Just got screwed out of nearly $500 can.

[buddy1755]

I got flights thru NCL for my upcoming transatlantic,  on the return leg of the trip we were booked out of Gatwick with Air Transat.  I went on to their site and booked our seat selection and paid for our luggage.  WELL NCL just changed everything,  I now fly out of Heathrow with Brittish Airway.  I was told by NCL AND Airtransat that that monies are not refundable.  So in the future I quess I would wait till last minute to choose seats I I will never pay for luggage until I get on the aircraft. 

[wolft927]

Typically thats what I do, Never choose my seat till a few days out, and always pay for luggage at the airport. 

[buddy1755]

I fly next week, thought I was safe

[cruiseny4life]

Good golly gravy! How much does seat selection cost and how many bags are y'all taking? Is this for more than two people? Cuz, that's a lot of loonies for two! 

 

Sorry that happened to you. We always select our seats as soon as NCL sends us the tickets, so I get why you'd be upset.

[schmoopie17]

21 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

 

Sorry that happened to you. We always select our seats as soon as NCL sends us the tickets, so I get why you'd be upset.

By the time NCL gets around to notifying you of your flights, most good seats would already be taken. Waiting until the last minute to choose seats would practically guarantee middle seats...or maybe even standing room only. 

[MoCruiseFan]

58 minutes ago, buddy1755 said:

I got flights thru NCL for my upcoming transatlantic,  on the return leg of the trip we were booked out of Gatwick with Air Transat.  I went on to their site and booked our seat selection and paid for our luggage.  WELL NCL just changed everything,  I now fly out of Heathrow with Brittish Airway.  I was told by NCL AND Airtransat that that monies are not refundable.  So in the future I quess I would wait till last minute to choose seats I I will never pay for luggage until I get on the aircraft. 

 

Lesson learned about letting someone else make your flight plans.  Some lessons cost more than others!

[cruiseny4life]

31 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

By the time NCL gets around to notifying you of your flights, most good seats would already be taken. Waiting until the last minute to choose seats would practically guarantee middle seats...or maybe even standing room only. 

That hasn't been my personal experience. We've received tickets at 60 days (domestic) and 100 days (international) prior to the cruise. In both instances we were able to select great seats, next to each other. Since we do book with NCL BOGO Air, we always know there is a possibility we won't be able to sit next to each other or will have to deal with a middle seat...we live together. We can tolerate a few hours not glued to each other's arm skin, though that is kind of awkward when it's a stranger's arm skin instead. 

[Distinctive-Destinations]

36 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

By the time NCL gets around to notifying you of your flights, most good seats would already be taken. Waiting until the last minute to choose seats would practically guarantee middle seats...or maybe even standing room only. 

Standing room only airplane seats? This is a joke, right?

[cruiseny4life]

1 minute ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

Standing room only airplane seats? This is a joke, right?

Obviously...until it's not.

[ontheweb]

5 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

That hasn't been my personal experience. We've received tickets at 60 days (domestic) and 100 days (international) prior to the cruise. In both instances we were able to select great seats, next to each other. Since we do book with NCL BOGO Air, we always know there is a possibility we won't be able to sit next to each other or will have to deal with a middle seat...we live together. We can tolerate a few hours not glued to each other's arm skin, though that is kind of awkward when it's a stranger's arm skin instead. 

DW and I were very happy to be seated apart the one time we were apart on an airplane. Our cruise was 2 days late getting to Fort Lauderdale due to a hurricane. Obviously our original plane trip back to JFK was not happening. We got the last 2 standby seats on the first flight back after we checked in at the airport. We survived.

[buddy1755]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

Good golly gravy! How much does seat selection cost and how many bags are y'all taking? Is this for more than two people? Cuz, that's a lot of loonies for two! 

 

Sorry that happened to you. We always select our seats as soon as NCL sends us the tickets, so I get why you'd be upset.

The conversion to Pounds was a killer

[Fogfog]

Hopefully any travel insurance on your credit card can help. Or ombudsman with that airline?

One would think those fees (seats and baggage) would be returned to you since you aren't on that carrier, aren't filling that seat etc. 

So sorry

[DCGuy64]

2 hours ago, buddy1755 said:

I got flights thru NCL for my upcoming transatlantic,  on the return leg of the trip we were booked out of Gatwick with Air Transat.  I went on to their site and booked our seat selection and paid for our luggage.  WELL NCL just changed everything,  I now fly out of Heathrow with Brittish Airway.  I was told by NCL AND Airtransat that that monies are not refundable.  So in the future I quess I would wait till last minute to choose seats I I will never pay for luggage until I get on the aircraft. 

I know how you feel. I paid for seats on a flight from DC to Venice which I then had to cancel. No refunds. Shame on me.

[DCGuy64]

2 hours ago, buddy1755 said:

I fly next week, thought I was safe

You should have been safe. As @Fogfog has helpfully suggested, I'd try getting insurance to cover that. Not your fault the airline was changed at basically the last minute.

[PATRLR]

2 hours ago, buddy1755 said:

I got flights thru NCL for my upcoming transatlantic,  on the return leg of the trip we were booked out of Gatwick with Air Transat.  I went on to their site and booked our seat selection and paid for our luggage.  WELL NCL just changed everything,  I now fly out of Heathrow with Brittish Airway.  I was told by NCL AND Airtransat that that monies are not refundable.  So in the future I quess I would wait till last minute to choose seats I I will never pay for luggage until I get on the aircraft. 

If you had a ticketed flight reservation, which you must have had if you bought seats and bags, why was it changed?

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, Distinctive-Destinations said:

Standing room only airplane seats? This is a joke, right?

There are some reports that some airlines are examining 'leaning seats' where one doesn't sit but only leans.  

[bortman23]

4 hours ago, buddy1755 said:

Brittish Airway

 

Going from Air Transat to BA sounds like a bonus to me. Losing the money is unfortunate though...

[Distinctive-Destinations]

Just now, bortman23 said:

 

Going from Air Transat to BA sounds like a bonus to me. Losing the money is unfortunate though...

LHR is an improvement over Gatwick also.

[schmoopie17]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are some reports that some airlines are examining 'leaning seats' where one doesn't sit but only leans.  

And instead of regular airline food, they will offer Lean Cuisine.

[Sugar Magnolia]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are some reports that some airlines are examining 'leaning seats' where one doesn't sit but only leans.  

 

Yes it's something like this...

 

 

[davencl]

I'm assuming the extra pounds were for a seat upgrade given the high cost.  If so seat upgrades are non-refundable.  So I am carefull when I do upgrade to be sure it's a trip I really expect to make.

[erisajd]

The airline cannot keep your money for a flight you did not take - dispute the charge on your credit card - even f you don't have the US protections on your credit card - a business cannot charge you for a service you did not receive ever.  I also think you should byotche quite loudly to NCL - THEY changed your flight within XX days of travel.  Go read the Air surcharge limitations 

[ChiefMateJRK]

36 minutes ago, erisajd said:

The airline cannot keep your money for a flight you did not take - dispute the charge on your credit card - even f you don't have the US protections on your credit card - a business cannot charge you for a service you did not receive ever.

Of course they can.  Have you not heard of non-refundable fares?

[davencl]

47 minutes ago, erisajd said:

The airline cannot keep your money for a flight you did not take - dispute the charge on your credit card - even f you don't have the US protections on your credit card - a business cannot charge you for a service you did not receive ever.  I also think you should byotche quite loudly to NCL - THEY changed your flight within XX days of travel.  Go read the Air surcharge limitations 

I'd be very interested in which airline refunds money for flights not taken.  Neither Delta, United, American, Alasakan or any airline I've ever flown refunds money like this.

[drew69]

1 hour ago, erisajd said:

The airline cannot keep your money for a flight you did not take - dispute the charge on your credit card - even f you don't have the US protections on your credit card - a business cannot charge you for a service you did not receive ever.  I also think you should byotche quite loudly to NCL - THEY changed your flight within XX days of travel.  Go read the Air surcharge limitations 

Yes, they can and quite often do.  Also the Air Transat website clearly states it is nonrefundable.

No refund will be provided should you cancel your seat selection prior to travel.

 

Other suggest travel insurance coverage- highly unlikely changing flights and nonrefundable fees are covered by insurance.

 

Disputing the charge only works if you are indeed in the right.  If the credit card company researches and finds the charge to be valid, it is reinstated.