Flight Ease question

[motravelerken]

Taking the Nieuw Amsterdam Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver in mid July. I have my flights booked through the Flight Ease program and check things occasionally to see if I can choose my seats. I checked this morning and see that my return flight seats from Anchorage to Seattle to STL have been chosen (Air Alaska) and I have seats assigned to me (that's a good thing). However, for my flight to Vancouver, when I choose "Request Seats", there are only 3 seats for me to choose. My concern is that I am traveling with 7 other people (I know they have not chosen their seats either) so obviously there are not enough seats for us to choose from. I am hoping that the airline (Air Canada), is holding the seats for us and have just not assigned them to us yet. When I look at the Air Canada website, the same 3 seats are available for my flight from STL to Chicago. When I check my flight from Chicago to Vancouver, there are plenty of available seats for me to choose but on the HAL Flight Ease site, it does not allow me to choose these seats yet (states "not available yet). Here is my question. With this issue, do I contact the airline directly? Or are they going to refer me to Flight Ease? I am guessing I should contact Flight Ease? On the Air Canada website, when I put in my booking number, it states that "I purchased the tickets from an outside agency and I need to contact this agency directly" so I am thinking I should contact Flight Ease. However, when I read the Flight Ease terms and agreements, it says that "Seat Assignments are controlled by the airlines". Just wanting to make sure I have seats on a flight. Flight Ease makes me nervous but I have generally heard good things and that things will work out. 

[DCThunder]

I'd guess that FlightEase hasn't actually paid for your seats yet, and so Air Canada isn't letting you choose your seats.  I've got a similar situation on a flight from London to Newark in late August on British Airways.  I know I have a seat, but I can't specifically choose which one, at least not yet.

[capecodollie]

I'm in the same situation for a Nieu Amsterdam cruise in June, but in reverse.  I have a flight with Alaska Air on the way there and AirCanada on the return.  No problem with seat assignments on Alaska Air, But a different story with Air Canada.  I wasted a tremendous amount of time trying to get seat assignments.  I started with Air Canada, then United (who it's actually booked with) and then Flight Ease.  Each rep that I finally got connected to would send me off to one of the other reps.....round and round and round I went. After literally hours (I'm retired so I have the time) I discovered that seats with Air Canada will be assigned 24 hours prior to departure.  You would think one of the many people I talked with could have told me that fact at some point early on.

 

Anyway don't waste your time as I did, and like myself you'll have to hope for the best as far as seat assignments go.  It's possible that 24 hours prior to departure the seat chart will open and you can select your seats.  I couldn't get an answer to that question from anyone.  By the way it's the first time using Flight Ease.  Next time I'll attempt to book my own flights and of course avoid Air Canada if possible.   I only say that because their reps were the most cryptic of all the many people I talked with.

[motravelerken]

I just spoke with an Air Canada rep. They were fairly helpful. I have a flight from St. Louis to Chicago that Air Canada says is actually a United Flight (its a smaller "express" plane). So I looked on United website and I can choose my seats for a $15 fee for each seat. My next flight is from Chicago to Vancouver and it is an Air Canada flight. On their website, I can choose my seats now for $30 per seat. SO I am guessing I can choose those seats now and pay some money or wait until right before the flight and get assigned to whatever is left? Seems like that was the process anyway. Does that sound about right?

[Kate45]

Asa canadian, I am somewhat embarrassed at Air Canada's practices and customer service lately. I try to avoid flying with them if possible. However, having said that we are flying to and from our upcoming cruise this September. Here's hoping they smarten up!

 

[0106]

Used FlightEase to book one way to Amsterdam yesterday.  United flights..1st segment is an Air Canada code share,  2nd is a KLM code share.  Was able to select my seats for free on both segments.

[Mary229]

Some flight ease flights are like guarantee cabins.  You have a seat but the airline gets to pick.  Once ticketed you may be able to choose or may be able to pay for a slight upgrade.  The airlines have discovered they can charge people a small fee to sit closer to the front😉

[DCThunder]

On domestic flights, you should check the airline websites for their fares to compare to what you see on Flight Ease.  I have a cruise from Port Everglades in March 2024.  I was looking at Flight Ease fares for a RT from Myrtle Beach to FLL and they seemed high based on previous experience flying this route. 

 

So I checked the American Airlines website and discovered that for a basic economy fare, Flight Ease was $85 MORE expensive for the exact same flight.  And it was $584 more expensive for first class.  Flight Ease didn't even offer the Main Cabin/Premium Economy seats that you can get from AA.com.  

 

So it pays to check the airlines rather than just assume Flight Ease will be less expensive.  And you can't use points to book with Flight Ease.

[terrydtx]

Flight Ease, which we have used many times, allows you to choose your seats when you book online, did you not do this?  You can also go back online and book or change seats in your account.

[Mary229]

21 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Flight Ease, which we have used many times, allows you to choose your seats when you book online, did you not do this?  You can also go back online and book or change seats in your account.

That can be busy work.  Those seats may not be honored depending on fare class 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Mary229

[Mary229]

31 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

On domestic flights, you should check the airline websites for their fares to compare to what you see on Flight Ease.  I have a cruise from Port Everglades in March 2024.  I was looking at Flight Ease fares for a RT from Myrtle Beach to FLL and they seemed high based on previous experience flying this route. 

 

So I checked the American Airlines website and discovered that for a basic economy fare, Flight Ease was $85 MORE expensive for the exact same flight.  And it was $584 more expensive for first class.  Flight Ease didn't even offer the Main Cabin/Premium Economy seats that you can get from AA.com.  

 

So it pays to check the airlines rather than just assume Flight Ease will be less expensive.  And you can't use points to book with Flight Ease.

It depends.  There are so many tiers of economy now you need to be sure you are comparing apples to apples 

[DCThunder]

Just now, Mary229 said:

It depends.  There are so many tiers of economy now you need to be sure you are comparing apples to apples 

While I totally agree there are many tiers of economy, I clicked through on the Flight Ease dummy booking to select seats.  They were definitely not the "main cabin" seats as those were marked with a P to indicate that they had to be purchased from the airline.  I looked at the exact same seats on AA and saw the difference in price.  And first class is first class, and there was a $500 difference.

 

My point isn't this particular flight, but just advice (take it for what it's worth) to not take Flight Ease fare as gospel and the lowest available.  Maybe that's obvious to everyone, but it certainly bears repeating.

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

That can be busy work.  Those seats may not be honored depending on fare class 

I have never had an issue with not getting the seats I chose online with FE, every time I got the seats and I also checked online with the airline to verify the seats. Not busy work but doing your due diligence when traveling. I never take anything for granted because I continual check my flights on the airline websites. We had one of our American Airlines flights to San Diego changed by AA and I knew about the change 10 days before I got notified by AA because FE notified me the day it happened.

Edited May 5, 2023 by terrydtx

[Mary229]

Just now, terrydtx said:

I have never had an issue with not getting the seats I chose online with FE, every time I got the seats and I also checked online with the airline to verify the seats. Not busy work but doing your due diligence when traveling.

I have been reseated on an international PE seat and an international Business class flight.  I do due diligence that is how I caught it. Unfortunately my PE was reassigned 1 hour prior to the flight and I was not able to change it back.  I was still PE but in a lesser seat. 

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I have been reseated on an international PE seat and an international Business class flight.  I do due diligence that is how I caught it. Unfortunately my PE was reassigned 1 hour prior to the flight and I was not able to change it back.  I was still PE but in a lesser seat. 

If that happened one hour before the flight that was on the airline not on HAL FE. I had that happen last year on Delta from San Antonio to Atlanta because they changed aircraft the morning of our flight to one with 8 less business class seats. My wife and I got bumped back to coach, with no compensation other than a $75 flight credit we never used, and we booked those seats directly with the airline.

[rodndonna]

1 hour ago, Kate45 said:

Asa Canadian, I am somewhat embarrassed at Air Canada's practices and customer service lately. I try to avoid flying with them if possible. However, having said that we are flying to and from our upcoming cruise this September. Here's hoping they smarten up!

 

 

We are pretty much limited to Air Canada as we chose to fly from home (small airport requiring connector and Westjet has kinda left Eastern Canada for now) but have good results over the last year.

 

A year ago was rough ... but it it was the same baggage fiascos and issues that everyone was having at the time it seemed.

 

Here's hoping things continue to go smoothly as we using them for holidays in June, September and December ... 

 

 

[Mary229]

30 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

If that happened one hour before the flight that was on the airline not on HAL FE. I had that happen last year on Delta from San Antonio to Atlanta because they changed aircraft the morning of our flight to one with 8 less business class seats. My wife and I got bumped back to coach, with no compensation other than a $75 flight credit we never used, and we booked those seats directly with the airline.

But it happens.  It also happens with regular economy.  I am pretty sure HAL is buying mid-tier economy.  So what happens is you select.  When it goes to the airline they may bump you as that is one of the seats they charge the extra $30 for, not because they are a different class but are considered prime real estate.  It used to be pretty cut and dry but now that American keeps subdividing economy it is getting complicated 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Mary229

[Native Floridian 26]

6 hours ago, DCThunder said:

On domestic flights, you should check the airline websites for their fares to compare to what you see on Flight Ease.  I have a cruise from Port Everglades in March 2024.  I was looking at Flight Ease fares for a RT from Myrtle Beach to FLL and they seemed high based on previous experience flying this route. 

 

So I checked the American Airlines website and discovered that for a basic economy fare, Flight Ease was $85 MORE expensive for the exact same flight.  And it was $584 more expensive for first class.  Flight Ease didn't even offer the Main Cabin/Premium Economy seats that you can get from AA.com.  

 

So it pays to check the airlines rather than just assume Flight Ease will be less expensive.  And you can't use points to book with Flight Ease.

Just remember you can't compare the Flightease prices to Basic Economy because they don't sell Basic Economy. You will get hold luggage in the Flightease price. It may be Economy, but it's not the lowest tier which excludes luggage.

[regnig]

6 hours ago, DCThunder said:

While I totally agree there are many tiers of economy, I clicked through on the Flight Ease dummy booking to select seats.  They were definitely not the "main cabin" seats as those were marked with a P to indicate that they had to be purchased from the airline.  I looked at the exact same seats on AA and saw the difference in price.  And first class is first class, and there was a $500 difference.

 

My point isn't this particular flight, but just advice (take it for what it's worth) to not take Flight Ease fare as gospel and the lowest available.  Maybe that's obvious to everyone, but it certainly bears repeating.

Thunder you are correct re MYR to FLL and return.  I've been making the trip for several years now and booking direct with the airlines (AA or DL) is always cheaper than Flight Ease.

[Mary229]

Where Flight Ease excels is for international flights though occasionally I have gotten a pretty decent deal on domestic.  During the Covid years they were many people’s go to so that if your cruise was cancelled your flight was cancelled at no cost.  I also like that I can book now and pay later