmation flight between 54 and 35 days out usually. Until your flight is booked, all you have is a reservation. Once you are given that Confirmation Number and flight assignment, you are on your own. Airlines won't make changes, if there is any cancelation or delays NCL is out of the picture. With the lowest fare for the flights, you are the first ones bumped if overbooked with no volunteers. Being a cruise passenger makes no difference to the airline.

 

There were about 8 people on our overbooked flight that were told that we are the first ones bumped if there are not enough volunteers. It would come down to whose tickets were booked last. It didn't come to it, but they were being up front with the situation.

[FlyerTalker]

On 12/6/2022 at 2:14 AM, BoozinCroozin said:

It would come down to whose tickets were booked last. It didn't come to it, but they were being up front with the situation.

 

I HIGHLY doubt that is the case.  It would be a policy that would penalize those who bought a full-fare ticket at the last minute.  Further, the process for involuntary denied boarding is determined by each individual airline for their flights, so there is no blanket answer.

 

Personally, I would suspect that IDB decisions often would come down to questions of fare basis and FF status, along with how easily passengers can be rerouted.  But that is just my educated guess from years of travel.

[6rugrats]

On 12/6/2022 at 4:14 AM, BoozinCroozin said:

It would come down to whose tickets were booked last. It didn't come to it, but they were being up front with the situation.

In most cases, compensation for volunteers gets high enough that no one is involuntarily denied boarding.  However, with my airline at least, if push comes to shove, fare class and status are considered and then check-in time, not when ticket was purchased.

I have heard agents tell pax all kinds of incorrect and crazy things, sometimes just to get them to go away.  

[FlyerTalker]

48 minutes ago, 6rugrats said:

I have heard agents tell pax all kinds of incorrect and crazy things, sometimes just to get them to go away.  

 

Like the line from Dean Martin in the movie Airport:

 

"You have a young navigator here! Well, I'll tell you son... Due to a Cetcil wind, Dystor's vectored us into a 360-tarson of slow air traffic. Now we'll maintain this Borden hold until we get the Forta Magnus clearance from Melnics."

[BoozinCroozin]

On 12/7/2022 at 9:59 AM, FlyerTalker said:

 

I HIGHLY doubt that is the case.  It would be a policy that would penalize those who bought a full-fare ticket at the last minute.  Further, the process for involuntary denied boarding is determined by each individual airline for their flights, so there is no blanket answer.

 

Personally, I would suspect that IDB decisions often would come down to questions of fare basis and FF status, along with how easily passengers can be rerouted.  But that is just my educated guess from years of travel.

It also comes down to the fare booked. What NCL books is the lowest ticket class there is. And yes, if it comes down to involuntary bumps, NCL's tickets are the first to go.

[FlyerTalker]

On 12/6/2022 at 2:14 AM, BoozinCroozin said:

There were about 8 people on our overbooked flight that were told that we are the first ones bumped if there are not enough volunteers. It would come down to whose tickets were booked last. It didn't come to it, but they were being up front with the situation.

 

8 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

It also comes down to the fare booked. What NCL books is the lowest ticket class there is. And yes, if it comes down to involuntary bumps, NCL's tickets are the first to go.

 

 

So I guess your first post was incorrect.....or your second.....or ???

[LDIdeals]

Look for the airline confirmation # under the PNR on the confirmation letter from the cruise line.  That is the number you need to find your reservation on the airlines page.

[BoozinCroozin]

On 12/10/2022 at 12:38 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

 

 

So I guess your first post was incorrect.....or your second.....or ???

Have you ever experienced the hierarchy of involuntary removal from a flight? Most airlines have the same policies but they do vary. It will come down to #1 a ticketed passenger not at the gate by XX minutes before flight. #2 Cheapest fare booked which is what NCL books #3 airline loyalty level. I can guarantee you if there are 2 people left for 1-seat, you are an NCL passenger versus a Diamond Whatever flyer, your rear end will be waving to those taking off on the plane. So go read all of that little writing in your contract with the airline. Read the priority of who gets removed involuntarily first. That little $125 each way flight they put you on with the BOGO fare are the absolute first to get involuntarily bumped. And when it comes down to compensation, it is based off that rate and amounts to very little because the taxes, fees, and other things are not included in it.  $125/2 = $62.50. Then the taxes and fees are about $25 of that. If they are required to pay 5x, you are looking at $150 or so in compensation. They get off easy on kicking you off the plane. And if you don't think they have this documented for every single person on the manifest already, you are mistaken. 

[em-sk]

On 12/10/2022 at 1:01 AM, BoozinCroozin said:

It also comes down to the fare booked. What NCL books is the lowest ticket class there is. And yes, if it comes down to involuntary bumps, NCL's tickets are the first to go.

 

There are a number of variables at play. 

 

First off most airlines have sophisticated software algorithms that avoid this happening.  I am usually flying in/out of Canada, Air Canada does not oversell Business or Premium Economy, so they will move people from economy into empty seats in premium cabins to make room in economy.  WestJet does not oversell at all so the only time they have a standby list is when they are reacomidating passengers off another flight.   I suspect the US is similar.  It happens but not all that frequently.

 

With some very limited exceptions most airlines also put confirmed passengers in front of standby passengers including those being rebooked off other flights.  

 

The airlines I am familiar with tends to be a combination of status, fare class and check in sequence number.  NCL is going to going to try to get the cheapest fair class they can get at the time.  At the same time consumers shopping on expedia are going to do the same.   Sometime NCL will actually be the cheapest on the flight other times it will not.  It is going to be different from flight to flight.

 

[FlyerTalker]

On 12/19/2022 at 5:53 PM, BoozinCroozin said:

Have you ever experienced the hierarchy of involuntary removal from a flight? Most airlines have the same policies but they do vary. It will come down to #1 a ticketed passenger not at the gate by XX minutes before flight. #2 Cheapest fare booked which is what NCL books #3 airline loyalty level. I can guarantee you if there are 2 people left for 1-seat, you are an NCL passenger versus a Diamond Whatever flyer, your rear end will be waving to those taking off on the plane. So go read all of that little writing in your contract with the airline. Read the priority of who gets removed involuntarily first. That little $125 each way flight they put you on with the BOGO fare are the absolute first to get involuntarily bumped. And when it comes down to compensation, it is based off that rate and amounts to very little because the taxes, fees, and other things are not included in it.  $125/2 = $62.50. Then the taxes and fees are about $25 of that. If they are required to pay 5x, you are looking at $150 or so in compensation. They get off easy on kicking you off the plane. And if you don't think they have this documented for every single person on the manifest already, you are mistaken. 

 

TL:DR:PWA