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Secret carrier


hulamoon

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So I haven't organized the review or pictures from last cruise yet, but I am pricing airfare to Europe again. For me cruise fare is down air is down, why not.;)

 

So does anyone think the secret carrier is a good choice? If so why?

 

If you do not know what I am talking about,, it is a special low fare, the same price as delta and American. But on a secret carrier.

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I know what you mean...and even when I delete a variety of the options the secret carrier is still offered....and won't let you know until you book....Has anyone booked this and if so the outcome please :confused:

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Do you know the restrictions ahead of time? For example, the fare could be completely nonchangeable...take the flight or forfeit the entire fare. What if the flight is cancelled or rescheduled ? (which happens a lot nowadays). Are you automatically rebooked onto another flight at a different time or date with no recourse if the new flight doesn't work for your cruise? If the "mystery airline" is Aeroflot with a 10-hour layover in Moscow is that acceptable? The devil's in the details...you need to understand exactly what you give up and what risks you're taking in exchange for the low price. Otherwise you can't make an informed choice.

 

Also, why would you pick an unknown airline versus AA or DL if the fare is the same? There are quite a few airlines with better service than AA and DL but there are also ones that are far worse.

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I am flying from Honolulu to Rome. That is 19 to 36 hours. Average 24 per leg.

 

My understanding is the secret carrier is usually an upgrade, this price is the same as I paid on Swiss air two months ago. That was one sardine packed cabin.

 

A couple of years ago I read of people ending up in business class, and well, I know how awful the others will be, so thinking of spinning the wheel.

 

I suppose my flights could be worse, but not sure how.

 

I can buy insurance, but wondered, does anyone know anything from experience?

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My understanding is the secret carrier is usually an upgrade . ..

 

A couple of years ago I read of people ending up in business class . . .

 

Unverified? Anecdotal? Anything in writing? If you know the # of stops and flight time you could guess the airline. If you proceed, obviously assume it'll be economy class with, perhaps, a chance for an upgrade (though upgrades have been harder to get even over the past couple of years).

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I don't know what the basis for the "secret carrier" is - cruise air, Priceline, Hotwire, some consolidator?

 

Just because you heard that someone a "couple of years ago" got upgraded on a "secret airline" is, in my view, no reason at all to think you might be similarly lucky. On the contrary, the majority of "secret" air travel tickets I've ever seen have involved really awful itineraries, and usually involved numerous Air Canada flights with horrendous flight times or really lengthy layovers. (For example, HNL - Vancouver - Toronto (wait) - Europe..)

 

Without more information, however (when, where to, etc.) our guesses will be quite worthless.

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My understanding is the secret carrier is usually an upgrade,
And the source of this "understanding"? I'd venture that none of the regulars here would have that same view.
A couple of years ago I read of people ending up in business class, and well, I know how awful the others will be, so thinking of spinning the wheel.
This just about defies all logic. Airlines sell business class seats for big margins, and are stingy about upgrades even for their best customers. Why would they give it to a random person for the same price as coach?
I can buy insurance, but wondered, does anyone know anything from experience?
And just what is this "insurance" supposed to do for you? Travel insurance is designed to compensate the traveler for monetary losses. It does not ensure that you get somewhere, or that you get there on time. Just monetary costs. And even then, it is often far from all-encompassing.

 

Big myth in the travel world....that "insurance" solves all problems and makes up for poor decisions up front.

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OP - On what website are you looking? I assume it's Kayak. What do you mean by "an upgrade"? If you choose the "secret carrier" option on Kayak (if it's even offered on the routing/dates you want), it will clearly say the class of service you are paying for.

 

For the dummy booking I did, when I chose "secret carrier" it took me to airfare.com to purchase the ticket. For another dummy booking, it took me to Vayama. All these sites sell consolidator tickets. You might be able to figure out the carrier, as it shows you the approximate flight times.

 

Highly doubt you're going to get business class when you are only paying for coach. I have no idea how insurance would help you.

 

Personally, I would pass on this.

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the same price as delta and American. But on a secret carrier.

 

Why bargain on an unknown when the price is the same as known carriers? :confused:

 

And the source of this "understanding"? I'd venture that none of the regulars here would have that same view.

This just about defies all logic. Airlines sell business class seats for big margins, and are stingy about upgrades even for their best customers.

 

Big myth in the travel world....that "insurance" solves all problems and makes up for poor decisions up front.

 

Ditto everything Flyertalker said. Airlines simply to not give away business class seats for coach prices on international flights. Not even to their top level elites, who get domestic upgrades all the time. There are plenty of people who will PAY for biz seat on long haul flights.

As for insurance, it won't help if you decide to cancel your flight simply because you didn't get the upgrade that you "had an understanding" you would get.

 

Personally, I would pass on this.

 

As would I. Too many unknowns.

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Maybe the secret airline is the one that flies to Area 51, oh wait that's really not a secret anymore is it? :rolleyes: And it only flies from LAS to Area 51 so that won't help the OP. :D

Personally I would stick to the established carrier's especially if they are the same price as the "secret airline".

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The flight was probably virgin America, and it arrived in less time than most. I can only be mostly sure because of the air range of times given.

 

I do not believe it stopped in area 51. I think this because it was faster in arrival than almost all carriers.

 

If my flights were fabulous on the known carriers, I wouldn't have considered an unknown one. :p

 

We buy insurance for cancellation for any reason, including we need to reschedule.

 

Years ago I found a lot of articles on secret carriers, and hardly a one now. Maybe it is just a scam.

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Someone somewhere must have flown on a secret carrier ticket and can report. I have moved to a new idea for flights, but still, so many are sold. Where are those passengers?:eek:

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We buy insurance for cancellation for any reason, including we need to reschedule.

But even a policy with "cancel for any reason" coverage will not reimburse you 100%. Most of the ones I've read lately will only cover 50-75% of your costs, so this is not financially a good strategy if you don't like the flight times you get.

 

Better to just book directly with the airline and choose the flights you want.

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Someone somewhere must have flown on a secret carrier ticket and can report. I have moved to a new idea for flights, but still, so many are sold. Where are those passengers?:eek:

 

Why would anyone take a chance on a "secret carrier" when the KNOWN commodity is the same price?? Beyond my comprehension.

 

As for getting a "free" upgrade, forget it. I am fighting tooth and nail for a miles + co-pay upgrade from JFK to LHR this summer (continuing on to Kuwait on BA, NOT going to the Olympics as the AA EXP desk keeps reminding me) and I am top tier on AA.

 

It is the same price as other airlines. WHAT are you gaining??? As 6rugrats pointed out, the secret carrier on the search directed to consolidator tickets. From a business standpoint, it would be a good way for a consolidator to "dump" some of their bulk purchase tickets with the heavy restrictions on unsuspecting customers for the same price as other airlines. The consolidators make a few more dollars on their heavily restricted tickets than they would normally and "people" think they are getting something special. No benefit whatsoever that I can even conjure up.

 

Secret carrier-a joke and a scam.

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Do you know the restrictions ahead of time? For example, the fare could be completely nonchangeable...take the flight or forfeit the entire fare. What if the flight is cancelled or rescheduled ? (which happens a lot nowadays). Are you automatically rebooked onto another flight at a different time or date with no recourse if the new flight doesn't work for your cruise? If the "mystery airline" is Aeroflot with a 10-hour layover in Moscow is that acceptable? The devil's in the details...you need to understand exactly what you give up and what risks you're taking in exchange for the low price. Otherwise you can't make an informed choice.

 

Also, why would you pick an unknown airline versus AA or DL if the fare is the same? There are quite a few airlines with better service than AA and DL but there are also ones that are far worse.

 

Another poster who believes an airline ticket, no matter where purchased, is the same as an airline ticket purchased from an airline website. The concept of different RULES doesn't even come into play in their thinking. The concept of those different RULES impacting their travel if there is any kind of glitch also does not come into play.

 

The OP suggested on another thread to look at the Choice Air tickets. Obviously, the RULES are not part of the equation. How many people have posted they got a PNR, a seat and flight details with their consolidator tickets??? They truly believe they purchased the same tickets as sold directly by the airline.

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Call me old fashioned but I do not like to buy a pig-in-a poke! That includes mystery airlines.

 

We have been tempted once or twice but would not do it-most particularly on a

long international flight.

 

We like to know the carrier, the layovers, and the options as it pertains to other flights by the same carrier in case of trouble-before we push the purchase button.

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Another poster who believes an airline ticket, no matter where purchased, is the same as an airline ticket purchased from an airline website. The concept of different RULES doesn't even come into play in their thinking. The concept of those different RULES impacting their travel if there is any kind of glitch also does not come into play.

 

The OP suggested on another thread to look at the Choice Air tickets. Obviously, the RULES are not part of the equation. How many people have posted they got a PNR, a seat and flight details with their consolidator tickets??? They truly believe they purchased the same tickets as sold directly by the airline.

 

 

 

I have purchased tickets from choice air and the rules were the same as directly with the airline, they say if the flight is refundable. With celebrity giving 200 to 600 dollars back, I do not know why anyone would not consider this.

 

I realize I am communicating with realists, but education is preferrable to smack downs.

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Another poster who believes an airline ticket, no matter where purchased, is the same as an airline ticket purchased from an airline website. The concept of different RULES doesn't even come into play in their thinking. The concept of those different RULES impacting their travel if there is any kind of glitch also does not come into play.

 

The OP suggested on another thread to look at the Choice Air tickets. Obviously, the RULES are not part of the equation. How many people have posted they got a PNR, a seat and flight details with their consolidator tickets??? They truly believe they purchased the same tickets as sold directly by the airline.

 

 

 

I have purchased tickets from choice air and the rules were the same as directly with the airline, they say if the flight is refundable. With celebrity giving 200 to 600 dollars back, I do not know why anyone would not consider this.

 

I realize I am communicating with realists, but education is preferrable to smack downs.

 

There is a time and place for Choice Air....IMO I'd only use it on a return flight from an outbound transatlantic or repositioning cruise, usually because of the expense of a one way overseas ticket. I wouldn't want to rely on it to get TO my cruise, as there have been too many horror stories of people not making their sailing and the cruise line failing to come through on their next-port protection claim.

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This is my first time on this section of cruise critic, but I have personally never met anyone in two years who had these issues, I have read about them from all cruise lines but I meet more roll call members thrilled with their rate and service than otherwise.

 

I know plenty of folks booking direct who get terrible service when a plane is cancelled. Back up plans are necessary.

 

Cancelled cruises seem to be a nightmare if passengers are on the road, but that is going to be a mess no matter what.

 

If I book direct or from choice air, which I also do for one ways, I fly in early, and when I don't I realize the risk, however small I take.

 

The op on the thread asked for assistance in booking trans Atlantic, not sure if they are cruising with the possibility of choice air, but not mentioning choice air or cruise line air seems to not serve that OP.

 

Iancal.. I understand not buying a pig in a poke, actually I really have no idea what that is, but have heard the phrase enough to have a general understanding. We moved on with our choice, would like to meet someone sometime who bought those tickets however. I have been so unhappy with known carriers for comfort and sometimes clean planes, that for a while at least it didn't seem like much risk at all. That is why I ended up here, to reach out to other experienced travelers.

 

I could be a risk taker, once I used Priceline for a hotel, but I scored,

so do not regret it. :rolleyes:

 

 

The reason someone must buy those tickets, is probably a lot like my consideration, steerage class on long haul flights has become unbearable.

 

Thanks for all the advice and humor.

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