[IP] more on Hidden dangers in "free" air tickets
Begin forwarded message:
From: Johan <johan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: January 7, 2006 3:05:40 PM EST
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, plevy@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IP] Hidden dangers in "free" air tickets
Paul Levy writes:
About a month ago, on one such call, I learned really by
happenstance that the evening flight DOWN to Santiago was no
leaving an hour earlier, so that the connecting flight we were
taking to Toronto would not get us there in time so make the
connection. But nobody had bothered to let us know of this change.
That is very strange indeed, unless you bought the two tickets
separately, in which case the airline wouldn't be able to track them.
>
> So, we get
to Toronto and learn the truth -- it is not that seats are to be
assigned day of travel, but they have oversold the flight and even
though WE made our reservations in February, oddly enough WE are
the ones who have no seats and we have to hope that enough people
don't show up so that we can take our vacation.
> In the end, we did get on the plane, and we had a wonderful vacation;
> but the experience left a bitter tatse in our mouths about US Airways
> and Air Canada.
Alas, that is how most airilines work, not just those two; there is a
well defined seniority ordering of who gets kicked off the plane if
it is too full, and unfortunately, how well in advance you made your
reservation has no impact on that. First class passengers trump
economy, full fare trumps lower fare, low fare trumps free tickets,
premium frequent fliers trump non-premiums, and unaccompanied minors
trump everyone but the pilot.
It used to be that the gate agents had alot of discretion over who to
kick and who to upgrade, but like so many other fields, this is being
increasingly regulated by codifed and verifed policies.
Johan
-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To manage your subscription, go to
http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip
Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/