Is using Flight Ease risky?

[KBC73]

I don't have a cell phone and my wife has trouble using hers. It's much easier for us to print out everything. I worked in accounting for over 30 years and dealt with auditors for all of that time. They wanted to see "hard copy" all the time. It's something i got used to.

[jlawrence01]

I have tried to book flights on Flight Ease and the rates I have been quoted have been higher than I have been able to get via Southwest Airlines.

 

On my next set of cruises which is a 7 day cruise on Celebrity followed by a 14 day on HAL, I booked the flights on the Celebrity website which was 15% cheaper than HAL.  We would have flown into Bellingham on Southwest but the transfers to Vancouver were cumbersome.

[hokie_fan]

All, good news. Thank you for the assistance.  Now the waiting game for the flight to be ticketed so I can choose seats. They said 55 days out.

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, hokie_fan said:

All, good news. Thank you for the assistance.  Now the waiting game for the flight to be ticketed so I can choose seats. They said 55 days out.

Keep in mind that you can request ticketing at any time.  The good thing is it gets you access to seat assignments (on some airlines).  The downside is that once ticketed you have paid for your flights and your ability to change or cancel, without penalty, is gone,

 

Hank

[terrydtx]

On 3/7/2024 at 9:57 AM, Hlitner said:

Keep in mind that you can request ticketing at any time.  The good thing is it gets you access to seat assignments (on some airlines).  The downside is that once ticketed you have paid for your flights and your ability to change or cancel, without penalty, is gone,

 

Hank

We have never had a problem changing flights with Flight Ease after ticketing. Our flights in August with FE have been ticketed, our request, and we have already made changes to the itinerary. When we requested ticketing in January, asked about changes, cancelations and fees for same, we were told not an issue up to final payment date 90 days out.

Edited March 9 by terrydtx

[Tampa Girl]

On 2/22/2024 at 11:18 AM, Hlitner said:

We have had very good deals (especially with international business class) using the Flexair options on Flightease (you can access flightease online and look at all the options).  Be awere that your ability to choose seats, in advance, may or may not be possible depending on the specific airline rules.  You can try to choose seats through the Flightease online site, or you can retrieve your airline booking number (also found on your Flightease reservation) and try to get seats by using the airline's own web site.  However, some airlines will not allow advance seat assignments until after the ticket is issues (this does not happen until you have paid for the ticket and Flightease finishes the transaction with the airline).  You will not be sure about being able to get seat assignments until after you actually have reserved through Flightease.  

 

By the way, one of the worst airlines for seat assignments is British Air.  They will not even allow many folks holding Business Class tickets to get seat assignments until 24 hours before a flight.

 

Hank

 

What is "Flexair" and what sort of options?  We are trying to fashion a reasonably comfortable flight from Tampa to Auckland, by flying first to San Diego, spending a few days there, and then flying from LAX to AUK.  Does Flightease allow this and do we then pay our own way to San Diego and Flightease picks up the major segment to AUK?

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

What is "Flexair" and what sort of options?  We are trying to fashion a reasonably comfortable flight from Tampa to Auckland, by flying first to San Diego, spending a few days there, and then flying from LAX to AUK.  Does Flightease allow this and do we then pay our own way to San Diego and Flightease picks up the major segment to AUK?

I dought you Cando this online, I would call them directly to ask if possible.  

[Hlitner]

14 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

What is "Flexair" and what sort of options?  We are trying to fashion a reasonably comfortable flight from Tampa to Auckland, by flying first to San Diego, spending a few days there, and then flying from LAX to AUK.  Does Flightease allow this and do we then pay our own way to San Diego and Flightease picks up the major segment to AUK?

Good question.  When you use Flexair (which you can see online by logging in from your account after you have a cruise booking) there are two general air options (in two separate columns).  The left column is labled "Flexible" and is an interesting and popular option.  It allows you to make an air reservation, with zero deposit.  You generally do not pay for your air until final payment time (this can vary).  The downside is that although you do get a confirmed reservation (with an airline booking code) you are not actually "ticketed" until after you pay for the fare.  Since you are not ticketed, there is a small chance that the price could change (we have never had this happen).  With Flexair you also have the option to request "ticketing" at any time.  Doing this means you must pay for the ticket (at that time) and are locked into the flights and price similar to when you book direct with any airline.  The downside to being ticketed is that you cannot make changes without paying the airline penalties (similar to when you book direct with an airline).  The huge plus to using Flexair is that you get a reservation, essentially lock-in the price, and are able to cancel or make changes (in your flights) until you actually get ticketed (which can be as close as 45 days prior to the flight).

 

The other column (when available) is Restricted air which is similar to purchasing from the airline.  Restricted means you pay (immediately) and are subject to the usual cancellation/change penalties.  The prices for Flex air and Restricted will often vary.

 

Since DW and I generally fly Business/First Class on longer international flights, we sometimes (not always) find the Flexair prices quite amazing.  They will sometimes be about half the cost of the published airfares, which happens because the cruise line is able to obtain heavily discounted fares (often what is called a "P" Code).  Our strategy on many cruises is to book Flexair flights far in advance as a "place holder."  We will then monitor other sites (and Flexair) to see if we can find a better deal.  If that happens, we can simply cancel our Flexair reservation (done with a few clicks of the mouse).  Another advantage is that if the cruise line were to cancel the cruise they will also cancel your air (with no penalty to you).

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

40 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We have never had a problem changing flights with Flight Ease after ticketing. Our flights in August with FE have been ticketed, our request, and we have already made changes to the itinerary. When we requested ticketing in January, asked about changes, cancelations and fees for same, we were told not an issue up to final payment date 90 days out.

That is generally because you have not actually been "ticketed."  There is a difference between a confirmed reservation (which you can see on the airline site) and being ticketed.  Once ticketed you will have to pay for the flights and will actually have real "ticket numbers" (found on your airline's site under your reservation).

 

Even if you have been ticketed (which sometimes will not happen until about 45 days prior to your cruise) it may (or may not) be possible to make changes.  That depends on the specific airline, their rules, the type ticket/fare class, etc.  Sometimes a change will be allowed without penalty, but in most cases, you would need to pay the airline's penalty (which can be substantial).

 

Hank

[terrydtx]

11 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

That is generally because you have not actually been "ticketed."  There is a difference between a confirmed reservation (which you can see on the airline site) and being ticketed.  Once ticketed you will have to pay for the flights and will actually have real "ticket numbers" (found on your airline's site under your reservation).

 

Even if you have been ticketed (which sometimes will not happen until about 45 days prior to your cruise) it may (or may not) be possible to make changes.  That depends on the specific airline, their rules, the type ticket/fare class, etc.  Sometimes a change will be allowed without penalty, but in most cases, you would need to pay the airline's penalty (which can be substantial).

 

Hank

No we were actually ticketed and paid when we made changes.

[Hlitner]

32 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

No we were actually ticketed and paid when we made changes.

It does come down to the contractual relationship between the cruise line air folks (actually a third party company) and the specific airline.  It is also pretty common for airlines to allow a one-time change (or even cancellation) if the airline changes their own schedule (this happens to us all the time).  I cannot keep up with all the airline rule changes....so often rely on a few online experts (at least one of whom posts on CC).  

 

The problem is that what works today may not work tonight!   Pity the poor person who says to their agent, "I was able to do this last week."  And the agent responds, "that was last week, today we have new rules."

 

Hank

 

 

[Tampa Girl]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Good question.  When you use Flexair (which you can see online by logging in from your account after you have a cruise booking) there are two general air options (in two separate columns).  The left column is labled "Flexible" and is an interesting and popular option.  It allows you to make an air reservation, with zero deposit.  You generally do not pay for your air until final payment time (this can vary).  The downside is that although you do get a confirmed reservation (with an airline booking code) you are not actually "ticketed" until after you pay for the fare.  Since you are not ticketed, there is a small chance that the price could change (we have never had this happen).  With Flexair you also have the option to request "ticketing" at any time.  Doing this means you must pay for the ticket (at that time) and are locked into the flights and price similar to when you book direct with any airline.  The downside to being ticketed is that you cannot make changes without paying the airline penalties (similar to when you book direct with an airline).  The huge plus to using Flexair is that you get a reservation, essentially lock-in the price, and are able to cancel or make changes (in your flights) until you actually get ticketed (which can be as close as 45 days prior to the flight).

 

The other column (when available) is Restricted air which is similar to purchasing from the airline.  Restricted means you pay (immediately) and are subject to the usual cancellation/change penalties.  The prices for Flex air and Restricted will often vary.

 

Since DW and I generally fly Business/First Class on longer international flights, we sometimes (not always) find the Flexair prices quite amazing.  They will sometimes be about half the cost of the published airfares, which happens because the cruise line is able to obtain heavily discounted fares (often what is called a "P" Code).  Our strategy on many cruises is to book Flexair flights far in advance as a "place holder."  We will then monitor other sites (and Flexair) to see if we can find a better deal.  If that happens, we can simply cancel our Flexair reservation (done with a few clicks of the mouse).  Another advantage is that if the cruise line were to cancel the cruise they will also cancel your air (with no penalty to you).

 

Hank

 

 

Hank, thank you so much for taking the time to explain the options.  Is there any chance that a flight to New Zealand would include New Zealand Air as one of Flight Ease options?  Somewhere I read in this form that even Economy Plus was very comfortable.  Regardless, whatever flight we book will be either Business or Economy Plus.  Never again will we suffer through 13 hours in standard Economy!  

[Riversedge]

I’ve never used flight ease.  As I understand it if I booked a flight today and was ticketed on my final payment day (September) I would pay for my flight then.   Am I locked in to the fare I book now if the airline fares are higher at actual time of ticketing?

[Hlitner]

31 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

 

Hank, thank you so much for taking the time to explain the options.  Is there any chance that a flight to New Zealand would include New Zealand Air as one of Flight Ease options?  Somewhere I read in this form that even Economy Plus was very comfortable.  Regardless, whatever flight we book will be either Business or Economy Plus.  Never again will we suffer through 13 hours in standard Economy!  

Always a chance 😋 A few years ago we did Air New Zealand Prem Economy from Auckland and it was

very good.  Not sure what hardware they use now.  They usually have a lot of Flexair options, but prices do vary

[Tampa Girl]

21 hours ago, Riversedge said:

I’ve never used flight ease.  As I understand it if I booked a flight today and was ticketed on my final payment day (September) I would pay for my flight then.   Am I locked in to the fare I book now if the airline fares are higher at actual time of ticketing?

Looking at Hank's explanation, I understand that you are not locked into a fare until you pay and are ticketed.  See #37.  Hank, pls. correct if I am misunderstanding.

[Hlitner]

45 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

Looking at Hank's explanation, I understand that you are not locked into a fare until you pay and are ticketed.  See #37.  Hank, pls. correct if I am misunderstanding.

That is the way the "Flexible" option works.  Keep in mind that if you later find that the fare has dropped, it will not be automatically adjusted.  If online you would need to actually cancel your original reservation and then rebook.  With the online system there is an option to "Change" where you can explore other options.  If you go ahead with a change the screen will warn you that you are cancelling the existing (previous) reservation.

 

In defense of HAL (and other lines) we are all at the mercy of the airlines!  Schedule changes (especially in the USA) have become the norm and are really a problem for those of us who book pretty far in advance.  Airlines are sometimes very slow in notifying anyone about schedule changes, so smart travelers will routinely check existing schedules/reservations.  We will do this at least once a week.  It is also wise to routinely check on your seat assignments since airlines have a nasty habit of changing confirmed seating without giving any notice.

 

Hank