who is responsible for our lousy seat assignments on American Airlines?

[hotrodcruiser]

Hello all,

 

We booked a Royal Caribbean Explorer trip in June for a sailing date of Dec 18th out of Miami to Grand Cayman and Costa Maya. We just got our package of goodies and our seat assignments on American Airlines have my family completely seperated. None of us are sitting together and were stuck in the middle seats. Royal Caribbean say it's not there fault and American Airlines say Royal Caribbean is responsible. Who should I be fighting with? Please advise!

[Baltorep]

I believe your best course of action since RCL and AA take no responsibilty is to get to the airport early and see what the gate agent can do. The best way to check availbilty of seats is to go to the AA website and enter your AA confirmation number in the previous reservation and go to check seats the the seat map comes up. You may even be able to change from there.

[CruisinMatt]

Where are you flying from?? :confused:

[kelmac]

Reason # 39 to book your own air. Seriously, since the cruise lines book air so late many times there are very few seats left. Check the website (American), as you can make changes.

 

Good Luck!

Kel

[jsmeeker]

Hello all,

 

We booked a Royal Caribbean Explorer trip in June for a sailing date of Dec 18th out of Miami to Grand Cayman and Costa Maya. We just got our package of goodies and our seat assignments on American Airlines have my family completely seperated. None of us are sitting together and were stuck in the middle seats. Royal Caribbean say it's not there fault and American Airlines say Royal Caribbean is responsible. Who should I be fighting with? Please advise!

 

 

could be no body's fault. Could be that those were the only seats available at the time of booking..

 

Do you have a record locator for the flight? Go to AA.om. Go to My reservations. Enter the locator. It should allow you to view your flight and select seats.

[LHT28]

Just go to AA website and change your seats or ask AA to make the changes. Explain that yor family is spread out over the plane.

If that fails as the purser once you are onboard if the they can switch you around.

[juliew]

Hello all,

 

We booked a Royal Caribbean Explorer trip in June for a sailing date of Dec 18th out of Miami to Grand Cayman and Costa Maya. We just got our package of goodies and our seat assignments on American Airlines have my family completely seperated. None of us are sitting together and were stuck in the middle seats. Royal Caribbean say it's not there fault and American Airlines say Royal Caribbean is responsible. Who should I be fighting with? Please advise!

 

Unfortunately, it's a very busy time to travel and when the cruise line does your air, you typically don't know the schedule until 30 days out. It's rare that the air department of the cruise line assigns seats, so then it's up to you (if you booked direct) or your travel agent to call and get seat assignments as soon as you know what the air schedule is. There are times that many of the plane's seats are under airport control, meaning that they cannot be preassigned until the date you arrive at the airport. It's really stinky, but unfortunately there isn't much you can do about it. It's even possible that if you had purchased air directly from the airline in June that the seats wouldn't have been available to assign.

 

Just get there early and request to be moved - there shouldn't be a problem with that.

[Lightsluvr]

Some folks sound like they haven't flown AA lately. Seat assignments go quickly. Folks who buy their tickets direct can go on-line with their locator number and change to any available seats. Obviously they get first shot at the best choices.

Unless things have changed since September, those who book via RCI have to make their changes at the airport. If RCIprovides a locator number with your docs, you can try to change online (as correctly outlined above by jsmeeker), but do not be surprised if you receive a message directing you to check in at the gate. I have had it happen both ways.

 

Just our experience...

 

LL

[DanJ]

Why not pick up the phone and call them? Give them your name (even if you don't have the confirmation number), and tell them you have family all over the place on the plane. Maybe you'll get a jerk on the phone to tell you they can't do anything, and maybe you'll get a nice agent who will look after it. Just call them and be nice, you have nothing to lose.

[nho9504]

If you can find your locator, then you can do as explained above, pull up your itinerary on AA.Com and see seat assignments and see if you can still move around. Chances are, for a flight on Dec 18, not much is still left.

 

Call AA, be very nice and dont raise hell as it is none of their fault. Just explain to them your family is all scattered around, and if you have children travelling with you, tell that to the agent as well. He/She can try to move some seat assignments around if it is possible and accommodate you. They dont have to, as they would have to move other pessangers already have their seat assignments. But they would try to find singles who can be moved etc. Dont expect they move others window/isle to exchange your middle though. Just ask if they could put your family back together, or at least at nearby seats.

[greatam]

Another reason NOT to book cruise air. Passengers get the leftovers, and if that means middle seats all over the plane, it's what was available. Cruiselines will take NO responsibility for lousy flights or seating.

 

Your TA should have been on the ball and immediately switched the seats, as they generally get notice about seating, cabin assignments, etc. before you do. If you booked directly with RCCL, you will have to take it up with their air department.

 

A phone call to AA may work. Be VERY nice. If there are any seats available, they may be able to switch some or all of you. But don't hold your breath. You are traveling at a VERY busy time of the year.

 

This is a lesson learned-cruise air is not only generally more expensive, it is very inconvenient.

[nho9504]

Internationally, especially if it involves open jaw to Europe, Cruiselines usually get fares a lot less than you can do it yourself.

 

Just to clarify that it depends on when not to, and to use cruiseair.

[greatam]

Internationally, especially if it involves open jaw to Europe, Cruiselines usually get fares a lot less than you can do it yourself.

 

Just to clarify that it depends on when not to, and to use cruiseair.

 

 

This is not correct. OCCASIONALLY, the cruise line will have better prices on open jaws to Europe. But not usually. If you know the tricks to booking open jaws and use the proper search engines, you can usually book ANY airfare cheaper than you pay the cruiseline.

[jsmeeker]

what's the flight number and the date you are flying?

[Juliadlf]

This is not correct. OCCASIONALLY, the cruise line will have better prices on open jaws to Europe. But not usually. If you know the tricks to booking open jaws and use the proper search engines, you can usually book ANY airfare cheaper than you pay the cruiseline.

 

Please share what the tricks are to booking open jaws in Europe.

Thanks

[setsail]

Same old problem. That is why in the Rccl book or on their site it tells you to pay a small additional fee if you want certain flights or seats, if not you get what you get. The reason neither take responsibility is because the cruise line DOES NOT do the air bookings. It is all done thru a third party travel agency, they used to use a ta called Sabre. That is also why the cruise line cannot give you you seats and flights way ahead of time.

[almitra]

I booked thru NCL--they arranged air. I got the info from our TA by calling for the flights as soon as they said they'd be ready................I didn't like the seats either, so I changed them online at the website and by phone (to the airlines, not NCL or my TA). No problemo & we sail Dec 17th.

[setsail]

No problem as long as the web site is up to date when you changed the seats(the sites dont always show the latest info) and the flight is not overbooked .

[greatam]

Please share what the tricks are to booking open jaws in Europe.

Thanks

 

Where do you need to go? Different ports require different ideas, ie Spain vs UK ports. Booking European open jaws at decent prices requires some work, so please be prepared to put in the time.

[hotrodcruiser]

Thanks everyone for responding to my request. We will be on a domestic flight from Omaha, Ne. Going to the American Airlines website, we have noticed some of the seat open up for some reason. We are in contact with our TA so that they can reserve at least two seats together. Hopefully everything will fall into place and we can enjoy our cruise as planned. Thanks again!:) :D

[sandikai]

We booked our own flight through Expedia. Since then our flight itinerary has changed three times.

 

Our departing flight is with AA from Detroit to San Juan. When we booked it we were arriving in San Juan at 2 pm the day before our cruise, giving us time to enjoy our stay at the San Juan Marriot Resort. American delayed our departure from Detroit by 16 minutes, arriving in Miami at 10:30, too late to make the 11:00 flight to San Juan, now having to wait 3 hours for the next one, arriving in San Juan after 5 pm.

 

Our returning flight is with US Airways, which has been changed twice.

 

All the changes occurred within the first month of booking our flight and we still have two months to go.

 

Sandi

 

Golden 1/28/06

Star 1/05

Grand 1/04

[nho9504]

This is not correct. OCCASIONALLY, the cruise line will have better prices on open jaws to Europe. But not usually. If you know the tricks to booking open jaws and use the proper search engines, you can usually book ANY airfare cheaper than you pay the cruiseline.

 

I refer to the normal bookings, by general travellers, excluding using low cost carriers to "bridge" the jaw, etc.

 

For an experienced traveller like you, it would be a great help for others to post your "tricks" so everyone can learn.

[nho9504]

Where do you need to go? Different ports require different ideas, ie Spain vs UK ports. Booking European open jaws at decent prices requires some work, so please be prepared to put in the time.

 

or Med Ports in general ?

 

Only need the principles / sites in general. Much thanks.

[greatam]

I refer to the normal bookings, by general travellers, excluding using low cost carriers to "bridge" the jaw, etc.

 

For an experienced traveller like you, it would be a great help for others to post your "tricks" so everyone can learn.

 

Cruise air is based on

[greatam]

I refer to the normal bookings, by general travellers, excluding using low cost carriers to "bridge" the jaw, etc.

 

For an experienced traveller like you, it would be a great help for others to post your "tricks" so everyone can learn.

 

Give me some dates and some from and to places. There are just too many variables in finding decent fares.

 

Example: I am booked on the QE2 Jan 3 transatlantic. Cunard/BA wanted $1765.00pp PHX/London, one way, business class only across the pond. PHX/NYC and FLL/PHX was coach. A combination of America West to NYC and AA across the pond resulted in an RT fare, in business class (first on the America West flights) of $2643.00. And I booked the return for December 3, 2006. I know I will be in Europe before next December, just don't know when. Will pay a $100.00 change fee, but saving almost $1000.00pp on the initial flights was definitely worth it to me. Sure, it's two tickets and I have to change terminals at JFK. Worth a 1000.00pp bucks to me. My time is valuable, but not THAT valuable. You may not be able to use the return, but there are more ways to find decent fares, that almost always beat the cruiseline air, than there are fares.

 

Yes, I not only fly more than 100,000 miles per year, but I own a global logistics management company. I have to know what is going on every day. Not easy for the average traveller. But my help is available to all.

 

And why are you opposed to a 2 ticket scheme? Not using a European LCC, but BA or Lufthansa. You have to go through customs some place, might as well be in London, Dublin or Munich, which are generally MUCH cheaper than flying direct to BCN or VCE. I can pay a lot of porters to schlep luggage for what you save doing 2 tickets. That is just one way to save some money. There are soooo many variables, including TRUE open jaws, you have to be more specific. Not all theories work for all places. But booking as soon as flights are available is one way EVERYONE can save money.

 

Now what do you want specifically???