Messed Up Air, Courtesy Of Hal

[HomeLover]

Hi everyone,

Of course, I considered overnighting as soon as HAL booked my flights and I saw the times. But when they said it was no problem, I just forgot about it.

Luckily, I have travelled enough to have my own way with jet lag, so that is no problem at all.

As to the "new" flights, there is a big difference. I leave earlier, have a 4 hour layover in Frankfurt beginning at 5:45 A.M.!!! So overall, my travel time is 3 hours more. That is a lot of wasted time.

[fmax]

Having read through this, the main issue I see isn't whether the OP should fly in the day before or what other cruisers recommend but is that the OP's new flight, and original flight both arrive at 1:00 p.m. but the reason the original one was changed was that they indicated it had to arrive by noon.

 

the only sense I can make in this is if they're missing a few important words, like "day of departure". It might be that it has to arrive by noon the day of departure then it would make sense that the flight is now 1:00 p.m. but the day before. This, of course, is only conjecture on my part but would make sense of what's happened although can't figure out why the original flight would have been booked when it didn't meet their own guidelines.

[sail7seas]

Knowing you are a former TA makes me even more surprised at your choice of scheduling to book a transatlantic flight that arrives few hours before the ship sails. Surely during your time as a TA, you must have had customers who missed the ship? I'm trying hard to understand booking such a close connection and cannot fathom your thinking.

 

I know you have no responsibility to make me understand but it sure would be helpful. I'm utterly shocked such an experienced traveler, fully cognizant of the realities of air travel these days is unwilling to fly the day before without being forced to do so.

 

I hope it works perfectly for you but hope that 'newbies' do not think this is a good idea. I cannot agree it is a 'smart' choice to make in the current air travel environment. Flights get cancelled left and right sometimes for no (trulthfully) apparent reason.

 

 

fmax........... OP did seek a discussion about fly in the day before as he mentioned he will have to pay for the hotel and I think it integral to the whole question here and an appropriate part of the conversation. An opening post looks for comments. I think 'day before' comments make sense in this conversation. JMHO......

[HomeLover]

7 seas,

I can understand your confusion. When I first saw the flights, I discussed it with my TA and we both were concerned, but called HAL and they said this was the flight they used from the east coast and it was absolutely no problem. If they had said it was very chancy, I would have booked the day before immediately.

 

FYEI, I am a female. LOL

[sail7seas]

HAL should never have said that. They have NO control over flights being cancelled or delayed or anything to do with those planes.

 

Just because in the past, the flights had gone as scheduled, means nothing.

 

Sorry for addressing you as 'he' . :o I have no clue why I thought gent instead of lady. Forgive me, please.

 

 

 

[silleecruiser]

Hi everyone,

Of course, I considered overnighting as soon as HAL booked my flights and I saw the times. But when they said it was no problem, I just forgot about it.

Luckily, I have travelled enough to have my own way with jet lag, so that is no problem at all.

As to the "new" flights, there is a big difference. I leave earlier, have a 4 hour layover in Frankfurt beginning at 5:45 A.M.!!! So overall, my travel time is 3 hours more. That is a lot of wasted time.

 

Just curious, but on your original flights - where and how long was your layover.

 

In reading this additional information, it maybe that taking the new flights - with the longer layover in Frankfort - may benefit you if the first flight is late - more likely to make connection, less likely to be delayed on arrival in Athens. Although both flights are scheduled to arrive in Athens at the same time - the longer layover would take some of the undertainty out of the equation.

 

Just a thought.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have also been following this.

 

I understand your situation -- flights to anywhere are getting to be a real problem.

 

HAL had to have given you a reason why they are not booking the flights you wanted since you paid the air deviation -- there has to be another reason since the final flight arrives at the same time as before. So it appears that it has something to do with the first flight.

 

Personally I would fly in a day early -- we have been to Athens a few times -- but it would be just for my peace f mind.

 

Hope you get everything straightened out.

 

[cccole]

Cherie, I wish you were on this cruise. I think we would have fun. Our group has grown to about 50 people from cc

Gregdude, don't speak of what you know nothing. This TA I would trust with my life. She has been my TA for 24 years, I used to work with her when I was a TA. AND I was on the extension when she spoke to HAL, so I am well aware of what was said on each end.

Thanks, Thrifty. See you on board.

 

You and me both!!!!! Fall is my favorite time to travel just about anywhere in the world, but until all three kids are in college it is not an option. And...when all three are in college we won't be able to afford it.

 

I'm hoping you will post a positive outcome today. There must have been others on that flight who are in the same situation and trying to get everything worked out. Even if going in a day early is not your preference maybe HAL will come up with a nice OBC.

 

Have fun!!!!!!! Cherie

[Jade13]

Will they book it if you are not using nor paying for HAL's transfer to the ship?

 

Either way, I would not be on a flight that was scheduled to get in at 1:00pm for a 5:00pm or so departure. Let them book you a day early but have them refund the air deviation (since you paid to pick your flight which you can no longer use etc) and find your own hotel as I am sure you will do better. That is the best way to resolve this issue.

 

HAL will not pay for your hotel.

 

Also, even if your flight arrives on time, if you had to switch aircraft your luggage may not. After never having a problem in 30 years of flying, we went to Rome on Lufthansa this summer and our luggage was on a later flight. We arrived on time. The luggage was delivered to our hotel sometime between 11:00pm and 5:00am the next morning. Thankfully we did not fly in the same day as our cruise.

 

Oh and now that you have mentioned "Frankfurt", well you need lots of time at that airport. Will you be on Lufthansa? Flying from Rome on Lufthansa in 2007 and to Rome on Lufthansa in 2008, we had to leave the aircraft on the tarmac, wait for a bus and then be driven to the terminal. We had to get in line and go through security screening in both directions.

[pstata]

HomeLover,

 

You have mail.

 

Sandy (pstata)

[sail7seas]

Unless they have drastically improved in the last few years, Lufthansa connections are miserable! They ran us around like idiots connecting in Stutgart. I swore never again and so far I have kept my word. :)

 

[Jade13]

Unless they have drastically improved in the last few years, Lufthansa connections are miserable! They ran us around like idiots connecting in Stutgart. I swore never again and so far I have kept my word. :)

 

 

They have direct flights from Boston to Frankfurt. Their main hub is in Frankfurt as far as I know. The only thing I can say about Frankfurt is you need to pull out a copy of the terminal plan while you are on the plane. Last year we speed walked and our connecting flight was boarding when we arrived at the gate. We have flow them to India as well.

[Copper10-8]

Unless they have drastically improved in the last few years, Lufthansa connections are miserable! They ran us around like idiots connecting in Stutgart. I swore never again and so far I have kept my word. :)

 

 

 

Try Amsterdam-Schiphol - Best airport in Europe!:)

[cccole]

Homelover - I just pulled your cruise up on an internet site. You are even luckier than I thought. 24 Nights!!!!! And the ports of call!!!!! OMG!!!!! Don't miss the ship!!!!

 

Cherie

[sail7seas]

They have direct flights from Boston to Frankfurt. Their main hub is in Frankfurt as far as I know. The only thing I can say about Frankfurt is you need to pull out a copy of the terminal plan while you are on the plane. Last year we speed walked and our connecting flight was boarding when we arrived at the gate. We have flow them to India as well.

 

 

Jade........ We were not flying from Boston to Frankfurt! We werew flying through Europe. But thanks anyway! Not ALL our flights lead to or from Boston :D

 

We do not/never have flown Lufthansa transatlantic.

 

I'm with Copper. Schiphol is way ahead of the others.

 

I can never use love or even like and airport in the same sentence. I hate them all but I hate Amsterdam's far less than some others. :D

[sail7seas]

sorry......double.

[mamaofami]

Homelover, just curious because it's a real problem for me. What do you do to avoid jet lag issues?

[HomeLover]

Carol, it is simple, even though I do not sleep on planes. As soon as I get on board, I lie down and nap for an hour or two (depending on when my luggage arrives). That is enough to get me charged again until about 10PM.

fmax: didn't mean to ignore you...I am not sure what you are saying about day of departure. My original flight arrived at 1PM on day of departure, and my new flight arrives at 1PM on day of departure. Their reason of needing to arrive by 12N defies explanation.

[DesertDogs]

...I am not sure what you are saying about day of departure. My original flight arrived at 1PM on day of departure, and my new flight arrives at 1PM on day of departure. Their reason of needing to arrive by 12N defies explanation.

 

OK - Now I am confused. If the original flight arrived at 1PM on day of departure and now the new flight arrives at 1PM on day of departure - What am I missing??? Why is this a problem???:confused:

[HomeLover]

Because of lousy connections and an additional 3 hours travel time.

[wrp96]

What was the original connection time and airport and what is the new connecting airport?

[Boytjie]

Their reason of needing to arrive by 12N defies explanation.

 

I don't think it defies explanation, they don't want you to miss the ship's departure. Now I don't know exactly where or how the problem occurred before where the apparently were OK with that deviation to arrive at 1 pm, but maybe they reached a different opinion. Could be that recent experience indicated a potential problem area?

[DesertDogs]

Because of lousy connections and an additional 3 hours travel time.

 

So are you still scheduled on the 1PM arrival on the day of departure or are you going to fly in the day before?

[Pam in CA]

Sorry guys, you missed my point. THEY set up the flights. They should have said that it was too close to embarkation. I am not a novice cruiser. This will be my 19th cruise, my 6th to Europe and I have always flown in on day of departure. My point was that they rebooked flights that still got me in at the same time as my original flights and my original flights are still operating, they have not been cancelled.

Personally, I think you are taking a major risk flying in the day of departure, particularly with today's flight schedules getting so messed up and so many delays.

 

I'm in the opposite situation: I booked my own flights on Delta and am disembarking on October 30th, the day you embark. My flight was supposed to leave at 12:30PM -- which I thought was perfect: time to get off the ship, go to the airport, etc. A couple of weeks ago, Delta changed my flight to 10:05AM, which is going to be a mad scramble for me since the ship isn't supposed to dock until 7AM. I called Delta and was told that's the only flight that day to JFK (where I'm connecting to LAX) and I had three options: try to make the 10:05AM flight, stay over and fly out the next day, or pay through the nose to cancel my ticket and rebook both flights to LAX. After being away for almost five weeks, I really, really didn't want to delay another day so I've chosen the latter and have arranged for a taxi (who we know) to pick me up at the ship and hot-tail it to the airport. Lucky me, I get to spend over 5 hours at JFK between flights rather than 2.5 hours.

[sail7seas]

Oooh, Pam. You think you have enough time for an International Flight checkin? Isn't it three hours required?

Sorry to hear they have put you in this position.

 

Both of our Jet Blue flights for December to FLL have changed since we booked. They still work okay for us but would not be surprised to see more changes.