Problem with E Z Air to Alaska 9-2

[deborahjo]

WE booked our air thru Princess. Was emailed that there was a change with our flights. Checked to find out our flight to Vancouver was changed. We were suppose to arrive in Vancouver at 11:45 am. That was fine. Now it is 12:15. OK I can live with that.

 

Got another email about another change with our flight. We were to leave Anchorage, doing a Northern from Vancouver to Whitter and flying home from Anchorage, at 4:20pm. Now it was pushed back to 5:15. Still arriving back in Sioux Falls the next day at 10:30 am.

 

Got another email yesterday that our flights had been changed again. Now we are not leaving til 6:30pm. GGGRRRRRRRR. But still getting home at the same time.

 

I called Princess yesterday. Ask them why my flights are changing. This made me angry. The lady said the first flight home was in demand, 4:20, so the price was raised. Since I am locked in at $633.41 they moved me to a flight with that price. That is not fair. I booked that flight at that price. Just because they raised the price they should not be allowed to move me. Not once but twice.

 

Princess did not care when I called. She just told me I could pay $1134 per person if I wanted to go back to the flight I booked. I explained to her my feelings and all she said was I did not have to book my flights with them.

 

What bothers me is I have til September. How many more times are they going to change my airfare?

[fishywood]

What bothers me is I have til September. How many more times are they going to change my airfare?

 

Princess will not actually purchase the airline tickets until after final payment date. You actual flights could continue to change until then. Have you checked on the fare if booking your preferred flights directly from the carrier? If less, cancel EZ Air and buy (and pay for) those flights. If more, its up to you whether the savings is worth not knowing your exact flight itinerary until July. (From the tone of your post, I take it that's a "no").

 

But it seems the latest change has you leaving Anchorage later but arriving home at the same time. Thus a reduction in layover time at the intermediate airport. Call me crazy but that sounds like a good thing. And there may be a disembarkation day tour available for you to take.

[rdsqrl]

. . .

But it seems the latest change has you leaving Anchorage later but arriving home at the same time. Thus a reduction in layover time at the intermediate airport. Call me crazy but that sounds like a good thing. And there may be a disembarkation day tour available for you to take.

Call me crazy, but that sounds like a potential bad thing. I'd check carefully to make sure that your connecting time hasn't been shaved too thin. Call me crazier, but I'd much rather relax at the airport with my book due to a long connection than fret over delays on leg #1, race frantically to the next gate, and then land without luggage which didn't make the changeover in time.

[Pam in CA]

I called Princess yesterday. Ask them why my flights are changing. This made me angry. The lady said the first flight home was in demand, 4:20, so the price was raised. Since I am locked in at $633.41 they moved me to a flight with that price. That is not fair. I booked that flight at that price. Just because they raised the price they should not be allowed to move me. Not once but twice.

 

Princess did not care when I called. She just told me I could pay $1134 per person if I wanted to go back to the flight I booked. I explained to her my feelings and all she said was I did not have to book my flights with them.

Princess didn't change the airfare, the airline did. They also changed the flight times. Princess has no control over airline flight times. You booked a flight guaranteed at a specific fare. That hasn't changed. You're still getting what you booked and at the price you agreed to. It's your choice whether to accept the schedule change or pay extra for the schedule you want. Of course, you could always book your own flight and have control over your booking. Edited February 2, 2015 by Pam in CA

[deborahjo]

Princess didn't change the airfare, the airline did. They also changed the flight times. Princess has no control over airline flight times. You booked a flight guaranteed at a specific fare. That hasn't changed. You're still getting what you booked and at the price you agreed to. It's your choice whether to accept the schedule change or pay extra for the schedule you want. Of course, you could always book your own flight and have control over your booking.

 

No I booked a specific timed flight for a specific amount of money. But because it has become a flight in demand they have raised the price. So they changed my flight because they can get more money. Have never had that happen when booking my flights before. Once it is booked it is booked.

[rdsqrl]

No I booked a specific timed flight for a specific amount of money. But because it has become a flight in demand they have raised the price. So they changed my flight because they can get more money. Have never had that happen when booking my flights before. Once it is booked it is booked.

You haven't made it clear whether your schedule change came from the airline itself or if it's just Princess moving you. In other words, do your original flights still exist? If not, then it's no more or less a regular schedule change -- the airlines make schedule changes all the time.

 

If your original flights do still exist, then you have now experienced why many seasoned flyers would never buy airfare through the cruiseline. You're buying a consolidator ticket which gives you virtually no protection in case of flight irregularities, starting with the basics, like which flight you're on. And it's not necessarily any cheaper. As you see.

[Pam in CA]

No I booked a specific timed flight for a specific amount of money. But because it has become a flight in demand they have raised the price. So they changed my flight because they can get more money. Have never had that happen when booking my flights before. Once it is booked it is booked.

Did you pre-pay for your air and receive a booking # and seat assignments? If you did, then you have a right to be upset. Even then, airlines change flight schedules and fares all the time. If you added EZAir to your booking and plan to pay at final payment for your cruise, you are part of a consolidator group. Princess is just acting as the agent for the consolidator. Edited February 2, 2015 by Pam in CA

[latebloomer56]

Now I'm back to being nervous with EZAir in May. It has been several years since we used the old princess air because it was so user UNfriendly. We are going direct on the

Boston to London flight thinking the worst they could do is give us the last seats on the plane again with no overhead space again, but they couldn't send us all over creation to get to London. Hope I don't have issues final payment is in 21 days. Think I will start looking again.

[caribill]

No I booked a specific timed flight for a specific amount of money. But because it has become a flight in demand they have raised the price. So they changed my flight because they can get more money. Have never had that happen when booking my flights before. Once it is booked it is booked.

 

When I used EZAir with the flexible fare option I was told that I did not have to pay until final payment time, but the only way to lock in the price and thus the flights was to make my final payment (including airfare) at the time I booked the air.

 

It looks like this information had not been passed on to you.

 

Princess changed your flight because the airline (not Princess) wanted more money for it.

 

The flex fare is not guaranteed until paid and Princess assumed you would rather keep the fare and not the flights. I suspect if you had paid in full, this would not have happened.

 

Still, you are understandably upset.

[greenie082756]

I have been studying this difference in scheduling airfare with EZair. There are two types: Flexible and Restrictive.

 

Flexible is exactly that and full payment not due until final cruise payment date. That could be good or bad.

 

Restrictive - payment is required at time of booking. Restrictive fare is also less costly. That locks your price in but also locks you in to that flight unless you want to pay a fee to make changes.

 

We have done this once before and the only issue I saw was that there were changes in times of departure that I had to keep an eye on but that's okay I do that anyways. :D

 

Now I saw what I wanted to schedule but don't know how soon I need or should do it to lock it in. We are about 6 months out..

[CantanaLobo]

Bear in mind that even if you brought a ticket directly from the airlines, the airline reserves the right to change the schedule, equipment, or even cancel the flight. If you're lucky, they might deign to notify you before you try to check in.

 

Using EZAir lets someone in addition to the airlines mess with you.

[compozer]

 

Restrictive - payment is required at time of booking.

 

Restrictive fare is also less costly.

 

 

No they aren't.

 

 

I have three international flights booked with EZAir. Never have used them before. The restrictive rates were much more - over 2 1/2 times more - which really does not seem right but it is that way on all of mine. I booked 1st class and thought that might be why so I checked economy and they were the same - much more than the flexible ones

[deborahjo]

Have not paid for flights yet. We have actually found much cheaper air thru Southwest. They fly from Omaha to Seattle. Then from Seattle to Omaha.

 

We have to find airfare from Anchorage to Seattle for trip home. Just looking around this is saving us anywhere from $200 to $300. That is even with the Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver and a hotel room added.

[RickEk]

When I used EZAir with the flexible fare option I was told that I did not have to pay until final payment time, but the only way to lock in the price and thus the flights was to make my final payment (including airfare) at the time I booked the air.

 

It looks like this information had not been passed on to you.

 

Princess changed your flight because the airline (not Princess) wanted more money for it.

 

The flex fare is not guaranteed until paid and Princess assumed you would rather keep the fare and not the flights. I suspect if you had paid in full, this would not have happened.

 

Still, you are understandably upset.

 

This is not true anymore. They changed the Flexible program in July 2013. You don't have to pay in full at the time of booking to lock in the price. They guarantee that the price quoted is the price you'll pay at final payment for Flexible fares.

[satxdiver]

We have used this service one time for our cruise out of Chile. I had checked many times for a good price as most were rather high. I checked both commercial airlines and Princess. One day when checking I found a fantastic price from Princess that was a little over half what I had been seeing so I bought it paying for it at the time to lock it in. Luckily the price never appeared again so we got the savings. If you buy the ticket at the time of booking, you own it forever with penalties if you decide to cancel and not recourse on refunds if the price drops. There are good points and bad points in paying at the time or using the pay later plan.

 

Moral: always read the small print and never assume anything!

Edited February 21, 2015 by satxdiver

[caribill]

This is not true anymore. They changed the Flexible program in July 2013. You don't have to pay in full at the time of booking to lock in the price. They guarantee that the price quoted is the price you'll pay at final payment for Flexible fares.

 

It seems the tradeoff for not paying in full when booked is that Princess may change the flights to be able to keep that booked fare.

 

That is what happened to the OP.

[deborahjo]

It seems the tradeoff for not paying in full when booked is that Princess may change the flights to be able to keep that booked fare.

 

That is what happened to the OP.

 

You are right. We thought it might be easier just using EZ Airfare and maybe it is for some people but not sure for us.

[billco]

It seems the tradeoff for not paying in full when booked is that Princess may change the flights to be able to keep that booked fare.

 

That is what happened to the OP.

On the other hand, I can change my flight up to 45 days before flight departure without incurring any change fees, if I find a better flight or fare. Princess has always refunded the difference when I found a lower fare after final payment and before the 45 day cutoff. Edited February 21, 2015 by billco

[greenie082756]

 

Restrictive - payment is required at time of booking.

 

Restrictive fare is also less costly.

 

 

No they aren't.

 

 

I have three international flights booked with EZAir. Never have used them before. The restrictive rates were much more - over 2 1/2 times more - which really does not seem right but it is that way on all of mine. I booked 1st class and thought that might be why so I checked economy and they were the same - much more than the flexible ones

 

Princess has restrictive and flexible fares. The ones I was looking at was from Phoenix, AZ to San Francisco round trip. The Flexible fares (on the left side) were appx. $100 more per person over the Restrictive fares (on the right side). I just purchased through EZ Air the restrictive fare which had to be paid immediately. In my scenario, restrictive was less costly.

 

From Princess website:

 

Flexible fares:

Flexible fares are designed for those guests who have less certainty in their travel plans and want the freedom to cancel their flight arrangements easily. These fares are typically higher than Restricted fares, but include the following added benefits:

•Air payment is due on the date of the final cruise payment ? not at the time of air booking.

•Air charges are fully refundable until 45 days prior to departure.

 

Restricted fares:

Our Restricted fares will typically be lower than our Flexible fares, with the following terms:

•Air charges are non-refundable (e.g. no cash back).

•Payment is due immediately upon time of air booking.