FAQ on air travel

[crewsman]

We are traveling from TX to London in May for our cruise, and have come across 2 companies that offer significant discounts on air. Has anyone had dealings with either Cheap O Air or TravelPapa.com?

[Mrs.C05]

My husband and I are flying directly to San Juan from Orlando this coming up weekend. It's suppose to be perfect weather so I am really hoping and praying that we don't have any delays. We fly out Sunday at 10:45am, landing at 2:35pm and the cruise leaves at 10pm but will need to be on by 8pm.

 

Has anyone flown with AirTran? How is/was it?

[luvcdays]

I have a ? about customs in Europe. We are flying from LAX to Munich, then changing planes and flying on to Rome (FCO). Will we be going through customs in both Munich and Rome airports?

 

Thank you for any help!

[Globaliser]

You will clear immigration at Munich, but you won't see your bags or clear customs there. You will collect your bags and clear customs at Rome only.

[luvcdays]

Globalizer - Thank you very much for this info!

[by_u_nurse]

We book the cruise tour package with aiir thru our TA including nly a pre cruise land tour. We want to stay over post cruise to visit friends in Vancouver, but the TA is being wishy washy about being able to get the air return date extended because we are not booking a post tour. Should this be a problem?If there is generally a fee attached, does any one know what it is approximately?

[wrp96]

We book the cruise tour package with aiir thru our TA including nly a pre cruise land tour. We want to stay over post cruise to visit friends in Vancouver, but the TA is being wishy washy about being able to get the air return date extended because we are not booking a post tour. Should this be a problem?If there is generally a fee attached, does any one know what it is approximately?

 

 

Yes, there will absolutely be a fee for you to stay over, especially without using one of the cruiseline's post cruise hotels. RCCL charges $50 per person for an air deviation plus any difference in airfares - Carnival's charges should be along those lines as well. They also limit the number of days pre and post cruise they will allow you to stay over with a deviation, so if you are wanting to stay more than a few days cruise air may not be an option at all.

Edited February 16, 2009 by wrp96

[Palmetto Lady]

We have a cruise booked in 2010 from Hong Kong to Athens. The cruise line's upgrade to Business Class is $7000+pp. We have used our frequent flyer miles for our overseas flight next month. My husband is a large man and I don't want him squeezed into the average space in economy for that lengtht of time. My travel agent suggested United's Economy Plus. It is a possibility. Are there any airlines with more leg room than average? Bulkhead seats are not an option because they are narrower than average. Any suggestions on Business Class for less?? Help!!

[Globaliser]

There are no other airlines that have extra legroom in economy that's comparable to that which you'll find in United's Economy Plus.

 

However, you could look into flying premium economy for both extra width and extra pitch (legroom). Unlike Economy Plus, premium economy is a different cabin altogether yet it's much more affordable than business class. Your main difficulty will be getting a decent routing on airlines that offer it.

[zoncom]

In todays Travel section. Alitalia from Miami, N.Y. Boston, Chicago. Spring-from $389, Fall- from $889. TAXES/FEES INCLUDED!!

[OhioCruiserTwo]

I am really upset. Carnival booked our airfare from Ohio to FLL using their Best Fare Air plan. I have cruised on Carnival before but with a different name, the PVP made our reservation using my prior name. What she should have done was change my name before she made the reservations The reservation for the cruise part of the trip was changed but they will not change my name on my plane reservation. It is a non refundable/non transferable ticket. I have talked to many supervisors at carnival and at the airlines. Carnival will not correct their mistake. Delta says I will need to bring my marriage certificate to show the change in name. I am still worried and upset about the whole matter. Has anyone else had this happen? This isn't a new marriage so my marriage certificate is not recent.

[kidder kid]

Looking to book business class NY to Venice with Delta miles. They would put us on Air France through Charles deGaulle airport with a 2 1/4 hour layover (or a 5 hour layover.) Looking for info on Charles deGaulle. How bad is it? Recently heard that a traveller had to take a bus from plane to terminal, walk entire length of terminal, and take a bus to connecting flight. Sounds awful - maybe a reason to give up on business class.

 

Any advice would be appeciated.

 

Carolyn

[abstractcruise]

I went to book airfare tickets and the price has risen $100 each over the past couple of days! What should I do? Wait...Book now....

Thanks!

[greatam]

I went to book airfare tickets and the price has risen $100 each over the past couple of days! What should I do? Wait...Book now....

Thanks!

 

Short answer-Should have booked when you saw a price you could live with.

 

But other than that, if you are flying to Alaska, Europe during the summer, Florida during Thanksgiving/Xmas/Presidents Week or Spring Break most any place, you should just book the tickets.

 

With capacity cut at least 8% for the forseeable future, the airlines still hurting financially and people still traveling, prices NEED to go UP. How high they go-anyone's guess. Good luck!!!

[greatam]

Looking to book business class NY to Venice with Delta miles. They would put us on Air France through Charles deGaulle airport with a 2 1/4 hour layover (or a 5 hour layover.) Looking for info on Charles deGaulle. How bad is it? Recently heard that a traveller had to take a bus from plane to terminal, walk entire length of terminal, and take a bus to connecting flight. Sounds awful - maybe a reason to give up on business class.

 

Any advice would be appeciated.

 

Carolyn

 

Take the 5 hour layover. And yes, a lot of airports all over the world have buses between terminals. And yes, you may get let off at one end of the terminal just to hoof it to the other end. Has absolutely NOTHING to do with business class. It would be the same if you were in first class or coach.

 

Have you looked at the possibility of using your SkyMiles on KLM or Northwest through Amsterdam? Or Alitalia either nonstop or through Rome?? You have LOTS of options possible. Start a new thread with DATES and times and how many people and someone will be sure to offer suggestions. YOU need to find the alternatives, THEN call for availability.

[Crump's Brother]

i'm booking flights for me and my fiancee for our cruise this September

 

how far in advance should are plane arrive before the ship departs?

 

it departs from Miami

 

also, the same for the flight home...how much later should the flight take off after the ship arrives back in Miami?

 

should 2 hours cut it both ways?

[wrp96]

i'm booking flights for me and my fiancee for our cruise this September

 

how far in advance should are plane arrive before the ship departs?

 

it departs from Miami

 

also' date=' the same for the flight home...how much later should the flight take off after the ship arrives back in Miami?

 

should 2 hours cut it both ways?[/quote']

 

More like a minimum of 4-5 hours.

 

If the ship is scheduled to depart at 4pm for example, you should book a flight landing no later than noon. For a 4pm departure you must be checked in and onboard the ship no later than 3pm (some cruiselines it's 2:30pm).

 

And the same thing in reverse on the way home. You need to be at the airport 1.5 to 2 hours before your flight. And the time the ship arrives is not necessarily when they will begin debarkation. So if your ship arrives at 7am don't book a flight home before noon.

[Crump's Brother]

^really?

 

i asked a travel agent the other day and she said the flight should land atleat 2 house before the ship departs...didn't think to ask her how much time we should give between the ship arriving back to Miami and the flight home

 

i just called Carnival and asked what they recommend, the agent i spoke w/ said that we shouldn't land any later than 2:30 and the ship departs at 4

 

as far as the way home, she said we shouldn't have a flight any earlier than 11:30 and the ship arrives at 8

 

i wonder if i talk to another carnival agent i'll get a different answer

[wrp96]

^really?

 

i asked a travel agent the other day and she said the flight should land atleat 2 house before the ship departs...didn't think to ask her how much time we should give between the ship arriving back to Miami and the flight home

 

i just called Carnival and asked what they recommend' date=' the agent i spoke w/ said that we shouldn't land any later than 2:30 and the ship departs at 4

 

as far as the way home, she said we shouldn't have a flight any earlier than 11:30 and the ship arrives at 8

 

i wonder if i talk to another carnival agent i'll get a different answer[/quote']

 

 

The Carnival agent is telling you wrong. If the ship departs at 4pm and you land at 2:30 pm you will be waving goodbye to your ship from the pier. You will NOT be on it.

 

Let's calculate backwards. There is a Department of Homeland Security rule that requires the cruiseline to submit a manifest 60 minutes before they sail - they cannot let anyone board after they submit that manifest. So from 4pm, you are now back to you must be onboard the ship no later than 3pm.

 

MIA is 20-30 minutes from the Port of Miami, so now you are back to 2:30 - the cruiseline's recommendation and you haven't even landed yet, or gotten your luggage, or gotten to ground transportation.

 

Then you have to calculate time for you to land, retrieve baggage, and get to ground transportation, and that's without adding any time for delays like delayed flights. For example, last time I flew into MIA it took over 1.5 hours to get luggage. My flight landed early (12:15pm) and I still didn't board the ship until 3:15pm - this was before the DHS boarding rules, if it happened today I would have missed my cruise.

[griffy]

Just heard this am on news that effective 5/15/2009 airports will require your name on ID or passport to exactly match name on airline ticket...not first and last, but must include middle name if on ID. We made reservations months ago and leave in less than a month. Now what??? ***Also, in August, airports will require full, exact name match, plus ask you for DOB, gender and something else..honestly don't remember.

 

Anyone else heard this???

[Globaliser]

Anyone else heard this???

Some info in the thread discussing this issue: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=979398

[Gardyloo]

Just heard this am on news that effective 5/15/2009 airports will require your name on ID or passport to exactly match name on airline ticket...not first and last, but must include middle name if on ID. We made reservations months ago and leave in less than a month. Now what??? ***Also, in August, airports will require full, exact name match, plus ask you for DOB, gender and something else..honestly don't remember.

 

Anyone else heard this???

Why bother with facts when rumor or blurbs from talking heads on the TV can be so much more tasty?

 

From the US TSA's website, FAQ for travelers - (italics added)

 

When does the full name requirement go into effect? When MUST my airline ticket match the name on my ID exactly?

 

Secure Flight requires that domestic aircraft operators request and collect full name as of May 15, 2009, and date of birth and gender as of August 15, 2009 for their domestic flights. For international flights, full name, date of birth, and gender must be requested and collected as of October 31, 2009. TSA has built some flexibility into the processes regarding passenger name accuracy. For the near future, small differences between the passenger’s ID and the passenger’s reservation information, such as the use of a middle initial instead of a full middle name or no middle name/initial at all, should not cause a problem for the passenger. Over time, passengers should strive to obtain consistency between the name on their ID and their travel information.

 

Does the name on all of my Identity Documents have to match? What if my driver’s license has only my middle initial, but my passport has my full name? Should I change my driver’s license to match my passport?

 

Secure Flight does not require that the names on all of your IDs be identical. Passengers should ensure, however, that the name used when making a reservation matches the ID that will be used when the passenger checks in. To illustrate this point using a hypothetical example, if a passenger’s current driver’s license reads “John C. Doe,” the passenger is not required to apply for a new driver’s license listing the complete middle name. However, if the passenger plans to use his driver’s license for identification purposes when traveling, he should ensure that he makes his flight reservation using the exact name on the driver’s license, “John C. Doe.”

[griffy]

Our reservations were made 3 months ago and we leave June 13th. Our driver's license and passports don't match our reservations. Now what?

[Gardyloo]

I have flown internationally 4 times in the last month, including returning through US immigration at DFW yesterday (from Japan.) My plane ticket never carries my middle name or initial, while my passport has my full middle name. Not once has it been questioned or mentioned. I would review the italicized lines in my previous post, the ones about flexibility and small differences, and then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Immigration officers have wide leeway on these things, and unless your name matches somebody on the no-fly list (which you would most likely know about by now) I would not sweat it.

[RnGram]

I have never made air reservations online and want to know how much info they ask for at the time of reservations. Do I have to give my ss number and other complete data or is that when I do the check in 24 hours ahead? Is this safe online? What happens if I cancel? Do I lose everything? Would I be better off going directly to Continental web site even though it is the same price?