Negligence and Misrepresentations by EZ Air Princess Cruises

[Rittenburg]

We paid our full ticket in September to get airline seats we needed. We went to the carrier and bought a slight upgrade. In December EZ Air changed our flight and we lost the seats. We worked with EZ Air to get them back. In April I learned that EZ Air cancelled our outbound flight and failed to notify me. When I called, they refused to make me whole, rather, they stated that their responsibility was only to get us to Rome, no matter how. They offered another flight but failed to tell me that the only seats were the very type of seat we wished to avoid: the middle of the 4 seats in the middle of the jet. Other flights with window seats were available, but they concealed that fact. The carrier allowed us to move to an aisle and adjacent seat in the middle, but our 2 seats by the window were not within what EZ Air was willing to pay. On top of this, they refused to upgrade us to premium economy unless we paid over $2k, and they refused to upgrade even one leg of the trip. Finally, they refused to even guarantee that our unpleasant new arrangements would actually be there when we got to the airport.

So much for "EZ" Air, its guarantees, and their claim "The Easy Way to save time, money & stress when you book your cruise vacation & airfare early"

We are reserving our legal remedies until our return.

[cruzsnooze]

The airlines made the changes not EZair Princess. All of your wants and needs needed to be made with the airline. I'm glad they didn't upgrade you because why should anyone pay for something they give away. I had the same experience in Feb when we had to fly for our Panama canal cruise. I had picked my first class seats and when they changed my flights gave me the last row in first class which I found unacceptable. I was able to switch flights and get the two seats in the middle of first class whose seats would fully recline. I was able to change within the same class , you were also able to switch within the class you PAID for.

If you want to upgrade to premium class then you have to pay $2000 which you said you didn't want to pay.

Enjoy your legal remedies which are non existent per the contract with Princess and the airline. It is a common event for airlines to change flights and seats and under many conditions you have the option of a full refund. Was a refund not offered to you so you could go book what you wanted?

Edited April 12, 2018 by cruzsnooze

[CruiserBruce]

I agree the problem lies with the airline. EZ Air can't always get you on just any flight, or just any seat...it depends on the deal EZ Air has with the airline. There also seems to be a lot of missing details here.

 

This is why we don't deal with cruise line airfares. Yes, they can be great. But other times...not so much.

[Pam in CA]

Like the others, your issue is with the airline. When you book through EZAir, you’re booking at consolidator rates. Princess contracts for X number of seats on several flights. They do not charter or reserve the whole plane. Once the seats contracted for are filled on a flight, you’ll be put on a different flight... even if the flight isn’t filled. If you’re booking a flight using miles, the same thing holds true: only a few seats are available on each flight for passengers booking using award miles.

 

Any “upgrade” should be taken up with the airline and you’ll probably wind up paying what you would have if you’d booked that cabin level with the airline in the first place.

 

Airlines change flights and plane types around all the time. Doesn’t matter whether you book directly with the airline or through EZAir.

 

EZAir is correct in that the only thing guaranteed is that they will make every attempt to get you to the ship.

 

IMHO, there’s nothing misleading or misrepresented. Read the fine print.

[Coral]

We paid our full ticket in September to get airline seats we needed. We went to the carrier and bought a slight upgrade. In December EZ Air changed our flight and we lost the seats.

 

I am curious. Did the airline change the flights or did the flights still exist and EZ Air changed you to other flights?

 

This is my first time using EZ Air and so far, so good.

[caribill]

We paid our full ticket in September to get airline seats we needed.

 

Since you paid in full for the airline ticket, Princess should have paid the airline and any changes after that time had to be by the airline and not by EZAir.

 

You thus should have been dealing with the airline once there was a change in flight arrangements and not EZAir.

 

Before the airline is paid (and a ticket really issued), changes sometimes are made by the airline and sometimes by EZAir

[Times Prince]

Seeing as the airline changed your flight, then look to them for your loss of upgrade.

 

Which airline was it?

[Cruise Junky]

This is one of the reasons I avoid cruise air. Happened to people on our roll call on Ruby to the Caribbean. Princess absolutely changed their selected flights to a cheaper option and I know this because we were on their originally booked flights and they never changed. They were not happy campers.

 

I do think though you need to figure out if Princess changed your flights or if the airlines did. But I can tell you, Princess certainly has been guilty of this in the past.

[cruzsnooze]

Seeing as the airline changed your flight, then look to them for your loss of upgrade.

 

Which airline was it?

They didn't loose an upgrade they wanted the airline to give them one because the airline changed their flight. Flights change every day and you need to check your flights. When the OP's flight changed (could have been a different plane style or gate or time) they didn't get their original seats but an available seat within the class they booked. Since it was a middle seat they apparently booked the economy class. They sound like they have paid $15 to pick their seat VS getting assigned at check in. Now they want a $2000 upgrade for free since the flight changed. Something for nothing.

Next time book a higher category and you'll get better choices.

[Cairn Mom]

This is one of the reasons I avoid cruise air. Happened to people on our roll call on Ruby to the Caribbean. Princess absolutely changed their selected flights to a cheaper option and I know this because we were on their originally booked flights and they never changed. They were not happy campers.

 

 

 

I do think though you need to figure out if Princess changed your flights or if the airlines did. But I can tell you, Princess certainly has been guilty of this in the past.

 

 

 

We don’t use it for just this reason, but we might consider trying it if we wanted to fly business class.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[TracieABD]

I have a great deal of empathy for the OP here. One of the worst experiences I have had, precruise, was when I booked EZAir to the British Isles. I spent hours on the phone trying to straighten out the mess that Princess made when submitting our names to the manifest. Not to mention the seats.

 

In total, we saved under $100 pp, but the time and effort and angst were not worth it.

 

From that point forward, I have controlled my flights by booking directly with the carrier. That’s just my take.

[Potstech]

We book directly, get the travel we want with no middle man to worry about. We also get better rates than EZ Air because we research and look fo deals.

[Wishing on a star]

I had thought there were positive remarks about EZair.

With the current promo, there is supposed to be a discount/credit taken off airfare.

I went thru the process. like I was booking, and it let me pick the flights, etc.

I could get exactly what I wanted.

Looked impressive!

 

So, if we were not flying with our miles, and booked this EZair, and if we went ahead and paid in full, then Princess would still have the ability to influence any changes? Or, at that point. no they could not?

 

It is def. true that airlines make changes, and bait-and-switch ALL THE TIME.

I have been bait-and-switched before.

Airlines can be evil !

So, I am wondering, for certain, if this happens, then we could deal directly with the airline to correct any problems with the seats/flights.

 

I would not want to find myself in a position where this kind of thing happened, but the cruise line did not want to do what should really be done, in an effort to save themselves some money or trouble.

 

Would everything HAVE to be addressed thru the cruise line?

[Wishing on a star]

Tracie, what happened with Princess that seemed to screw everything up???

For sure, it wasn't the airlines screwing. things around???

And, you did address this thru the airline directly?

[Wishing on a star]

I also believe that the airline was probably the one who caused the problems for the OP. I don't see how EZair, or anyone else, can 'cancel' a seat or flight that one has paid for, in full.

 

 

Airlines can cancel scheduled flight itineraries, and do, all the time... Yes, they will put you on another flight. NO, they do not care what seats the computer algorithm assigns. Have had this happen before, and had to go and re-select seats that DH and I, (and other family members). were sitting together.

 

 

And, yes, airlines are notorious for NOT sending any notifications of changes...

We have learned that we need to be ALWAYS be checking our reservations, for ourselves.

A sad, but true, reality.

[Coral]

We book directly, get the travel we want with no middle man to worry about. We also get better rates than EZ Air because we research and look fo deals.

 

I have only used EZ Air once and my flight has not left yet on my trip. Though - the savings I got off of EZ Air was $5500 less than what I could do on my own, literally. IMO - EZ Air seems great. And I didn't book this during any EZ Air special. There is no way I could have done better myself.

 

Maybe people who live near large airports can get good deals but this was a great deal that I could not get on my own. I have checked probably every day before I asked my TA to ticket the flight this week.

[TracieABD]

Tracie, what happened with Princess that seemed to screw everything up???

For sure, it wasn't the airlines screwing. things around???

And, you did address this thru the airline directly?

As memory best serves, Princess sent the wrong names to the airline. So the night before we left i could not print my mom’s ticket- and she was not the manifest. The good news- I was on the manifest twice... smh.:rolleyes:

[Skai]

As memory best serves, Princess sent the wrong names to the airline. So the night before we left i could not print my mom’s ticket- and she was not the manifest. The good news- I was on the manifest twice... smh.:rolleyes:

 

Sheesh.

 

I would hope that, at the least, Princess left a plate of chocolate covered strawberries for you in your cabin when you finally got aboard.:rolleyes:

[Coral]

As memory best serves, Princess sent the wrong names to the airline. So the night before we left i could not print my mom’s ticket- and she was not the manifest. The good news- I was on the manifest twice... smh.:rolleyes:

 

I just had my flight ticketed - so I don't think this could happen to me. I can see everything properly on United's website.

 

I wonder if Princess has changed things now so this won't happen. I don't know.

[DougH]

I've used EZ air a couple of times, it seems to have the best deals on TA or one way routes. I've been very happy with pricing and have not had many issues.

 

Last trip on my flight home from Singapore on the leg back to SF they had me in a middle seat, somehow lost my seat reservation for that one leg. It was figured out and I did get an aisle, was not looking forward to 14 hours in the middle.

 

Otherwise price was better than I could find on my own.

[diane.in.ny]

I like EZAir because I can keep checking the cost of flights. From the time I booked the cruise, there was a price drop of $500 pp on the air (and has since gone WAY up). If I had gone to the airline's website, and paid for my tickets, I'd be out that $1K.

 

I regularly go to the airline's site and pull up my reservation to make sure everything looks good. And we are not leaving until Sept.

 

Since the OP commented that the ticket was paid for, the issues are definitely with the airline. Once paid, EZAir has no control.

[Coral]

 

Last trip on my flight home from Singapore on the leg back to SF they had me in a middle seat, somehow lost my seat reservation for that one leg. It was figured out and I did get an aisle, was not looking forward to 14 hours in the middle.

 

I have lost seats on flights I have booked directly with the airline. This seems like a common issue.

[TracieABD]

I just had my flight ticketed - so I don't think this could happen to me. I can see everything properly on United's website.

 

I wonder if Princess has changed things now so this won't happen. I don't know.

I sure hope so. It sounds good on your end. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

 

I did have to call Princess, British Airways, and USAir multiple times. I finally got a lovely woman named Lacie from USAir who straightened it all out. It took a couple of hours and it was not the stress I needed the night before a trip. I actually wrote about it in that live from...

 

When is your trip, Coral?

[Coral]

I sure hope so. It sounds good on your end. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

 

I did have to call Princess, British Airways, and USAir multiple times. I finally got a lovely woman named Lacie from USAir who straightened it all out. It took a couple of hours and it was not the stress I needed the night before a trip. I actually wrote about it in that live from...

 

When is your trip, Coral?

 

This is my first time using EZ Air so I am still skeptical. By no means dismissing your account but I have had problems booking directly with airlines also and have spent hours on the phone trying to sort that out. I did have our wonderful TA ticket the flight this week (before final payment day but when I made final payment). Cruise is to Norway June 23rd.

 

I had just wondered if things had changed as all along I could see my ticket on United's website (though said unticketed) and it appears they are ticketing these sooner now, though I heard someone say theirs was ticketed a week out. It is all a mystery.

 

Enjoy the Island Princess.

Edited April 13, 2018 by Coral

[azbirdmom]

This is my first time using EZ Air so I am still skeptical. By no means dismissing your account but I have had problems booking directly with airlines also and have spent hours on the phone trying to sort that out. I did have our wonderful TA ticket the flight this week (before final payment day but when I made final payment). Cruise is to Norway June 23rd.

 

I had just wondered if things had changed as all along I could see my ticket on United's website (though said unticketed) and it appears they are ticketing these sooner now, though I heard someone say theirs was ticketed a week out. It is all a mystery.

 

Enjoy the Island Princess.

 

EZAir has come a long way in the past couple of years. Oftentimes there are much better prices than you can find elsewhere, and it's great to be able to continue to check prices and rebook up until Princess officially issues the ticket 45 days before the flight. That said, it is up to the customer to periodically check both the Princess and airline websites to ensure that changes have not occurred. I do get notices from Princess (via my TA) when flights have changed too which is helpful. Once the reservation is ticketed though, any issues need to be resolved between the passenger and the airline. Princess may help, but it is mostly out of their hands.