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Flight leaves 2pm day BEFORE cruise, is this okay?


aundi2002
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What would you do?  

13 members have voted

  1. 1. What would you do?

    • Keep the flight from Cincinatti to Orlando at 2pm day before departure
      12
    • Spend $1500 and change the flight to somewhere MORE south (to drive if have to)
      1


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Leaving on the Disney Dream on Dec 24 (Christmas Eve). Our flight is scheduled to leave out of Cincinnati the day before Dec 23rd (sunday) at 2pm. I am freaking out worried about flight delays.

 

 

 

Should I be worried? Anyone experienced missing their ship when the flight leaves the day before? At the point of a delay, we wouldnt be able to physically DRIVE all the way in time.

 

 

It costs over $1500 to change the flight and/or book a new flight.

 

 

I do NOT want to miss this cruise. Thanks

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Is there some reason why you weren't freaking out when you bought the tickets??

 

What has changed to cause this new behavior?

 

I ask, because that might lead you to find your own answer, rather than looking for some kind of validation from a poll.

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Heard about some recent flight delays of greater than 24 hours. Then I realized this could happen to me to, yet, it never has

 

 

 

Is there some reason why you weren't freaking out when you bought the tickets??

 

What has changed to cause this new behavior?

 

I ask, because that might lead you to find your own answer, rather than looking for some kind of validation from a poll.

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Heard about some recent flight delays of greater than 24 hours. Then I realized this could happen to me to, yet, it never has

 

The reason it never has is they are unusual on mainstream airlines.

 

On the other hand, being the day or two before Christmas flights will likely be packed that makes recommendation more difficult.

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Em-so

I’m scratching my head trying to figure out why you stated 24 hour delays are “unusual on mainstream airlines” Amy airline can be subject to weather delays - mainstream or otherwise. The weather doesn’t play favorites.

 

As to the OP’s issue any delay is likely impact her more than a solo traveler because they will need multiple seats on an aircraft going to their destination. A few years ago we were taking my husbands son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter to Walt Disney World flying from IAD to MCO in early December. The flight was scheduled for 9AM on a Sunday. Due to weather the flight was canceled. Because we needed 5 seats we were not able to fly out until 10PM the following evening.

 

 

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To the OP, more details will help some of the folks here provide "better" thoughts on this. Airline, direct flight/connection, would be good starting points. That said, they would just be thoughts. Things like weather/strikes/etc can throw the best laid plans into chaos.

 

 

 

Without more details I would be comfortable flying in the day prior but that's me.

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Because we needed 5 seats we were not able to fly out until 10PM the following evening.

 

Was that five seats or five seats on the same flight??

 

Big difference.

 

I can see how you would need an adult with the grandchild, but couldn't the others have travelled independently and met at the end point?

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I do NOT want to miss this cruise.
I bet pretty much nobody ever does. But you cannot eliminate the risk of missing the cruise. All you can do is reduce the chances. And that's why nobody can give you any hard-edged advice about the two choices that you've put up. You're at risk of missing the cruise even if you book to fly two days or three days before your cruise; it's just a much smaller risk.

 

If you want to put this into some sort of perspective, here's a personal anecdote (although please don't mistake this for a scientific statistical study): I've got over 1,050 flights and 6,100 hours (ie somewhere around 3 million miles) in my flying log, which doesn't even start until I was aged 10. So far, I think that I've only once taken a 24-hour delay.

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If you are genuinely considering switching your flight to Orlando to originate from an airport further south than CVG

(at first reading I was thoroughly confused by the wording of the second poll option: how would flying to an airport further south than MCO make it less likely to experience weather delays?)

...maybe you really should just plan to drive to Florida. Cincinnati to Port Canaveral is about 16-17 hours if you go the speed of the traffic flow. So your theory that you could not make the drive if your 2 PM flight the day before is faulty--though if CVG is snowed in likely I-75 southbound would be as well. (Way back in the days of 55 MPH speed limit I made it from Cincinnati to Gainesville in 14 hours including stops).

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So, you are talking about a winter flight. Leaving a day early is usually sufficient protection but there are certainly exceptions...often because of awful winter weather. If you have travel insurance you do have some financial protection. If you want to add even more certainty you should have flown down even earlier...but the reality for most working folks is that its not a reasonable option.

 

Hank

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Em-so

I’m scratching my head trying to figure out why you stated 24 hour delays are “unusual on mainstream airlines” Amy airline can be subject to weather delays - mainstream or otherwise. The weather doesn’t play favorites.

 

As to the OP’s issue any delay is likely impact her more than a solo traveler because they will need multiple seats on an aircraft going to their destination. A few years ago we were taking my husbands son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter to Walt Disney World flying from IAD to MCO in early December. The flight was scheduled for 9AM on a Sunday. Due to weather the flight was canceled. Because we needed 5 seats we were not able to fly out until 10PM the following evening.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

On major US airlines on average 75-80% of flights arrive on time. An addition 2% are cancelled. The flights that are late are late by minutes at the extreme a few hours.

 

By the time its clear that a flight is going to be departing late, you have people asking the airline to move them onto other flights.

 

So yes there are major storms they make a mess of things and cause flights to be cancelled. There are people who are delayed. An airport operates 365 days a year. At the extreme you might have 5 days in the year impacted by a major storm. That is 1.3% chance.

 

From a probability perspective it is rare. But it does happen.

 

When a city is know to being in the path of a major store, most airlines respond by removing all change fees and letting people rebook at no cost. There is mitigation in place.

Edited by em-sk
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I'm most always on first fights out. Bigger problem pile up as the day goes on.

 

Is this a nonstop flight? Are there later flights? I suggest having at least 3 subsequent flights possible. Key with "mishaps". Have plan A,B,C, and D already known. Don't waste time and don't stand in line. Know the contact and have you flights, Record Locator, numbers known.

 

Be prepared for full flights and being placed on standby lists. And if cancellations, prepare to split up.

 

No one can predict the future, you'll have to decide the risk you want to take.

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Here's the thing about driving further south to begin at a different airport. Well actually there are 2 things.

 

1. While snow is less likely further south, when snow (or more likely, ice) do occur, those airports are far less equipped to deal with it.

2. Weather anywhere in the country can affect flights anywhere else in the country. Say you decide to drive south to Charlotte and book a flight from there. And then your aircraft is actually arriving in CLT from Philadelpha but there's a snowstorm in PHL and so now the PHL-CLT flight is delayed and in turn YOUR flight is delayed because the aircraft isn't there.

 

 

 

You've already done the smart thing, which is book travel the day before the cruise. Hopefully you are booked on a major airline with multiple flights each day, if not nonstop to your destination then at least multiple flights to multiple hubs each day.....as opposed to airlines like Spirt or Frontier or Allegiant that often have far more limited schedules, and thus far more limited rebooking options.

Next best thing you can do is sit back and relax, but as your travel date nears, watch the weather. If there is bad weather, your airline might issue a travel waiver that allows people to move their travel up or back by a day or two. Be prepared to fly out an extra day earlier if this happens.

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I would leave the 2pm flight the day before your cruise in place. You cannot mitigate all risks. You can move your flight to 2 days before so that you can alleviate your fears. If that flight is delayed/cancelled and the airline has to rebook you, with it being Christmas, you may run into issues.

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I understand your process lol - I had similar concerns and got lots of good advice on this 2 month-ish old thread here .

 

Some of the advice included that, if winter weather is going to be bad, you will likely have an inkling up to a week ahead and will have plenty of time to implement plan B, C, D, E or F as required - including driving all the way to the cruise. For big storms the airlines often waive change fees so you may have flexibility to switch to a different airport if that would help...

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If there is going to be weather the airline (which airline btw?...some are better than others) will likely let you change to previous day(s) at no charge.

 

If you do have issues do not wait in line with everyone else. Call immediately and walk to your airline's lounge and buy a day pass (like Sky Club for Delta which might be you airline since you are CIN). They will be way more helpful with shorter lines than regular customer service. Worst case have them fly you close and rent a car.

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If there is going to be weather the airline (which airline btw?...some are better than others) will likely let you change to previous day(s) at no charge.

 

Should go without saying, but just in case......

The above is true, pending available space on the prior day's flights. Keep in mind that if a weather waiver is issued, many people on your flight will also be trying to make alternate arrangements so it's best to be as flexible as possible!

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This is Delta. Direct flight from Cincinnati to Orlando. This is why I chose this flight so it would be "easier".

 

 

We are flying first class (doesn't know if that makes a difference when trying to re-book when something happens?)

 

 

There are 6 of us total-- one is a lap infant. The remaining 5 are 3 kids and 2 adults--- splitting up would be next to impossible.

 

 

Dont know if all those details matter! If all else fails, I could always just drive from my house if I see major problems arising before I get there. I can make it there in one day but its ROUGH with all those kids LOL

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We are flying first class (doesn't know if that makes a difference when trying to re-book when something happens?)

quote]

 

Yes, it could. There are fewer first class seats on an aircraft, and you would need 5 of them, and they'd need to be in a row that allows a lap infant. (My understanding is that not all rows can have an infant, as not all rows have an extra emergency oxygen mask). That could be more difficult to find on another flight at the last minute. So, there's a chance that to get where you're going you might end up with two choices: stay in first class but wait for a much later flight with available seats, (a flight that might not get you to the cruise in time) or fly coach on an earlier flight and get there sooner. The catch is that if you take the second option, it's considered a voluntary downgrade. It's considered voluntary, because you would willingly be giving up the option to wait it out to fly first class. And if it's voluntary, you may not get refunded the difference between the first class fare you paid and the coach fare you actually flew.

 

Now, all that said, there's still a much greater chance that you won't have any problems and it will all work out fine. But beware of that particular issue of booking first, especially for a larger group.

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At that point I wouldnt care WHAT kind of seats we got as long as we made our cruise on time.

 

 

 

For $1800, I can book a direct flight from Charlotte to Orlando. Its not first class but flight is only 1.5 hours. I am highly considering just bailing out of inital plan and just booking a whole new flight and taking my losses.

 

The original flight has $1500 in change fees THEN any fare difference. It makes the difference almost $3000...

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OP, I wouldn’t worry too much, like other have said. It really depends on the connection and you have a nonstop, so no worries. Delta is pretty solid. I fly them at least once a month.

 

Is your flight first thing in the morning or towards the end of the day? I’ve found the first flights typically get out okay in Cincy and CMH because the plane is already there. You’ll probably have to de-ice but that doesn’t take long.

 

 

In all my years of flying- both internationally and domestic, my worst flight delay was at CLT coming home from Montego Bay. We arrived at CLT 2 hrs late due to the prior plain in Montego had a passenger with a gun. We missed our connection at CLT and we were put on the next flight. That flight was delayed 6 hrs due to weather. We did make it home nearly 9 hours late, but we made it.

 

Everything will work out. You’ll get to Orlando!!

 

 

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One possibility for recovering the cost of your earlier flights if you have not already canceled them .There may well be schedule changes. If the changes are significant (see the airline’s fare rules) you can cancel without penalty.

 

 

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