Think twice before flying with US Airways

[Cuizer2]

Cruise air, whether you are a fan or not, had nothing to do with these people's problems.

 

Cruise air had everything to do with this. Why do you think there are dozens of fare codes and only three classes of seats? The fare code is listed on the ticket. A gate agent that looks at this all the time would have the rules for fare codes memorized.

[cherylandtk]

Mpillen,

I want to assure you that I do not intend any sort of 'you should have known this or done that' towards you. You have learned a hard enough lesson about consolidator tix and flying the day of the cruise (cruise air) without piling on more.

 

As you can tell from the discussion on this thread, while it appears you actually did have the option to fly to Bahamas or St.Thomas, the rules on travel documents are not always well understood even by the travel-supplying airlines and cruise lines. Sometimes just having the passport is far easier than trying to educate an ill-informed gate agent who has no expertise in unusual situations. I wish you the best, and do pursue the air refund from US Air, you may be able to use the passport card rules in your favor.

[mpillen]

Thank you! :)

 

Mpillen,

I want to assure you that I do not intend any sort of 'you should have known this or done that' towards you. You have learned a hard enough lesson about consolidator tix and flying the day of the cruise (cruise air) without piling on more.

 

As you can tell from the discussion on this thread, while it appears you actually did have the option to fly to Bahamas or St.Thomas, the rules on travel documents are not always well understood even by the travel-supplying airlines and cruise lines. Sometimes just having the passport is far easier than trying to educate an ill-informed gate agent who has no expertise in unusual situations. I wish you the best, and do pursue the air refund from US Air, you may be able to use the passport card rules in your favor.

[alidor]

Fare codes memorized??? Please....

 

One day, the lowest fare might be in Q class with a 10 day advance purchase; the next day the lowest fare could be in S class, with a 7 day advance purchase; three days later, it could be in L class, with no advance purchase. Maybe a cruise fare issued on March 3, for example, needed to be confirmed in T class and the next day, the cruise fare was to be issued in Z class. Do you really think a gate agent can remember what the particular rules were on a particular day when that particular ticket was issued?

 

There are generalities, for sure, but to think a gate agent is going to check what the rules were that particular day the ticket was ISSUED, not when actually flown, is silly.

[ptcruzers]

Some good planning for your trip would have included applying for and receiving your PASSPORT on time, arriving in your embarkation port city ONE DAY AHEAD OF SAILING, and using some good old COMMON SENSE!!!!:D:D:D:D:D

[mpillen]

Thank you, I will be doing all of those things before my next cruise. :p

 

Some good planning for your trip would have included applying for and receiving your PASSPORT on time, arriving in your embarkation port city ONE DAY AHEAD OF SAILING, and using some good old COMMON SENSE!!!!:D:D:D:D:D

[Got2Cruise]

Anyone who cruise out of the northeast during the winter knows that booking a flight to arrive a day ahead won't necessarily help you. If there is a snowstorm, everything gets out of whack for days. And, theoretically, if you booked to leave the day before and that flight was cancelled, the pax on the scheduled flights the day of get to leave on time, while you are left at the airport. It doesn't always work out to leave the day before. It is a risk anytime you fly. IMO it is insulting to say the OP didn't use common sense. She did nothing wrong. Unfortunately she experienced the "perfect storm".

 

Some good planning for your trip would have included applying for and receiving your PASSPORT on time, arriving in your embarkation port city ONE DAY AHEAD OF SAILING, and using some good old COMMON SENSE!!!!:D:D:D:D:D

[CruiserBruce]

Fare codes memorized??? Please....

 

One day, the lowest fare might be in Q class with a 10 day advance purchase; the next day the lowest fare could be in S class, with a 7 day advance purchase; three days later, it could be in L class, with no advance purchase. Maybe a cruise fare issued on March 3, for example, needed to be confirmed in T class and the next day, the cruise fare was to be issued in Z class. Do you really think a gate agent can remember what the particular rules were on a particular day when that particular ticket was issued?

 

There are generalities, for sure, but to think a gate agent is going to check what the rules were that particular day the ticket was ISSUED, not when actually flown, is silly.

 

It would seem to me that perhaps the computer software being used alerts the employee to fare status, restrictions, and may even forbid certain actions to be taken on certain classes of ticket by an employee.

[Lookingforfacts]

Regular posters on this board don't like cruise air, in part because the consolidator tickets frequently booked can't be endorsed over to another airline. The point has some validity BUT

 

Many people cruising out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale book airlines like Southwest, Jet Blue, Allegiant, Spirit etc. Those airlines will almost never accommodate you on another airline. Further a passenger flying with a legacy airline will rarely be accommodated on Southwest or JetBlue.

 

There is no substitute to allowing enough extra time to accommodate some issues.. Suppose the OPs flight had posted delays followed by a cancellation, too late to take another red eye? Is there any flight the next morning that would have allowed the OP to get to Lauderdale in time for the cruise?

[greatam]

There is no substitute to allowing enough extra time to accommodate some issues.. Suppose the OPs flight had posted delays followed by a cancellation, too late to take another red eye? Is there any flight the next morning that would have allowed the OP to get to Lauderdale in time for the cruise?

 

Would have been very tight but AA has a nonstop-LAX/MIA at 6AM. Arrival MIA at 2AM.

 

If they missed the ship in Florida, they would have had a much better chance getting to the Bahamas out of Florida than where they were. Ferry or one of the many private planes out of Florida that fly to the Bahamas daily.

[Cuizer2]

Would have been very tight but AA has a nonstop-LAX/MIA at 6AM. Arrival MIA at 2AM.

 

What good would that do the OP. The OP boarded the flight and flew to Omaha. A flight leaving out of LAX at 6:00am while the OP is in Omaha is not of much use to the OP.

[greatam]

What good would that do the OP. The OP boarded the flight and flew to Omaha. A flight leaving out of LAX at 6:00am while the OP is in Omaha is not of much use to the OP.

 

 

I was replying to Lookingforfacts who posed a hypothetical question. Had nothing to do with the flight into Omaha unless I misunderstood Lookingforfacts' post.

[greatam]

It would seem to me that perhaps the computer software being used alerts the employee to fare status, restrictions, and may even forbid certain actions to be taken on certain classes of ticket by an employee.

 

It is not JUST the letter. It is the numbers and letters AFTER the first letter that denote the fare rules. And yes, those fare rules are in agents' computers, readily accessible. On occasion, when agents DON'T find the fare rules, they automatically know the ticket they are looking at is a bulk buy, non published fare, consolidator ticket that is only good on their airline and non-reroutable.

 

Just from an AA perspective, there are 5 DIFFERENT sets of fare rules in O class and 3 DIFFERENT sets of fare rules in Q class. Some consolidator tickets, some not eligible for ANY mileage accrual, some not eligible for mileage accrual from North America to Latin America, some just heavily discounted published fare tickets.

 

You REALLY need to read the ENTIRE fare rules to find out what you are actually buying and what your rights are in a glitch. That option is not available with Choice Air, cruise line issued tickets nor with most of the common consolidators-BT Travel Store, Best Fares, Cheapo Air, Vayama, etc. etc.

[Lookingforfacts]

I was replying to Lookingforfacts who posed a hypothetical question. Had nothing to do with the flight into Omaha unless I misunderstood Lookingforfacts' post.

 

You understood my post.

 

Your flight, assuming it was available and landed ontime, would give the OP about 90 minutes to get over to baggage claim, grab their bags and taxi over to the Port in Lauderdale. Only about 60 minutes if the ship sails from the Port of Miami My guess is the passenger, at best, would have a choice between waiting for their luggage or making the ship.

 

My point is an endorsable ticket might not have done any good if the original flight was cancelled too late to catch another "red eye" I'm not even sure if it would have helped leaving Omaha. I'm assuming "elite" fliers and passengers in first class would have been accommodated first.

 

Posters on CC suggest flying in a day or two before your cruise. I understand most passengers fly the day of their cruise.

 

I might consider flying the day of the cruise if I was flying from NYC to MIA/FLL. Many airlines and alternate flights to book. I don't think I'd ever be in a situation where if my flight was cancelled at the last minute I'd probably miss the cruise.

 

Doesn't sound like US Airways did much wrong. Should have had better information regarding passports but not really their job.

[mpillen]

After reading all of the posts here about if you can in fact fly to Nassau, we decided to contact the Department of State. When we told our story she wanted to know what airline issued us boarding passes on a flight to Nassau. You absolutely cannot fly without a passport. While Nassau does not require a passport the United States does require it.

[6rugrats]

After reading all of the posts here about if you can in fact fly to Nassau, we decided to contact the Department of State. When we told our story she wanted to know what airline issued us boarding passes on a flight to Nassau. You absolutely cannot fly without a passport. While Nassau does not require a passport the United States does require it.

 

True, and this has already been discussed. Despite some comments made, the US would require you to have a passport for re-entry if you flew, no matter how you returned. US airlines was correct to deny boarding.

[greatam]

You understood my post.

 

Your flight, assuming it was available and landed ontime, would give the OP about 90 minutes to get over to baggage claim, grab their bags and taxi over to the Port in Lauderdale. Only about 60 minutes if the ship sails from the Port of Miami My guess is the passenger, at best, would have a choice between waiting for their luggage or making the ship.

 

I pointed out that it was VERY tight. AA used to have a 5AM departure from LAX to MIA. That flight was taken off the schedule last fall.

 

As I also pointed out, getting to Florida from LAX on the first flight of the day left them MUCH closer to their cruise ship than that red eye connecting flight through PHL.

 

As cherylandtk pointed out, there is the ferry to Nassau which doesn't require a passport. I also know there are PRIVATE/CHARTER planes making frequent flights to the Bahamas and a one way flight on a non scheduled airline would NOT incur the same passport oversight. This scenario is up for debate and could have caused problems without the passports on the ship and re-entering the USA.

 

My point is an endorsable ticket might not have done any good if the original flight was cancelled too late to catch another "red eye" I'm not even sure if it would have helped leaving Omaha. I'm assuming "elite" fliers and passengers in first class would have been accommodated first.

 

 

The endorsable feature DID help out of Omaha. The Flyertalk thread states that passengers on PUBLISHED fare tickets were re-accommodated on other airlines (one instance specifically mentions someone's friend being placed on a Delta flight). Others were re-routed on US flights. The OP had neither opportunity due to the nature of her tickets. No rerouting of the original ticket and non endorsable. That is why they were put at the "end of the line" and told to wait. After everyone else was accommodated, they finally got their turn. They HAD to fly into PHL due to the nature of their tickets. US could have made an exception to the re-routing rule but I am sure most of the flights out of Omaha were full, full, full. With the bottom of the barrel cruise air tickets, these poor people were truly at the bottom of the barrel.

[6rugrats]

As cherylandtk pointed out, there is the ferry to Nassau which doesn't require a passport.

I'm not sure why ferry service is continually mentioned. There currently is no ferry service between Florida and Nassau. This was never an option for OP.

[mpillen]

This is just a thought. If my tickets were in fact, not able to be transferred, why did they issue me tickets to Nassau at no cost? :confused:

[Lookingforfacts]

I didn't realize those passengers were also going to the Miami area for a cruise. I also didn't realize the number of flights from Omaha that would get to Lauderdale in time for the cruise.

 

Paying for a new flight, and hoping to get some of the money back form travel insurance, would have been the best available alternative.

 

There is conflicting information regarding ferry service between S Florida and Bahamas.

 

You mentioned private air charter. At some point people just "cut their losses". Spend $$$ to save part of a cruise might not be worth it.

 

People wrongly believe the cruise lines have people standing by ready to assist passengers in changing their tickets so they can make their cruise.

 

I can sort of understand people using cruise air for hard to book flights such a one way air after a repositioning cruise but is it that hard to book flights from any part of the United States to MIA/FLL?

 

 

The endorsable feature DID help out of Omaha. The Flyertalk thread states that passengers on PUBLISHED fare tickets were re-accommodated on other airlines (one instance specifically mentions someone's friend being placed on a Delta flight). Others were re-routed on US flights. The OP had neither opportunity due to the nature of her tickets. No rerouting of the original ticket and non endorsable. That is why they were put at the "end of the line" and told to wait. After everyone else was accommodated, they finally got their turn. They HAD to fly into PHL due to the nature of their tickets. US could have made an exception to the re-routing rule but I am sure most of the flights out of Omaha were full, full, full. With the bottom of the barrel cruise air tickets, these poor people were truly at the bottom of the barrel.

[sapete]

Fare codes memorized??? Please....

 

One day, the lowest fare might be in Q class with a 10 day advance purchase; the next day the lowest fare could be in S class, with a 7 day advance purchase; three days later, it could be in L class, with no advance purchase. Maybe a cruise fare issued on March 3, for example, needed to be confirmed in T class and the next day, the cruise fare was to be issued in Z class. Do you really think a gate agent can remember what the particular rules were on a particular day when that particular ticket was issued?

 

There are generalities, for sure, but to think a gate agent is going to check what the rules were that particular day the ticket was ISSUED, not when actually flown, is silly.

 

So true!

[greatam]

I'm not sure why ferry service is continually mentioned. There currently is no ferry service between Florida and Nassau. This was never an option for OP.

 

There are two of them-high speed cat out of Palm Beach and the cruise ship/ferry gambling ship. May not have been an option depending on timing but they are there.

[greatam]

I didn't realize those passengers were also going to the Miami area for a cruise. I also didn't realize the number of flights from Omaha that would get to Lauderdale in time for the cruise.

 

Paying for a new flight, and hoping to get some of the money back form travel insurance, would have been the best available alternative.

 

They had RCCL insurance. Who knows whether this solution would have been covered???

 

There is conflicting information regarding ferry service between S Florida and Bahamas.

 

There are two that I know of-one out of Palm Beach and the cruise ship/ferry that has the gambling cruises.

 

You mentioned private air charter. At some point people just "cut their losses". Spend $$$ to save part of a cruise might not be worth it.

 

The charters that run out of Florida to the Bahamas are not particularly expensive. The Yellow Taxi runs about $150pp RT.

 

AND if you don't make an effort to catch up with the cruise, most of the time your insurance claim can or will be denied or delayed.

 

In one of these many posts or on the post the OP made on Flyertalk, it was mentioned something about $10,000. NOT a cheap cruise.

 

People wrongly believe the cruise lines have people standing by ready to assist passengers in changing their tickets so they can make their cruise.

 

I can sort of understand people using cruise air for hard to book flights such a one way air after a repositioning cruise but is it that hard to book flights from any part of the United States to MIA/FLL?

 

SOOOOO many people have NO IDEA. They truly believe the cruise lines are there to assist them and solve all problems when they book a cruise air package or air through the cruise line (Choice Air/EZ Air). As proven by the OP's story, you are essentially left to fend for yourself. 500+ people on the Star Princess "earthquake" cruise were also left to fend for themselves.

[6rugrats]

There are two that I know of-one out of Palm Beach and the cruise ship/ferry that has the gambling cruises.

 

Yes, there is a two day cruise from Palm Beach, that leaves every other day at 5:30 p.m., and arrives on Grand Bahama Island the next day at 8:00 a.m. No idea if OP would have been able to use this, but she didn't know about it, and never made it to Palm Beach, so it's a moot point.

 

But there is NO current ferry service from Florida to Nassau. In the past, there was service on HMS Bahamas Florida Express, but this is out-of-business, and I believe only lasted about a year. From a corporation search in the state of Florida -Hms-Bahamas Florida Express, Inc. was incorporated on Wednesday, September 24, 2003 in the State of FL and is currently not active.

 

http://www.sunbiz.org/scripts/cordet.exe?action=DETFIL&inq_doc_number=F03000004873&inq_came_from=NAMFWD&cor_web_names_seq_number=0000&names_name_ind=N&names_cor_number=&names_name_seq=&names_name_ind=&names_comp_name=HMSBAHAMASFLORIDAEXPRESS&names_filing_type=

 

And, there was service between Palm Beach and the Bahamas for about six months, but the ship is now for sale:

http://www.cloudx.com/sale.php

 

http://www.cloudx.com/reservations.php

[6rugrats]

Sorry, forgot to add, are you talking about a Discovery cruise that leaves from Ft. Lauderdale?