"X" air dept strikes AGAIN!!

[Cruisin_Tommy]

Hello CC X vets,

 

I NEED YOUR HELP........

 

Who do I need to scream at to get an air issue resolved. Names and/or phone #'s and e-mails would be great!!

 

Reservations, Captain's club and air dept have all told me to get bent...

 

In a nutshell they booked us from MIA to ATL and then ATL to YVR....with only 45 min to make the connection!!

Even if WE make it YOU KNOW our bags won't.

 

Supposed to fly on 8 JUN 2007.

 

I want to fly out the day before to ATL, pay for my own hotel, and then fly out of ATL to YVR the next morning.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated...

[iramack]

This is the problem with using cruiseline air. You don't get to choose anything unless you do the air deviation thing. And that costs even more.

 

For all my cruises I have always done my own air arrangements. That way I know I will get what I want when I want it.

 

Basically not much you can do at this point. No one to "yell at" at X either.

 

Moral of story: If you have very specific needs for flights, book em yourself... And you will probably save some money too.....

 

Steve

[Lsimon]

Hello CC X vets,

 

I NEED YOUR HELP........

 

Who do I need to scream at to get an air issue resolved. Names and/or phone #'s and e-mails would be great!!

 

Reservations, Captain's club and air dept have all told me to get bent...

 

In a nutshell they booked us from MIA to ATL and then ATL to YVR....with only 45 min to make the connection!!

Even if WE make it YOU KNOW our bags won't.

 

Supposed to fly on 8 JUN 2007.

 

I want to fly out the day before to ATL, pay for my own hotel, and then fly out of ATL to YVR the next morning.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated...

 

Have you tried talking to the airline to confirm that this connection time is OK with their policies, and if they'd let you use the ticket to fly out the day before (maybe on standby).

 

 

At least this is a couple days before the cruise, not much of a comfort I know but, it would be worse if it was departure day.

[Cruisin_Tommy]

Thanks posters...

 

STEVE

When I originally booked the air, I DID a deviation. It was SUPPOSED to be MIA to ATL to YVR all on the SAME plane. The airline changed it to a connecting flight after I already had the confirmation. I would NEVER have agreed to just 45 min to change planes (and bags) in ATL. I play craps...not russian roulette.....

 

Larry,

I tried to fly the day before but the cost difference w/fee was almost $700.

NOT in the budget. 45 min is the "stated" min time to connect in ATL, but anyone that's been there will tell you it will be a small miracle if all goes according to plan...

 

PRAY FOR US!!!

 

tommy

[bububr]

as a bag runner at ATL for Delta...I was one of those crazy guys driving golf carts inbetween planes and under the airport.

 

bottom line is that 99% of the bags made it, even in short connections.

 

The luggage to be transferred to a connecting flight is seperate from the local baggage. If there is a tight connection, less than 20 minutes, a specific person is assigned to just that flight, or another close connection in the same gate area. So you have just one person grabbing your bags and running them to the transfer flight.

 

I wouldn't worry too much.

 

Dave:eek:

 

BTW: 45 minutes is a legal connection.:)

[dmk]

Hello CC X vets,

 

I NEED YOUR HELP........

 

Who do I need to scream at to get an air issue resolved. Names and/or phone #'s and e-mails would be great!!

 

Reservations, Captain's club and air dept have all told me to get bent...

 

quote]

 

I feel your pain. I have had an airline mess up our reservations also. Unfortunately, in this instance, I don't think anyone at Celebrity can fix this mess, only the airline. Best of luck.

[Cruisin_Tommy]

bottom line is that 99% of the bags made it, even in short connections......I wouldn't worry too much.

 

Dave:eek:

 

Dave,

 

Anything I can do to enhance the likelihood of my bags making the connecting flight? Maybe a big yellow neon sign on each bag that reads...

"...please send me to YVR on Delta FLT XXX...."

 

By the by....since you are an ATL local...will we have time to make the connection if we have to move say 1 or 2 concourses to a different gate?

 

I hope we won't have to go thru TSA screening again just to change terminals!

 

TIA...for the knowledge...

 

tommy

[lvtotrvl1]

If the airline changed your planes,w hy is it X's fault? You mentioned that you received what you requested and then the ailines changed it. Your beef should be with the airlines. A 45 min connection is quite normal and as someone else said, the majority of luggage does make it. Do the ailines have another flight to change you too? If so, I'm sure they would accomodate you, if not, there is not much you cvan do, but not fret over it and hope all goes well.

[shipshape sam]

Tommy,

 

Once you are on the concources, you do not have to go through security again.

 

Is your connecting flight on the same airline? If so, I would be concerned, but not overly. (easy for me to say). Secondly, I would just for your own peace of mind, check to see when the next flight is to YVR and see how that jives with your ship sailing time. It may provide some comfort or more anxiety.

 

We sailed with a couple who's baggage missed them in MIA and then the ship. The airlines delivered it to the hotel a day later and by the time the couple got it they were 4 days into the cruise. The good news was that X helped out by providing some clothes and free laundry.

 

As to the couple, they seemed to take it in stride and had a great cruise.

[Cruisin_Tommy]

If the airline changed your planes,w hy is it X's fault?

 

I understand itinerary changes happen....HOWEVER it would seem to me a call from "X" to say..."hey...we got your air confirmation from Airline XYZ and you now have a connection..." would not heve been out of order.

 

If I had know about this change say, 4-6 weeks prior to departure instead of 6 days I might have had an opportunity to make a change...now a long shot at best...

 

thanks to everyone for the good thoughts however.....

[Cruisin_Tommy]

Sam,

 

Same airline but it IS an INT'L flight to YVR...my fear is a terminal A to E change in ATL....I'd have to do my best OJ impression (running not stabbing) thru the concourses!!!

 

We are taking xtra carry-on as precaution for lost bag syndrome and we arrive YVR on FRI cruise on SUN so we do have SOME leeway......

 

Hope YVR restaurants are travel casual on the dress code:)

 

tommy

[TeaBag]

We had a 45 minute connection in SFO on Friday which became a 25 minute connection due to late departure of the first flight. Our bags made it. I would think if the airline changed your flight arrangement, they know what they are doing and will do their utmost to get your bags on the YVR flight. Do you have any kind of status with Delta where you could have priority tags placed on your bags? Maybe if you beg the check in person, they might do something for you (my DS calls it "making doe eyes"). We find that explaining a situation gently and persistently without getting angry, even if you are, often works miracles! I know, it is horrible having to worry the whole time you are flying. Good luck! I hope you enjoy your cruise.

[cecilterwiliger]

I would be more concerned if the flight with the tight connection is on the way back...then you would have to put the bags through customs. We had that happen last summer from SFO to ATL to Rome and back. On the way there, we not only had plenty of time, but the flight was delayed from ATL to Rome. The way back was a connection of about the same duration as yours, only we had to get our bags, go through customs and recheck them then go to the other terminal. All flights were on Delta, but we did have to go from one end of the airport to the other, due to the internal flight. ATL has a very high speed train between terminals that runs frequently. We went through the same panic that you did, believe me and were assigned by the cruise line. We argued the point to no avail. This time we paid the deviation early and picked non-stops just to avoid that. We did it early on, so the cost difference wasn't that high. Good luck and I hope everything goes smoothly for you. The connection time is possible, as long as there are no delays.

[lysolqn]

I have to echo a previous post - why are you ticked at X when it's the airline that made the change? In any event, 45 minutes is a "legal" connection and barring any unforeseen circumstances, you and your bags should make it without a problem, even if means they have to hold your connecting flight a few minutes to make it possible.

[land lover]

Relax and enjoy...........the best plans often get messed up along the way. I and my bags have made many a close connection, personally I would rather run to my next plane than wait 2 hours. But each to his own.

 

Have a Wonderful cruise.

[hybrn8]

Please relax and take a deep breath!

When you check into the airport for the first leg, ask the agent to request you be met by a people mover/golf cart thingy. When you get on the plane, ask again. When you get off the plane, if one's not there, try to jump on the first one you see. If you have to take the little train between terminals you will have to hop on another one when you get off the train. But, since the outbound flight is likely to be late - it is ATL in the summer, after all - you should be okay.

Do you at least have decent seats in the front of the bus (oops, plane)? If not, try to prevail on check-in and/or gate agent to get one or both of you moved.

Also, remember the luggage has a lot shorter trip from plane to plane than you do! But if you're really worried, bring a change of clothes in your carry on bag.

We never use the cruise lines for air arrangements as we have frequent flyers miles galore (redeeming them is a topic for another day). We know we are on our own if the wheels come off completely. On the other hand, you have Celebrity as a safety net in the case of a cock up somewhere along the way.

Have fun................

[DD]

I was reading your thread thinking, "This poor guy is NEVER going to make that connection." Yes, I do understand the concept of a legal connection; however, 45 min in ATL with changing terminals is ridiculous. In a perfect world if flights all operated on time, 45 min is legal. Once I got to your post about flying in on Friday for a Sunday cruise, I felt a lot better for you. You're doing the right thing--take extra things in your carryon. Also, you have time built into your schedule so you won't miss the ship.

 

Do you have travel insurance? It could really benefit you if you get stuck in ATL and have to overnight. It could also help you if your luggage doesn't make it.

 

I don't believe that you'll have much recource yelling at anyone at X. They don't control the airline. You could try calling X and asking the air deviation dept to demand that the airline change your flights. Try throwing out the words Rule 240. That may or may not work depending on if your flight times were altered. Even if it's not legitimately a Rule 240 issue, sometimes just throwing out those words helps. Just keep in mind that your issue is with the airline, not the cruise line so you'll gain nothing by alienating the air/sea dept.

 

 

 

Sam,

 

Same airline but it IS an INT'L flight to YVR...my fear is a terminal A to E change in ATL....I'd have to do my best OJ impression (running not stabbing) thru the concourses!!!

 

We are taking xtra carry-on as precaution for lost bag syndrome and we arrive YVR on FRI cruise on SUN so we do have SOME leeway......

 

Hope YVR restaurants are travel casual on the dress code:)

 

tommy

[Beaniemom59]

Have you contacted Delta Rebooking Department -- just call the 800# and ask for rebooking. They made several changes to our tickets for last November and rebooking made sure that seat assignments were correct and I was actually able to change flights with no additional cost because we were concerned about a short layover in ATL with two small children and a group of 7 people. It is worth a try!

[bobbyleduck]

You're flying East to West (3 extra hours), and two days early. What in the world are you worried about? Take an extra carryon with clothes, and don't worry so much. As my friend used to say, "If you haven't missed at least two planes this year, you're spending way too much time in airports." If you're really, really, really concerned. Send your luggage ahead of you.

 

Bob

[Cruisin_Tommy]

They don't control the airline. You could try calling X and asking the air deviation dept to demand that the airline change your flights. Try throwing out the words Rule 240. That may or may not work depending on if your flight times were altered. Even if it's not legitimately a Rule 240 issue, sometimes just throwing out those words helps.

 

 

Enlighten me please...RULE 240??

 

Many thanks to all posters for their suggestions, well wishes and personal experiences.

 

I realize this discussion centers on a "worse case" scenario for missed connections and/or bags, but I'd rather play out the alternatives now rather than in transit on Friday.

 

Should any other CC members have input on my situation, your thoughts are also welcome.

[bububr]

Is a courtesy/emergency airline code used for transferring the ticket/funds from one carrier to another. I worked my way up from the ramp to ticketing and PSA so I did these all the time in Chicago.

 

First you MUST have a paper coupon....an e-ticket will not work unless its printed out on stock. Second you must have a transfer booking from the original airline agent to the new airline. Third you need that booking number on your ticket now. Fourth you need to red line your ticket and write rule 240 on it. And Lastly, even though its a courtesy throughout the industry, many times you are just standby......meaning your luggage may or may not go with you.....

 

So if your concerned about any loss or misplaced luggage, rule 240 is only going to INCREASE the chances.

 

Bringing up the rule 240 topic is just bad advice and I DON"T recommend it unless its an absolute emergency, and your willing to stand in long lines to talk to an agent, and wait for your luggage to be retrieved if it was checked then drag everything over to the new airline and check in all over again.

 

Dave:eek:

[Jim_Iain]

I'm a high end flier (having flown over 2 million miles). A couple ideas to help an/or make you feel more comfortable.

 

1. Luggage almost always makes it even on a 45 minute connection.

 

2. Call the airline directly and explain that you had booked a direct flight and they changed it to a connection and that you are really worried about a 45 minute connections. " What can you do to help me out " Since they made the change they will usually accommodate your requirements. I have even had them allow a change of airport e.g. FLL at no charge.

 

3. Go to the airline website for the airline you are booked on. Most have a Flight Status section. Check yesterday's flight and todays and see when they arrived and departed and what gate they arrived and departed from. This should give you a good idea as to terminal distances.

 

4. Put a tag on you luggage with the Cruise Ship and Departure City and Date. Just in case.

 

5. Remember that there will probably be quite a few additional cruise PAX on your itineary. If there is a large number of transfer PAX from a single plane the airline is more likely to hold connecting flights.

 

Good Luck.

[greatam]

Enlighten me please...RULE 240??

 

Many thanks to all posters for their suggestions, well wishes and personal experiences.

 

I realize this discussion centers on a "worse case" scenario for missed connections and/or bags, but I'd rather play out the alternatives now rather than in transit on Friday.

 

Should any other CC members have input on my situation, your thoughts are also welcome.

 

Rule 240 is obsolete, although if you mention Rule 240, most airlines refer to their OWN reaccomodation rules.

 

Rule 240 ONLY applies to airline caused delays-not weather, not airport or security delays and certainly not a delay when the connection was "legal" in the first place.

[greatam]

Please read this about cruise air and air deviation. Yes, it is my OP, but it has some valuable insight into how cruise air works.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530322&highlight=%22air+deviation%22

[BEAV]

I used to work in an airline call center, and situations of schedule changes were often the flier's best friend with regard to flexibility, although few people knew it. By that I mean it's much easier to call and get your flights changed to something that works better for you IF you were the "victim" of a schedule change. Agents working in this department don't have to rely on booking you into the same type of fare class if it involves a schedule change. It's pretty much get you on a flight connection that works for you and that's that.

 

Having this knowledge has allowed me to make some pretty neat voluntary changes of my own whenever I was subject to a schedule change. One example was a flight I had booked from Ft Lauderdale at the end of the cruise. I originally booked a 1:00pm departure that was later changed to 10:00am. Obviously, 10:00am is too early when you're disembarking a cruise ship. One call to the airline telling them I'd never make the 10:00am flight gave me carte blanche to select any other flight connection of my choice. No questions asked.

 

My original suggestion to you was to call Delta and ask if they could book you an earlier flight from MIA to ATL, giving you a longer layover. But in looking at their flight schedule, I'm assuming you're already on a 6:00am flight from MIA and there is probably nothing earlier to rebook you onto. So if you want to go to ATL the night prior and stay in a hotel, I'd give it a shot w/Delta. You've got nothing to lose.

 

This is not the fault of X. Schedule changes happen all the time. Yes, it would have been nice for X to notify you, but I have to say I rarely get notified of schedule changes when booking directly with the airline, so there's no guarantee Delta even notified X in the first place. Remove your fangs of venom against X !!!

 

Good luck!

 

P.S. Are you flying to YVR on the same day your cruise leaves? Or are you spending a night or two in YVR first?