EZ Air Qustion

[radman75]

We have read several reviews on how great Princess EZ Air is when traveling overseas (US to Europe). It is true, they have great prices compared to booking directly through the airlines. However, we have ran across a problem and I'm trying to figure out how to rectify it.

 

Our cruise is still seven months away and has not been paid in full. Our outbound flight was changed approximately two weeks after we booked it. I first called Delta and was told since the tickets were not paid, I would have to deal with Princess. I then called Princess who said the airline changed the flights and times and there was nothing they could do. The problem I have is, the original flight we booked is still there with the same times and flight numbers.

 

Jump forward to today. We were notified that our outgoing flight has now been changed. As with our first flight, the original flight is still being sold with the same times and flight numbers.

 

In both cases, we were changed to worse departure times, longer layovers, and connections in airports we rather avoid. On our flight home, we could not even sit our family of four together. I realize if flight times are changed or cancelled, we must adjust. I'm wondering why both flights have been changed when the original flights are still there?

 

I have looked at changing the flights, but they are currently $700 more than what I paid. Any advise on how to deal with this would be much appreciated.

[land lover]

Frustrating for sure...

Is Delta operating all the flights or is there another carrier involved?

[firecrewcapt]

I feel your pain. Couple years ago the night before arriving in Ft. Lauderdale I went to print my boarding pass, Delta had no record of our reservation, contacted Delta direct who in turn referred me back to Princess who referred me back to Delta and again vice versa cat and mouse game with both companies. Disembarkation day we were contacted by Delta direct and had seats for our flight only problem I was in Premium Economy and DW was in the back in economy, I gave up my seat to the person who had the seat next her and she almost declined it, that was the only time we had a problem with EZ Air.

[moki'smommy]

We had a similar issue--due to her mobility problem, my daughter has certain on line seating issues. Delta would not deal with them in any way. We had to sign a form to get Princess to pay for the flights at that time, which moved them out of the flex column. Fortunately, our prices had not changed.

 

Delta wouldn't address anything until they had been paid. Prior to that, it was between us and Princess.

[Kineticoh20]

Funny you posted this! As I was just notified by Delta that my upcoming flights in 60 days have changed and not in my favor. I get to Florida later and get home later and they even threw in a 4.5 hr layover in ATL. I too called Delta and was told same thing as you. I was on hold with Princess for 45 min and that wasn’t fruitful. They claim they only have access to very few flights even though Delta could give me better flights. The worst thing is I paid $2500 for my 2 carefully chosen first class planes and seats. This will be my first and last time using ezair.

[Desert Cruizers]

I have never used EZ Air as I don't cruise Princess regularly , mainly RCCL. I book my 1 way flights to the embarkation Port and check flights regularly. I have never had to go back & forth between the Air 2 Sea ( RCCL ) and the Airline once I have booked. Any changes seem to come from my flight connecting to my Air 2 Sea flight.

[azbirdmom]

I've used EZAir but only for United. Any changes in departure / arrival times have been minimal. It doesn't seem like it's EZAir that is the main problem, it's Delta. Princess is at the mercy of the airlines whims and unfortunately it hasn't worked out in favor of passengers.

[moki'smommy]

Funny you posted this! As I was just notified by Delta that my upcoming flights in 60 days have changed and not in my favor. I get to Florida later and get home later and they even threw in a 4.5 hr layover in ATL. I too called Delta and was told same thing as you. I was on hold with Princess for 45 min and that wasn’t fruitful. They claim they only have access to very few flights even though Delta could give me better flights. The worst thing is I paid $2500 for my 2 carefully chosen first class planes and seats. This will be my first and last time using ezair.

Be aware that Delta can change your flights after booking....but at least in that situation, you can argue and manipulate to get something that works for you. We booked a flight that would allow us to depart after work/school but still get to the departure city the night before the cruise. The next thing I knew, Delta had moved us to a flight the next day! And that would have caused us to miss the cruise. They had totally canceled our carefully chosen flight, but I did get them to move us to something with a noon departure on our original date and a gosh awful layover. Not pretty, but got me to where I needed to be!

[love to cruz]

We had one heck of a problem with Delta this past September. They changed our flights several times. The first change gave us 10 minutes to get off the plane in the domestic terminal in Atlanta and be on board our Virgin Atlantic flight in the international terminal. Anyone familiar with Atlanta knows that is impossible. The next Delta change gave us minus one minute to get off the plane and over to international. Then Delta tried to bump us from the Virgin Atlantic flight to a lengthy layover and a Delta flight. I really pushed back on this as we chose this flight so we would fly with Virgin Atlantic.

It took what seemed like forever on the phone with Princess and being rather insistent to get our flights straightened out, but we did.

Remember: be fair, be firm and be consistent. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Just politely do not take no for an answer.

[gottagocit]

Here are a couple things to try. First search flights arriving or departing 1 day before or after the ones you have now to check rates again. Sometimes popular travel dates for your voyage book full sooner and by changing dates a little you may get a good rate again.

Secondly call Princes directly and explain your flights have been changed and ask nicely for someone help you to obtain better ones for the same rate as before especially given you can even sit together now. We have had success with this once and Princess actually gave us credit to cover the cost difference of the new flights. It’s worth a try.

[tanyaewa]

Good to know that Delta seems to be the weak link!

[NoWhiners]

I may not be tracking very well, but I thought that if an airline makes a change to a flight schedule, you don't have to accept the flights they assign you and can request different ones, at the same price. Maybe it's different with EZ Air but in the past when we bought flights and the schedule changed to layovers we that were too short or too many stops, we were allowed to change with no penalty.

 

You might consider posting on the Cruise Air forum--there are a lot of very helpful and knowledgeable folks on that thread. But I think you have to respond with 48 hours or something like that, so don't wait too long.

 

Good luck

ML

Edited January 24, 2018 by NoWhiners
add info

[MontanaMike65]

We used EZ Air to book business class seats to Berlin for our Baltic cruise this July. I also had a snag with Delta. I called and the guy wouldn’t/couldn’t do anything. I waited a day and called back. A different person was able to give me what I wanted after working on it for a while. Sometimes it just depends on who you get. Different agents know different tricks, and some care more than others. Not saying this always works, but I’ve learned to work the system, and as others have said, be polite but persistent. Good luck.

 

 

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[caribill]

With EZAir, the flights are not guaranteed from the Princess viewpoint until they are paid for which is 45 days before the earlier of the first flight or the start of the cruise. You may have paid Princess for the flights before then, but the flex fares continue to be changeable until the airline is actually paid.

 

At the time the OP booked the flights, seats were available at the price booked. But Delta had not yet been paid. As the flights get fuller, the price of the flights increases, in the OP's case, around $700 more.

 

So to keep the price that EZAir offered, Princess (not Delta) switched the OP to flights where Princess still had the original price available.

 

Originally when EZAir was introduced, the prices for the flexible option were subject to change until payment was made. But what has evolved is that the prices remain the same, but the flights might change which is what happened to the OP.

 

The only way to avoid this is to pay Princess the airfare when you first book the flights and then ask Princess to pay the airline. That locks in your flights and your prices. However, this has two disadvantages:

1) The tickets become non-refundable just as if you had booked them directly with the airline. In other words, you lose the flexibility of the flexible fare and can no longer change or cancel without penalty from the airline.

2) If a lower fare becomes available, you can not switch to it, again losing the flexibility of the flexible fares.

 

So, EZAir can offer some significant savings, but until 45 days before the earlier of the first flight or the start of the cruise, the flights are subject to change by Princess.

 

If Princess followed the other possible path, keeping the original flights but charging passengers the higher airline pricing that may occur before final payment, people may get even more upset than having the flight times changed.

 

Which would most people prefer: keep the original flights or keep the original price. A good part of the time, both will not change. In the OP's case, the flights were changed and the price was not.

[Desert Cruizers]

We booked our flights this past August through RCCL's Air 2 Sea and paid the airlines directly. Coming from the West Coast, our best choice for connecting in Boston was AA. There we picked up our Iceland Air flight to Copenhagen. I understand, EZ Air and Air 2 Sea are different cruise line programs and this is a Princess discussion, but wanted to note the difference from our experience.

[land lover]

Not that I am an expert but I have used EZ Air for 3 overseas flights from LAX last year.....and I presently have 2 booked(booking one just yesterday) thru easy air, for this year. I also flew 10 domestic flights last year. When you book far in advance the schedules change. Last year 2 overseas flights to South America and Singapore changed times. Each time I received an email alert showing me the changes.

 

As other posters have stated without paying for your booking the airlines cannot help you......and Princess has no control when flight times are changed. No seats are ever guaranteed on flights. If you pay upfront you lose your flexibility, the reason most of us book with Princess.

 

When our kids were young our family of five flew many times, I would need more than 2 hands to count how many times we were separated due to flight reschedules and switching to a different plane types, on one international flight they actually separated my 10 year old from me.

 

Don't forget sometimes airlines totally eliminated flights.

 

However, as the OP stated the flight numbers and flights still exist on the EZ air.

 

 

My question to you OP is can you book the exact same booking with delta on line or is a partner airline involved?

 

One of my situations last year involved me booking a flight that actually "never existed"....in other words a partner had a 10:35am start time and American had a 12:35pm start time they were different numbers. I chose the 10:35 but was changed to the 12:35....the 10:35 eventually was dropped from the EZ air list....Just sayin...

 

Flexibility is the name of the game when traveling and the best laid plans always get switched.....Most of the time things work out...but often we as travelers have to do a lot of foot work we never expected to do....

 

Good Luck...

[land lover]

We booked our flights this past August through RCCL's Air 2 Sea and paid the airlines directly. Coming from the West Coast, our best choice for connecting in Boston was AA. There we picked up our Iceland Air flight to Copenhagen. I understand, EZ Air and Air 2 Sea are different cruise line programs and this is a Princess discussion, but wanted to note the difference from our experience.

 

RCI you pay in full at time of booking the flight....with Princess u do not have to.....with their "Flex" air.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Air2Sea: Offers access to virtually all published airline schedules and fares. Air2Sea tickets require immediate purchase.
  

 

I though that was the case and I found it on their web site above.....also the last time I tried to book international air with RCI I went to a total different company at least that is how it was 2 years ago.....

 

Princess air is so easy to quote and book ...RCI sort of a pain IMHO.

Edited January 24, 2018 by land lover

[land lover]

With EZAir, the flights are not guaranteed from the Princess viewpoint until they are paid for which is 45 days before the earlier of the first flight or the start of the cruise. You may have paid Princess for the flights before then, but the flex fares continue to be changeable until the airline is actually paid.

 

At the time the OP booked the flights, seats were available at the price booked. But Delta had not yet been paid. As the flights get fuller, the price of the flights increases, in the OP's case, around $700 more.

 

So to keep the price that EZAir offered, Princess (not Delta) switched the OP to flights where Princess still had the original price available.

 

Originally when EZAir was introduced, the prices for the flexible option were subject to change until payment was made. But what has evolved is that the prices remain the same, but the flights might change which is what happened to the OP.

 

The only way to avoid this is to pay Princess the airfare when you first book the flights and then ask Princess to pay the airline. That locks in your flights and your prices. However, this has two disadvantages:

1) The tickets become non-refundable just as if you had booked them directly with the airline. In other words, you lose the flexibility of the flexible fare and can no longer change or cancel without penalty from the airline.

2) If a lower fare becomes available, you can not switch to it, again losing the flexibility of the flexible fares.

 

So, EZAir can offer some significant savings, but until 45 days before the earlier of the first flight or the start of the cruise, the flights are subject to change by Princess.

 

If Princess followed the other possible path, keeping the original flights but charging passengers the higher airline pricing that may occur before final payment, people may get even more upset than having the flight times changed.

 

Which would most people prefer: keep the original flights or keep the original price. A good part of the time, both will not change. In the OP's case, the flights were changed and the price was not.

 

RED Have you experience this? Because if that is the case certainly Princess should have told the OP that is how it works....

[jajsmom]

We have had a similar frustrating experience with EZ Air booking for our Baltic cruise this summer. I booked EZ Air flights the day they became available. I had great rates and great times. I usually check the flights once a day. A few weeks after, our flights were totally gone from EZ Air. I called Princess, and they said that (also) Delta had cancelled one segment of our flights, so they rerouted us on flights with 3!!!! layovers each way. Um, no, so I rebooked new flights, at several hundred dollars more than I had originally paid, with only one connection each way. Within a few weeks, the same exact thing happened to me. Princess said that they were only guaranteeing us flights, but not necessarily flights that we booked. Both times, the new itineraries doubled our travel time.

 

For our third set of flights, we decided we would drive to an airport 2+ hours away, but at least it was a direct flight in both directions, so our ground travel time made it worth it. I followed the flights daily, both on Princess and the Delta websites. One day a few weeks ago, there was a price drop on the Delta website for the same flights. We booked those, paid in full, and as a bonus, for barely any more money, were able to upgrade to Comfort Plus seats. And we now have the added comfort of being fully paid and can deal directly with the airline should any changes come about in the next 6 months, which I'm sure they will.

 

I know that many people have had good luck with international EZ Air flights, but that has not been our experience. Good luck!

[land lover]

We have had a similar frustrating experience with EZ Air booking for our Baltic cruise this summer. I booked EZ Air flights the day they became available. I had great rates and great times. I usually check the flights once a day. A few weeks after, our flights were totally gone from EZ Air. I called Princess, and they said that (also) Delta had cancelled one segment of our flights, so they rerouted us on flights with 3!!!! layovers each way. Um, no, so I rebooked new flights, at several hundred dollars more than I had originally paid, with only one connection each way. Within a few weeks, the same exact thing happened to me. Princess said that they were only guaranteeing us flights, but not necessarily flights that we booked. Both times, the new itineraries doubled our travel time.

 

For our third set of flights, we decided we would drive to an airport 2+ hours away, but at least it was a direct flight in both directions, so our ground travel time made it worth it. I followed the flights daily, both on Princess and the Delta websites. One day a few weeks ago, there was a price drop on the Delta website for the same flights. We booked those, paid in full, and as a bonus, for barely any more money, were able to upgrade to Comfort Plus seats. And we now have the added comfort of being fully paid and can deal directly with the airline should any changes come about in the next 6 months, which I'm sure they will.

 

I know that many people have had good luck with international EZ Air flights, but that has not been our experience. Good luck!

 

Interesting thanks for posting.....with the connecting flights that's where more problems arise.....for those of us going non-stop out of major airports we have better luck.

 

The reality for me and I am sure others using EZair is we probably would not even book cruises early or at all, if we did not have the flexibility of EZair.

[Desert Cruizers]

The Air 2 Sea Program from RCCL used to be called Choice Air but changed the name 1 to 2 yrs ago. On a domestic Flight using AA and right before the merger with US Air, I noticed when looking at flights, the page listed both AA & US Air leaving at the same time. .I could have booked myself on one and husband on the other and we would have arrived home probably on different airlines at the same time. LOL. Either that if I had called, I might have been told they were the same flight

[radman75]

Not that I am an expert but I have used EZ Air for 3 overseas flights from LAX last year.....and I presently have 2 booked(booking one just yesterday) thru easy air, for this year. I also flew 10 domestic flights last year. When you book far in advance the schedules change. Last year 2 overseas flights to South America and Singapore changed times. Each time I received an email alert showing me the changes.

 

As other posters have stated without paying for your booking the airlines cannot help you......and Princess has no control when flight times are changed. No seats are ever guaranteed on flights. If you pay upfront you lose your flexibility, the reason most of us book with Princess.

 

When our kids were young our family of five flew many times, I would need more than 2 hands to count how many times we were separated due to flight reschedules and switching to a different plane types, on one international flight they actually separated my 10 year old from me.

 

Don't forget sometimes airlines totally eliminated flights.

 

However, as the OP stated the flight numbers and flights still exist on the EZ air.

 

 

My question to you OP is can you book the exact same booking with delta on line or is a partner airline involved?

 

One of my situations last year involved me booking a flight that actually "never existed"....in other words a partner had a 10:35am start time and American had a 12:35pm start time they were different numbers. I chose the 10:35 but was changed to the 12:35....the 10:35 eventually was dropped from the EZ air list....Just sayin...

 

Flexibility is the name of the game when traveling and the best laid plans always get switched.....Most of the time things work out...but often we as travelers have to do a lot of foot work we never expected to do....

 

Good Luck...

 

Both of the flights I originally booked are still being sold for the same times. That's what is confusing about this whole ordeal.

[framer]

I love Delta, NOT...

 

framer

[CHB007]

Another EZ Air victim here....with Delta

 

After reading these posts and noticing that the initial leg of our two connection flight to Berlin in August for a Baltic TA cruise was no longer showing up on EZ Air, I checked our itinerary through the Delta website and found that we were totally changed to different flights with different connections, and of course, no longer had any seat assignments for our flights.

 

There is an earlier departure for the first segment now showing on EZ Air with the remaining two connections exactly the same as our original itinerary. Of course the price is slightly higher than my current reservation.

 

It was late, and my call to Princess CS was past the hours for talking with an EZ Air rep., so I will have to call back in the morning to see if I can make the one change and keep my pricing intact. The price increase I see through EZ Air is less than $40 total for our two tickets so at worse I will pay the increase if I can't make any progress through the call tomorrow. The CS rep was as helpful as she could be but had no ability to make the changes I wanted to the flights, but did add notes to the booking.

 

I have used EZ Air on several Transatlantic cruises in the past but never had this happen, only slight changes in times, all of which I received email notifications from, guess who, Delta.

For this change, I did NOT receive any notification, from either Delta or Princess, which to me is the worst of all the issues. Had I not checked myself, I would not have known to look into this situation. I understand that we are not ticketed until payment.

 

Just for disclosure, I did make one change to my original air booking for a slight price decrease, for which I received a new flight confirmation number and had to reselect seats. This was through EZ Air in cruise personalizer, and I did receive email confirmation from Princess.

 

I understand that the system is what it is for these severly discounted overseas flights but wholesale changes without notification and/or some flexibility for modification when wholesale changes are made is not acceptable IMO. Almost don't see the point of choosing flights and times if drastic changes can be made at a whim and I am given no choices even if those choices show up on EZ Air when I look.

 

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[Darcy8]

We booked our flights this past August through RCCL's Air 2 Sea and paid the airlines directly. Coming from the West Coast, our best choice for connecting in Boston was AA. There we picked up our Iceland Air flight to Copenhagen. I understand, EZ Air and Air 2 Sea are different cruise line programs and this is a Princess discussion, but wanted to note the difference from our experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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