Another flight question about connections??

[riffatsea]

Hi again,

As some of you may have noticed I have a slight(lol) control issue with allowing the cruise company to book flights for us. It has nothing to do with needing non stops(there are none) or thinking I can do better on the price. It all has to do with wanting the best itinerary time/decent connection times and needing to come in the day before the cruise since there are no connecting flights that get us in early enough to fly the day of the cruise.

What have been your experiences with flights/connection times etc. when Oceania has booked them for you??

Thanks for dealing with my slight craziness on this topic.

[pinotlover]

I have only used O Air while paying a deviation fee. I always come in at least a day early often more. By paying the deviation fee to O you get to choose those flights and arrangements. If additional dollars are required O Air will tell you how many and then you can decide. Your best bet is to query O Air as close to the 270 day limit as possible while they still have the most options available. The longer you wait the more O Air options disappear.

 

Since I have to pay an additional $198 plus the deviation fee , O rarely offers a less expensive price than I can find on my own. When flying business class they are always far more expensive.

[Mura]

Another note about O's business fare options (which has often been mentioned on CC): it is restricted. That means if you are on a flight that is over the ocean (as we usually are, NY to Europe) then you are in business class.

 

But if you need a flight that is overland -- if you are flying from a non-gateway airport or have a short-distance flight once you get to Europe or other foreign destination-- then you will be in coach.

 

For us, that clearly isn't a problem. We've once or twice used O's air because the connections were fine for us. Most of the time we book our own business air.

 

Mura

[JimandStan]

It all has to do with wanting the best itinerary time/decent connection times and needing to come in the day before the cruise since there are no connecting flights that get us in early enough to fly the day of the cruise.

If that is the case, then your question is moot because if you do need to come in early, i.e. NOT on Embarkation day , then you will have no choice but to pay the Air Deviation.

The good news is that buying that Deviation ALSO gives one the choice of flights under the Oceania umbrella.

There will be some flights which are only available if you pay a stipend, but the choice will be yours.

[AZjohn]

Our one and only time booking cruise air i'll try to compressed the best I can do:

 

3 days before we fly out we get our itinerary, PHX to LAX then connect LAX to IAD then last connection IAD to AMS (all flights in business class). All 3 flights were posted "on time" the morning we left. All started fine until landing at LAX and saw on screen our flight to IAD was delayed 5 hours (plane was there but no flight crew arriving for another 5 hours). We had only a 2 hour layover in IAD so there was no way we were going to make the connection which of course ment we were going to miss our cruise which started with 3 ocean days. This is where I took a oath that I would never-ever fly to a cruise on embarkation day again!

 

Short part, called cruise company who booked the flights and they said they could not do anything to help, we had to work out something directly with the airline company our self. United found a flight on AA going to IAD they could put us on (in economy of course) that would get us there with 30 minutes to spare.

 

Ran to the other terminal where AA was and got on as last passengers, wife sitting in middle seat in row 14 and I'm back in row 38 middle seat. Plane ready to push back and then nothing for 20 minutes. I get up and ask what is going on to flight attendant and she whispers in my ear that there was a breach through security in gate area and shortly everyone onboard would have to deplane and go ba k through secruity lines.

 

Stress level boiled over at that point and told my wife to grab her carryon and we need to get off this plane immediately before they tell everyone else.

 

Called cruise line, TA, and travel insurance and nobody can help us. NEVER AGAIN WILL I GO THOUGH THAT KIND OF NIGHTMARE LETTING SOMEONE ELSE PICK OUR FLIGHTS!!!

 

Simple solution next time is I will purchase my own air tickets and pick the best routing, flights, times, and dates to cover any unforseen events like these and thousands of others not mentioned. Fly in days early my friends, don't start a wonderful vacation like I did. Nothing will make it up when missing your cruise.

[ORV]

Our one and only time booking cruise air i'll try to compressed the best I can do:

 

3 days before we fly out we get our itinerary, PHX to LAX then connect LAX to IAD then last connection IAD to AMS (all flights in business class). All 3 flights were posted "on time" the morning we left. All started fine until landing at LAX and saw on screen our flight to IAD was delayed 5 hours (plane was there but no flight crew arriving for another 5 hours). We had only a 2 hour layover in IAD so there was no way we were going to make the connection which of course ment we were going to miss our cruise which started with 3 ocean days. This is where I took a oath that I would never-ever fly to a cruise on embarkation day again!

 

Short part, called cruise company who booked the flights and they said they could not do anything to help, we had to work out something directly with the airline company our self. United found a flight on AA going to IAD they could put us on (in economy of course) that would get us there with 30 minutes to spare.

 

Ran to the other terminal where AA was and got on as last passengers, wife sitting in middle seat in row 14 and I'm back in row 38 middle seat. Plane ready to push back and then nothing for 20 minutes. I get up and ask what is going on to flight attendant and she whispers in my ear that there was a breach through security in gate area and shortly everyone onboard would have to deplane and go ba k through secruity lines.

 

Stress level boiled over at that point and told my wife to grab her carryon and we need to get off this plane immediately before they tell everyone else.

 

Called cruise line, TA, and travel insurance and nobody can help us. NEVER AGAIN WILL I GO THOUGH THAT KIND OF NIGHTMARE LETTING SOMEONE ELSE PICK OUR FLIGHTS!!!

 

Simple solution next time is I will purchase my own air tickets and pick the best routing, flights, times, and dates to cover any unforseen events like these and thousands of others not mentioned. Fly in days early my friends, don't start a wonderful vacation like I did. Nothing will make it up when missing your cruise.

 

Doesn't sound like fun. Just out of curiosity what cruise line was that with?

[riffatsea]

Have definitely decided to book my own air!

We always fly in at least one day before a cruise!

It is very strange that a cruise line would charge extra to come in early as that shouldn't affect the price of the flight at all.

Thanks for all of your advice.

[ORV]

Have definitely decided to book my own air!

We always fly in at least one day before a cruise!

It is very strange that a cruise line would charge extra to come in early as that shouldn't affect the price of the flight at all.

Thanks for all of your advice.

 

You get more than just going in a day before, you can stay late, pick your routing etc. They also do it because they can.

[Hawaiidan]

Another note about O's business fare options (which has often been mentioned on CC): it is restricted. That means if you are on a flight that is over the ocean (as we usually are, NY to Europe) then you are in business class.

 

But if you need a flight that is overland -- if you are flying from a non-gateway airport or have a short-distance flight once you get to Europe or other foreign destination-- then you will be in coach.

 

For us, that clearly isn't a problem. We've once or twice used O's air because the connections were fine for us. Most of the time we book our own business air.

 

Mura

 

Correct Business class is only for the over water segment. Second :is is that business class varies wildly from old domestic limited recline to angle recline ( KLM and Air France Tahiti Nui and some older Lufthansa. where you dont or get a modern lie flat bed. Third: Those of us who use ff miles or book and are upper members of an airline get complimentary up grades to prem. economy and business for their coach fare, and can get non stops easily. Booking through O short you chances of up grades and charges you extra in the process by paying both Business class for just over water and or tour flight deviation fee and seat selection. In the past years with several cruises per year I have only on 1 time ever booked through O... I always could do better either in convenience , comfort or price.....

[Travelcat2]

Agree with Hawaiidan - it is a good idea to check seatguru.com to make sure that the flight has flat bed seats (if you are deviating -- if you aren't you pretty much have to take what you get).

 

Also, when you book international Business Class Air and part of your flight is domestic, if there is space in First Class, the airline will put you in Business/First for the domestic portion and Business on the international portion.

[AZjohn]

Doesn't sound like fun. Just out of curiosity what cruise line was that with?

Celebrity, though you can find stories like this with any line including O.

 

The point I was trying to make (and I'm sure you got it) was that anything can happen the day you fly (regardless if it's leisure or business). When this happen I was naive to think the company who sold the consolidator tickets would be my first line of defense, which was a serious flaw of my thinking. Yes, I had travel insurance but, I would much rather go on my full cruise then collect $ back and being stressed trying to catch the cruise half way.

 

The next 6 years after this I ended up flying a million miles for business and I quickly learned to have a plan B, C, and D with all flight itinerary's especially with international flights as this wasn't my only horror story flying;). The main difference was tickets were not third party consolidator and knew what airlines can do in contrast of what they would rather do.

 

Cheers,

John

[YoHoHo]

Our one and only time booking cruise air i'll try to compressed the best I can do:

 

<COMPRESSED>

Called cruise line, TA, and travel insurance and nobody can help us.

...

That is a key takeaway. Day of travel it is on you and the airline. No one else can help, other than a kind word or two or advise like, get off this call with me and get in line for alternate flights with other airlines even.

Simple solution next time is I will purchase my own air tickets and pick the best routing, flights, times, and dates to cover any unforseen events like these and thousands of others not mentioned.

More than unforseen events, events out of our control, and maybe the airlines, happen/ It is what next that counts. Your later post of alphabet plans is sound when you just have to be there.

Fly in days early my friends, don't start a wonderful vacation like I did. Nothing will make it up when missing your cruise.

+2. All the help, plan Bs and work-arounds cannot make up for the stress that a simple couple of days early provides... and a nice vacation start. That said, some of us are restricted to length of time off from work in one stretch and those extra couple of days cut into cruise time or even no cruise. (and that is why I like) 10 day itineraries)

[AZjohn]

That is a key takeaway. Day of travel it is on you and the airline. No one else can help, other than a kind word or two or advise like, get off this call with me and get in line for alternate flights with other airlines even.

LOL, you must have been listening to the call :D

[rallydave]

Regarding First Class domestic with Business overwater, that only works when flying the same airline for both segments and sometimes if the two airlines are code share partners. For instance flying United on the overseas portion and Delta domestically, no upgrade for the domestic portion. Same thing for say Lufthansa on the overseas and United domestic. Nothing is guaranteed and YMMV.

[pinotlover]

Dave;

 

You’ve brought up an interesting issue, that being interlining with no partner Airlines. O Air often tickets domestic air and international Air separately depending upon contract availability. Baggage allowances are different for BC and Economy. If one is booked on a partner airlines, the originating airline will often give you the partner’s limits. However, if one has an originating domestic flight on a non partner of the international carrier, one typically only gets the domestic baggage limits on the originating flight.

[rallydave]

Dave;

 

You’ve brought up an interesting issue, that being interlining with no partner Airlines. O Air often tickets domestic air and international Air separately depending upon contract availability. Baggage allowances are different for BC and Economy. If one is booked on a partner airlines, the originating airline will often give you the partner’s limits. However, if one has an originating domestic flight on a non partner of the international carrier, one typically only gets the domestic baggage limits on the originating flight.

 

pinotlover,

 

And you have brought up another issue I didn't think of. And it gets worse with separate tickets being booked by O. If there is not an interline agreement between the airlines, the suitcases will need to be picked up at the change of planes airport and go thru the check in process again. Also, only a boarding pass for the first flight might only be provided meaning the passenger would need to also check in at the change of plane airport and, should the first flight be late arriving, the next flight would probably not hold the plane and should the first flight be delayed beyond making the second flight (not a connection as separate tickets) the first airline would not be of any help to get another flight to the final airport and on and on.

 

Really poor form to issue separate tickets and many possible problems including your luggage question. Being on a single ticket means the domestic flight gets the overseas baggage limit and a single airline or code share partner would have full control to solve issues while the more than one ticket won't.

 

You've brought up a real hornet's nest of possible problems and probably more than we both described.

[Travelcat2]

We travel quite bit and our luggage always transfers without issue - no matter what airlines we are using. Even when we use our local Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle and then transfer onto an international flight (non-code sharing), the bags are transferred for us in Seattle.

[pinotlover]

Most of the major airlines have luggage handling and transfer agreements, that’s typically not a problem. Non alliance partners can’t typically check one into another airline’s flight or give non alliances passengers seat assignments. While they can check your baggage threw , they often can’t give you a boarding pass for that non member airline.

[rallydave]

Most of the major airlines have luggage handling and transfer agreements, that’s typically not a problem. Non alliance partners can’t typically check one into another airline’s flight or give non alliances passengers seat assignments. While they can check your baggage threw , they often can’t give you a boarding pass for that non member airline.

 

Like you said, usually but, NOT always. Even with 2 different tickets the airlines have to have an interline agreement to transfer bags. Also you have to have your 2nd flight ticket or boarding pass in order for the Customer Service people to check your bags thru to your ultimate destination and have had occurrences even after making sure an interline agreement was in place where they would absolutely NOT check the bags thru to our ultimate destination.

 

Talking about major airlines, Southwest Spirit, Air Tahiti Nui, and JetBlue are four major airlines who DON'T interline with any other airlines so you would need to pick up from them to name a few. Realize Regent doesn't book people on Southwest or some of the others (they do use Air Tahiti Nui) but, some people book themselves on these airlines to get to a gateway airport and they need to be aware that they will have to pickup their luggage and recheck to their ultimate destination if all of their flights are not on the original airline.

[PaulMCO]

Talking about major airlines, Southwest Spirit, Air Tahiti Nui, and JetBlue are four major airlines who DON'T interline with any other airlines so you would need to pick up from them to name a few. Realize Regent doesn't book people on Southwest or some of the others (they do use Air Tahiti Nui) but, some people book themselves on these airlines to get to a gateway airport and they need to be aware that they will have to pickup their luggage and recheck to their ultimate destination if all of their flights are not on the original airline.

 

Not true with JetBlue -- they have interline and code shares with over 20 international carriers. I have been stuck connecting on them with Emirates. They also code share with many of their partners.

[rallydave]

Not true with JetBlue -- they have interline and code shares with over 20 international carriers. I have been stuck connecting on them with Emirates. They also code share with many of their partners.

 

Yes Paul, you are partially correct about Jet Blue. Found the below on the Jet Blue website to further explain that the interlining depends on the airline as well as single ticket or multiple tickets.:

 

A note on baggage policies with JetBlue's airline partners

When you are traveling on a single ticket with JetBlue and one of the airline partners below, JetBlue will in most cases honor the baggage allowance of the most significant international partner. However, due to DOT regulations, JetBlue strongly urges you to check the baggage rules of each airline that you plan to travel with.

An important note about single interline tickets versus separately ticketed itineraries

JetBlue does not provide baggage transfers or disruption protection during irregular operations for customers traveling on separately booked tickets between JetBlue and our partner airlines or between JetBlue and our non-partner airlines.

For example, if a customer books a flight on JetBlue.com and then books an additional self-connecting ticket from another airline or a third party booking engine (i.e. Expedia), JetBlue is not responsible for compensation or missed flights on the other airline. Disruption protection and baggage transfer is only provided when a true interline ticket is purchased.

Unfortunately this issue is not really clear so there seem to be different possibilities so people traveling on more than a single airline and/or with multiple tickets need to do their due diligence before buying the ticket(s) and for sure before heading to the airport as different situations can and sometimes do create unplanned issues. No one size fits all so let the buyer beware.