Just a heads up if you are flying AA

[Murphey]

Just wanted to give my CC friends a heads-up if you are flying American. They have cancelled and changed many flights.

 

I just happened by chance to check my flights last night for a cruise we have scheduled not til end of October. Much to my surprise, all my flight times had been changed without notification (you can only set up automatic flight notifications 90 days out).

 

They had us on a flight out of FLL the day the ship comes in at 9:45 a.m. HA!!

 

After spending a ton of time with an agent, we did get it straightened out (I hope we can make an 11:15 flight!). I thanked the agent for keeping at it until she got us on a suitable flight (first requests were denied, and she kept climbing up the food chain), and she thanked me for not "yelling" at her.:eek:

 

Just wanted to warn you guys so you can be prepared if need be.

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for the heads-up. Just checked my AA flights to/from Europe in July and all is well.

[isujim]

While at it.........you might be checking Continental and United as well......a sign of the future I'm afraid.

[janetz]

We just came off the CB on Wed. My sister had a flight to Alabama for 2pm. Got to Newark, delayed. Got on the flight at 4 to Dulles and thank goodness the connecting flight was delayed. Sat around and United cancelled that. :eek: She had to go to a hotel overnight for a 4pm departure the next afternoon! She got home Thursday night at 7pm. She has travel insurance which will pay for her taxi and hotel stay.

Don't depend on any flight being on time anymore.

[Pam in CA]

We just came off the CB on Wed. My sister had a flight to Alabama for 2pm. Got to Newark, delayed. Got on the flight at 4 to Dulles and thank goodness the connecting flight was delayed. Sat around and United cancelled that. :eek: She had to go to a hotel overnight for a 4pm departure the next afternoon! She got home Thursday night at 7pm. She has travel insurance which will pay for her taxi and hotel stay. Don't depend on any flight being on time anymore.

One of the problems with connecting flights is that if her plane from Dulles to Alabama was coming in from the mid-West, for instance, there've been severe thunderstorms and tornados that would have delayed or cancelled flights to the East coast. It's not always the airlines' fault. :( This is why direct flights are almost always better and safer albeit more expensive.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

One of the problems with connecting flights is that if her plane from Dulles to Alabama was coming in from the mid-West, for instance, there've been severe thunderstorms and tornados that would have delayed or cancelled flights to the East coast. It's not always the airlines' fault. :( This is why direct flights are almost always better and safer albeit more expensive.

 

I'd be more than happy to pay the higher fee for a direct flight. All I have to do is find one.:( We have been able to get direct flights easily from Philly but almost every flight out of here anymore has at least one connection.

 

Bill

[Pam in CA]

I'd be more than happy to pay the higher fee for a direct flight. All I have to do is find one.:( We have been able to get direct flights easily from Philly but almost every flight out of here anymore has at least one connection.

I hear you. My daughter lives in way northern NH and when she comes to visit me, she has two choices: fly out of MHT (Manchester, NH ) to SNA (Orange Cty, CA, which is only 15 minutes away from me), always requiring at least one connection, or drive 3 hours to Boston for a direct flight to LAX (which is a good hour each way.) She now goes from Boston to LAX just so that she can get a direct flight.

[janetz]

One of the problems with connecting flights is that if her plane from Dulles to Alabama was coming in from the mid-West, for instance, there've been severe thunderstorms and tornados that would have delayed or cancelled flights to the East coast. It's not always the airlines' fault. :( This is why direct flights are almost always better and safer albeit more expensive.

 

 

Direct flights are the only way to go if you can find one and if you can afford it. :)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

They had no pilot to fly the plane.

 

Welcome back!! How was your CB cruise? I trust it was a good one.:)

 

My apologies for HIJACKING!:o

 

Bill

[cruiserbryce]

its frustrating how the airlines have been operating...I dont know why you would only be able to set up automatic flight change updates 90 days out...there is a lot of planning that goes into trips much further in advance than 90days and changes like the one above can really screw up plans

[janetz]

Welcome back!! How was your CB cruise? I trust it was a good one.:)

 

My apologies for HIJACKING!:o

 

Bill

 

 

It was GREAT! I saw that you have the patters from the 9 day. Since I forgot a few. I am glad you got them. We had no issues. Everything was wonderful, just as before. My favorite person was "Carla" at Crooners. She makes a wicked Milky Way martini. Crooners is deadly...:D

[sammiedawg]

IMO the airline situation is going to severely impact the cruising industry. For me 7 day cruises no longer make sense when the airfare price approaches the cost of the 7 day cruise. We typically do a 7 day trip from Florida or California in Nov or Dec non holiday week when cruises are inexpensive. We have a HAL booked this year on a brand new ship early Dec , we have not booked the air yet. However the pricing and schedules are bad and we may cancel. We have been to the Caribbean many many times and we have no interest in the ports. We go to relax and enjoy the ambience.

 

I'm sure the cruiselines will try new ports closer to the population centers but there is only so much they can do during cold weather months

[Murphey]

sammie...I agree totally. Especially when you don't live in a "port" city. We live in Oregon, there is no way to get to FL without at lease one connection. It's getting harder to get anywhere. 90% of cruising for us has to include a plane ride. So, those who live within driving distance of a port, consider yourselves very lucky...expecially with $150/barrel in the future (near) I think we will be slowing our much beloved cruising days....

[Colo Cruiser]

While at it.........you might be checking Continental and United as well......a sign of the future I'm afraid.

 

 

and Frontier, and US Airways and all the rest.

Yes you never know from day to day. :rolleyes:

[johnmik1]

Just wanted to give my CC friends a heads-up if you are flying American. They have cancelled and changed many flights.

 

I just happened by chance to check my flights last night for a cruise we have scheduled not til end of October. Much to my surprise, all my flight times had been changed without notification (you can only set up automatic flight notifications 90 days out).

 

They had us on a flight out of FLL the day the ship comes in at 9:45 a.m. HA!!

 

After spending a ton of time with an agent, we did get it straightened out (I hope we can make an 11:15 flight!). I thanked the agent for keeping at it until she got us on a suitable flight (first requests were denied, and she kept climbing up the food chain), and she thanked me for not "yelling" at her.:eek:

 

Just wanted to warn you guys so you can be prepared if need be.

 

We have flown home from FLL post cruise twice this year and have been at the gate at 8:45 each time.

[sammiedawg]

Murphey, we dont live near a cruise port either. And we almost always need a connection unless we drive 2 to 3 hours to another city

Generally do one significant cruise a year ( last few years Europe) and then a 7 day trip Florida or California cruise later in the year. Between bad airline schedules, delays, connections and high air prices it will be harder to justify. I'm torn about going on the Eurodam in December, we may go but I'll think twice about booking something similiar next year.

I'm also sad

[Murphey]

We have flown home from FLL post cruise twice this year and have been at the gate at 8:45 each time.

 

Quite possible, I'm sure, but I don't have that comfort level, and I don't want to worry about it. I've called it too close before, and both times it was extremely stressful. Also, it's not just that flight we have to be concerned about...we have connections to make too! I might feel differently if it was just one flight home!

[Pia1913]

Don't get too complacent; keep checking. American changed all our flights w/o informing us; just accidentally found it on the website. This is for June 30th and July 4th - Vegas, not a cruise.

 

Delta OTOH, cancelled our September 3rd flight totally from ATL to Copenhagen and never bothered to inform us about that either. Fortunately we can still go on the 4th, arrive on the 5th and make our cruise on the 7th. We'll just stay in CPH 2 nights instead of three.

 

Keep checking your flights everyone; every day if necessary. Especially those of you who fly the same day to/from a cruise.

 

Pia

[Julia’s Journey’s]

It is getting bad, DD and her friend are flying home from Baltimore to go on vacation with me and I hope they don't have problems as this will be there first flight without parents:eek:

 

We still have 5 months before our flight to FL, so hopefully things improve by then:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[cruiserjanet]

We had a direct flight (AA) from LAX to Ft. Lauderdale for our Panama Canal cruise (February 2009) and I checked a few weeks ago and there is not a single one. They changed it on us. We now have a 50 minute layover in Dallas. I thought about changing to Miami (since there are several direct flights) but it's 32 miles to Ft. Lauderdale and, with gas prices these days, might as well sell the house to pay for the shuttle or taxi to get us there. :rolleyes: I checked with our TA and she said our flight could get changed again. We booked it on our own but now I'm wondering if I should have booked it through Princess.

[cwtravel]

Southwest Airlines.

 

I am lucky, I live in Maryland and Southwest flies to all US based ports, or close to them (say FLL vs. Miami), with many on non-stop flights. I also fly them often for business so I get about 8 freebies per year and my wife flies free (I do not work for them).

 

THe reality is that their fares are always competitive, they have more resources and are more profitable than any other domestic airline and they do not have any luggage fees - and don't misplace many bags. I have flown them to Seattle, Ft. Lauderdale and San Diego for cruises. If only they went to Europe.

 

Chris

[cali fashionista]

Thanks!just checked and my flight is the same.Wheww!:o

[Quacker]

Be ready for anything. All was well with the flight and times just a few hours before we left home for the airport. They canceled our flight one hour before takeoff. It was a direct flight from LAX to JFK. Sent us to Dallas then JFK.(that flight was delayed 5 hours) We got to JFK 9 hours late missing our flight to Helsinki. On the way home our "Direct" flight was canceled and we were sent to Chicago - then LAX. I guess the only positive thing was our luggage did make it with us! Don

[fathercop]

Thanks for the warning. I am flying the family out to New York in two weeks for our 9 CB cruise and I am using 5 free roundtrip tickets. I am going to check their status now.

 

Many thanks.

[katisdale]

Thanks for the heads up. I checked ours and we have - so far - only had minor changes but will continue to be very vigilant until I get in the 90 day window and can get the automatic updates.