US Airways! Has anyone heard???

[greatam]

How does this impact those of us who are travelling to a cruise and therefore, have a definite deadline to get to our destinations?

 

For example, if I have a cruise leaving 5 pm on Saturday, January 15, and my flight is scheduled to leave Philadelphia (where USAir is the dominant carrier) at 5 pm Thursday January 13. What happens if USAir goes out of business? Thursday night, Friday and Saturday are heavily travelled times. That means I am taking a chance that MAYBE some other airline will have enough space to get me and my family of 4 to FLL on time for the cruise on their existing flight schedule. Given that it is a weekend and flights to FLL seem to be full on the weekends with other people going on cruises, isn't that a huge "IF". Another big problem would be that the only carrier with lots of capacity to FLL to begin with is USAirways. I can't see any of the other carriers coming close to being able to absorb all of the displaced passengers in the span of a couple of days.

 

Don't you think it is safer to book a refundable ticket on another airline if it is affordable?

 

You are exactly right. If US Air goes down, I am sure there will be a lot of missed vacations and cruises. Anyone banking on other carriers having capacity, especially in the winter to Florida, should reasses their plans. Always have Plan B- be it a refundable ticket or another way to your cruise. It is the only way to play it safe.

 

Just another thought I have been pondering since the legislation was passed. Other carriers, most in poor financial condition themselves, may tell you they do NOT have any capacity. After all, they are being forced to carry you on their plane for no more than $50.00 RT. If they could not collect from US Air for the price of your ticket, the other carrier would only receive $50.00. Not a brilliant business decision. It would take a long time to prove there really was capacity. Too much hassle in my book.

[bUU]

How does this impact those of us who are travelling to a cruise and therefore, have a definite deadline to get to our destinations?

It doesn't, unless you get lucky. The other airlines are only obligated to offer you what they have available, after they service their own customers. The last time this provision was exercised, some folks had to wait three days for flights.

 

Don't you think it is safer to book a refundable ticket on another airline if it is affordable?

Unquestionably. Of course, a lot of folks are doing that, so that'll make it that much less likely that if the provision needs to be exercised, that those other airlines will have any inventory available to accommodate the displaced passengers.

[bUU]

The logic behind the $50 is that it represents the cost of handling the passenger reservation. The airline saves the cost of customer acquisition (which is incredibly high), and doesn't lose out on any revenue it would have earned otherwise, so that "cost" to that airline is rather minimal -- the cost of fuel and food for one extra body, which doesn't amount to much.

[parody]

The logic behind the $50 is that it represents the cost of handling the passenger reservation.

Probably true, but it is up to $50 round trip, and note the following posted at http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-12-08-airtix-usat_x.htm

 

Most airlines will probably charge the full $25 each way when honoring a ticket on a defunct airline, but don't assume you must pay that. Southwest, for instance, hasn't charged customers when flying passengers of defunct airlines in the past.