Anyone Use 1-800-FLY-EUROPE?

[SargassoPirate]

Looking to book a flight to Rome to catch a cruise. Currently I'm signed up for flights through the cruise line, however in doing a little surfing I ran across some better fares through 1-800-FLY-EUROPE.

 

Anyone ever use them, and how was it?

 

Thanks.

[ab0si]

May I suggest you check the cost through 18800skyeurope to the cost through the carrier's own website (or via Kayak.com)? If 800europe's cost is less, you will be getting consolidator tickets. This means that the airline has sold the tickets to a "bucket shop" who is reselling them. If there is a problem with your flights your rights are much less than if you bought "normal" tickets. By the way, the same is true for "cheap" tickets purchased through a cruise line.

 

Whether the savings are worth the potential problems is an individual decision, but it is important, I think, to know what you are buying.

[SargassoPirate]

May I suggest you check the cost through 18800skyeurope to the cost through the carrier's own website (or via Kayak.com)? If 800europe's cost is less, you will be getting consolidator tickets. This means that the airline has sold the tickets to a "bucket shop" who is reselling them. If there is a problem with your flights your rights are much less than if you bought "normal" tickets. By the way, the same is true for "cheap" tickets purchased through a cruise line.

 

Whether the savings are worth the potential problems is an individual decision, but it is important, I think, to know what you are buying.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

The price is about $400 less per person that through the cruise line and the cruise line price is about another $400 less than the airline's website.

 

What's the downside?

[FlyerTalker]

A search of this forum for "consolidator" should bring up numerous posts on the restrictions and drawbacks of these tickets. Also, the sticky at the top of the page has info.

[SargassoPirate]

Just an update, I went with 1800FLYEUROPE. From their choices on flight times, I could see that, even though it was a blind booking like Hotwire, it was probably going to be the same flights I found on the British Airways website.

 

Sure enough, it was. Within minutes of doing the online booking, I called in to 1800FLYEUROPE and got my booking number with British Airways, went online with the airline, and chose my seats.

 

Overall gain for about 30 minutes work online and on the phone was an $800 savings PP over the airlines website and a $400 savings PP over the cruise line's price.

[FlyerTalker]

And just what is the fare basis for your ticket? Is it a published fare, or is it a consolidator fare? I guess that you are perfectly happy trading the price differential for the restrictions on consolidator tickets.

 

Yes -- if price is the driving factor, you may have gotten a good deal. Was it an informed purchase, though???

[SargassoPirate]

And just what is the fare basis for your ticket? Is it a published fare, or is it a consolidator fare? I guess that you are perfectly happy trading the price differential for the restrictions on consolidator tickets.

 

Yes -- if price is the driving factor, you may have gotten a good deal. Was it an informed purchase, though???

 

Let's see, restricted ticket from British Airways website $1,300, restricted ticket through the cruise line $800, restricted ticket through consolidator $400. Savings of $900? Yep, I'm happy.

[greatam]

Let's see, restricted ticket from British Airways website $1,300, restricted ticket through the cruise line $800, restricted ticket through consolidator $400. Savings of $900? Yep, I'm happy.

 

All "restrictions" are not the same. And again, you appear to be merely looking at price.

 

Two of the restrictions that are generally found with consolidator class tickets that may have a large impact on your cruise: 1) IF you are booked on flight XXX, which is scheduled to depart upon debarkation of your cruise at 1:00PM, changes the departure time to 9:00AM, MANY consolidator class tickets DO NOT allow you to receive a refund OR change to another flight which works with your cruise. Flight XXX is still flying, even though it leaves 4 hours earlier. You either take flight XXX at 9:00AM or loose your ticket. Some consolidator tickets allow the change-with a HUGE change fee-about $500.00pp. And of course, there must be space available on the flight you want to change to. The closer to flight departure the flight schedule changes, the less likely there will be space available. YOU will pay for any accommodations (hotel, food, transport) while you wait for another flight with open seating. And you MAY pay for a hugely expensive "walk up" ticket if you can't make your original flight.

 

2) IF a problem occurs with your flight-doesn't matter what the problem is-your ticket is NON ENDORSABLE to another carrier. Means you will fly British Airways and no other carrier. What impact does that have on you??? You may be waiting 1 or two days for space available seating. And since it is a NON ENDORSABLE ticket, quite a few of the "protections" you acquire with an airline booked ticket disappear. You are essentially on your own for hotels, food, transport while you wait for space available seating.

 

While consolidator tickets can offer super bargains when you book only by price, there are considerable downsides that many are not aware of. And being able to handle the problems at a foreign airport with a non USA carrier takes a great deal of airline knowledge. PLEASE be prepared to handle the problems if they occur. Otherwise, your "bargain" ticket may cost you more than a non discounted ticket in the end.

[Jade13]

Let's see, restricted ticket from British Airways website $1,300, restricted ticket through the cruise line $800, restricted ticket through consolidator $400. Savings of $900? Yep, I'm happy.

 

That is a good savings. Are you going at least a day early?

 

I bought consolidator tickets years ago to India (there were a bunch of us) but we were not on much of a schedule. Just had to be at a wedding in two weeks.

[rlkubi]

I went through 1-800-FLY-EUROPE for our cruise departing from Rome in October. Just got a call today that Alitalia cancelled the flight. We have the option to take another flight the next day or very early the same day or cancel those and go with AA for a small amount more. We are going with AA. They have been terrific.

[SargassoPirate]

That is a good savings. Are you going at least a day early?

 

I bought consolidator tickets years ago to India (there were a bunch of us) but we were not on much of a schedule. Just had to be at a wedding in two weeks.

 

Thanks. Yes, we are arriving in Rome a full two days before the cruise, so we should be OK even if Murphy's Law kicks in. We NEVER fly the day of the cruise. Too risky.