Another Reason to Fly in Early

Delta is delaying all flights world wide this morning except those already in the air due to a computer outage. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2016/08/08/delta-grounds-all-flights-due-to-computer-outage/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_delta-6am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

The exact same thing happened to us in June 2011 en route to Italy from Washington, DC on United. Luckily it was for a land vacation and even more luckily my DH was global services on United and they re-routed all 6 of us the following day. I know some passengers - even in the first class lounge - were not being guaranteed a flight out for 2 or 3 days.

I continue to be amazed that there seem to be no redundancies for something as important as the computer system.

There are redundancies. Many of them. Sometimes a problem crashes the entire system.

Note that during the Southwest problem a few weeks ago, thousands ( heard the number was 1600) of servers had to be rebooted to fix the problem. That just takes time. Then recover all the planes, so they are where they need to be. More time.

I agree flying early...a day or two...is always the best idea.

And what if the Delta thing happened on the day you flew in early? There is no guarantee that you would be on the next day's flight.

And what if the Delta thing happened on the day you flew in early? There is no guarantee that you would be on the next day's flight.

At least you have the possibility of a favorable resolution, which you absolutely won't have if you fly in the day of your cruise. Seems pretty obvious to me... you also don't have the guarantee the plane won't crash. What do you have a guarantee of, in life? Death and taxes.

So you need to manage your risk the best way possible. Flying in the day of your crash is giving up almost any opportunity for resolution when there is a problem.

Flying in the day of your crash is giving up almost any opportunity for resolution when there is a problem.

And that would be one big problem.

And that would be one big problem.

Yes, that would be a serious problem! ;):D

Should, of course, be flying in the day of your cruise significantly reduces your chance of resolving a problem.

Amazing how some people want someone else to guarantee they will make it, while not taking any action themselves to reduce their risk of missing their cruise.

And what if the Delta thing happened on the day you flew in early? There is no guarantee that you would be on the next day's flight.

I would guarantee your odds of making the ship is better then walking up to a ground hold a few hours before you sail.

No guarantee's in life just better odds.

I would guarantee your odds of making the ship is better then walking up to a ground hold a few hours before you sail.

No guarantee's in life just better odds.

Excuse me, but what's a "ground hold"?

Excuse me, but what's a "ground hold"?

Aircraft being held on....the ground.

Also known as a ground stop. Means you are not taking off - instead the aircraft sits and waits with all wheels on the ground.

We booked Carnivals fly2fun where were flying the day of because they guarantee you will make the ship or they will fly you to the next port.

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I try to fly in early... Sometimes work won't allow it. It is a risk I have to take.

On my next cruise- out of Singapore- I am flying in 2 and half days early.

As for the Delta issue today-- my coworker's mother cannot get from Charlotte to Greenbay. They are say 2 to 3 days... Glad she is not heading out on a cruise.

I have heard that if you are trying to get to a cruise and you have delay, the airline will try to work with you. Not sure if that is urban myth or not.

This is the wording of Fly2Fun's Protection Program:

Fly2Fun Protection:

When you book Fly2Fun you automatically receive our complimentary flight protection. This offers protection in the event you experience travel disruptions resulting from weather conditions or other flight delays that cause you to miss your ship on the day of embarkation. We will make the necessary flight, hotel and/or ground transportation arrangements to get you to the next port of call on time at no expense to you. In other words, we take the worry out of air travel so that you can enjoy your vacation as soon as you leave your home. This benefit applies to both our Flexible Fare or Restricted Fare products.

I am not sure how they are able to guarantee they'll get you to the next port of call on time.

As a pilot, it was so eerie flying into Atlanta this morning. It was so empty with ATC. Only a couple of heavies flying in with us that weren't affected while in the air. When Southwest had this issue a few weeks ago, we were all so out of place, it took almost a week to seem like all the problems were completely fixed

This is the wording of Fly2Fun's Protection Program:

 

Fly2Fun Protection:

 

When you book Fly2Fun you automatically receive our complimentary flight protection. This offers protection in the event you experience travel disruptions resulting from weather conditions or other flight delays that cause you to miss your ship on the day of embarkation. We will make the necessary flight, hotel and/or ground transportation arrangements to get you to the next port of call on time at no expense to you. In other words, we take the worry out of air travel so that you can enjoy your vacation as soon as you leave your home. This benefit applies to both our Flexible Fare or Restricted Fare products.

 

I am not sure how they are able to guarantee they'll get you to the next port of call on time.

Bet many pax don't question how. Obviously there could be a situation such as weather that would make that promise impossible to keep. Guess they are hoping nobody gives it serious thought.

Flying in a day or two ahead is no guarantee but it does give you options you won't have day of.

Flying in a day or two ahead is no guarantee but it does give you options you won't have day of.

Isn't it better just to get insurance?

Isn't it better just to get insurance?

Do you think that "insurance" will get you to your cruise? If so, you are sadly mistaken.

Travel insurance is to protect against the FINANCIAL losses one may incur due to travel disruptions. They are very specific coverages that vary from company to company and policy to policy. They provide for a reimbursement of covered expenses incurred due to travel problems.

There is no way that "travel insurance" will be the magic bullet to "get you there". What it will do is protect you from financial loss....IF, and it's an important if, the incident is specifically covered by the policy AND the expenses are specifically covered by the policy. And unless you read the coverage terms and conditions, you can not safely assume anything other than that you have paid an insurance premium for some unknown type of coverage.

Insurance and pro-active risk mitigation are apples and oranges. Both tools in a risk-management program but definitely NOT interchangable pieces.

I'm not going to dispute the idea that flying in a day early is a good idea for a cruise...I do it as often as I can.

But I think what is more important is having a plan...knowing what your options are and knowing what course of action you plan to take in the event there is a glitch. Because a computer system that goes down is but one issue that can derail a flight.

There are a lot of people, I think, who look to the weather as the only significant issue that can derail their flight. Wake up to a clear day and woo hoo, we're on our way. But I have flown a few times where the weather has been perfect for flying, but I haven't gone anywhere because there is another issue that is keeping me on the ground.

The wise minds who help here on the Cruise Air Board have taught me...have a plan. Know the flights AFTER yours that will help, think about what you will do if you can't fly at all. It goes a long way towards 'insuring' your vacation plans are carried through.

And what if the Delta thing happened on the day you flew in early? There is no guarantee that you would be on the next day's flight.

No, but you'd have more time to make other arrangements, whether it means driving, taking a train, or getting booked on another airline.

We booked Carnivals fly2fun where were flying the day of because they guarantee you will make the ship or they will fly you to the next port.

Despite what they say, they cannot actually guarantee either of those things. Let's say you need to fly to the next port but the flights are all booked. Carnival cannot make the airlines add a flight and they won't charter a plane just for you. Or let's say you're leaving from Miami and the first stop is St. Thomas 2 days later. You won't be allowed to board there and return to Miami due to maritime laws. So they can claim they "guarantee" what you stated but in reality they can't guarantee that at all.

I have heard that if you are trying to get to a cruise and you have delay, the airline will try to work with you. Not sure if that is urban myth or not.

Not an urban myth per se, but also not any real reassurance. Will the airlines try to work with you if you are delayed? Of course, and it doesn't matter why you need to get where you're going.... cruise, graduation, wedding, funeral, important business meeting etc. But in a situation like yesterday with Delta? With hundreds of thousands of people needing to get rebooked? Good luck trying the "but we have a ship to board this afternoon" line. You know who's really getting accommodated first? Elite level frequent flyers. That is who is really valuable to the airline and that's who they want to help out the most. Furthermore, those folks get access to being helped a lot sooner than the once or twice a year flyer. When they call, the phone system recognizes their cell phone number and thus their status, and routes them to the top of the queue. And most have access to the airline club, where there are also agents who can assist them. Meanwhile, the once and twice a year flyers are stuck in a LONG line waiting to talk to a gate agent, or sitting in a crowded concourse waiting forever on hold because they are so far down the queue to speak to a phone rep.

So will they help you get to your cruise? Sure, they'll try. But realistically, by the time you get to talk to someone you're apt to find that all the alternative flights are booked.

 

There are a lot of people, I think, who look to the weather as the only significant issue that can derail their flight. Wake up to a clear day and woo hoo, we're on our way. But I have flown a few times where the weather has been perfect for flying

The thing to remember about weather is that the weather where YOU are is only one time component in the equation. Equally important is, what is the weather like where you are headed? What is the weather like in the city where you must connect? What is the weather like in the city where your aircraft is coming in before landing at your departure city? And the weather wherever your crew is coming in from? Was it bad there last night? Were they delayed getting in and will now have to delay your flight to meet mandatory crew rest rules?

It's fine to look out the window and say "oh good, weather looks great" but you could still be delayed or canceled due to weather just about anywhere else in the country!

We booked Carnivals fly2fun where were flying the day of because they guarantee you will make the ship or they will fly you to the next port.

 

 

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Read the fine print. You need to have a valid passport, there has to be an accessible airport (for example someone cruising RCCL where Labadee is the firstt port isn't going to join the ship until the 3rd or 4th day of the cruise), and there has to be available seats on the plane. Others will not be taken off for your convenience, as much as you might want to think it happens that way, the reality is that you are the standby passenger and will be the last to be able to get a seat.

Not an urban myth per se, but also not any real reassurance. Will the airlines try to work with you if you are delayed? Of course, and it doesn't matter why you need to get where you're going.... cruise, graduation, wedding, funeral, important business meeting etc. But in a situation like yesterday with Delta? With hundreds of thousands of people needing to get rebooked? Good luck trying the "but we have a ship to board this afternoon" line. You know who's really getting accommodated first? Elite level frequent flyers. That is who is really valuable to the airline and that's who they want to help out the most. Furthermore, those folks get access to being helped a lot sooner than the once or twice a year flyer. When they call, the phone system recognizes their cell phone number and thus their status, and routes them to the top of the queue. And most have access to the airline club, where there are also agents who can assist them. Meanwhile, the once and twice a year flyers are stuck in a LONG line waiting to talk to a gate agent, or sitting in a crowded concourse waiting forever on hold because they are so far down the queue to speak to a phone rep.

So will they help you get to your cruise? Sure, they'll try. But realistically, by the time you get to talk to someone you're apt to find that all the alternative flights are booked.

This! A few years ago I landed in PHL to find that my connection had been cancelled. I called the special elite#, my call was answered on the first ring with someone who knew who I was and before I could finish saying my flight had been cancelled, she was asking me if I would prefer option A. or B. I chose A. and was told which gate to walk to and to bypass the line as there was a boarding pass waiting for me at the podium. I went directly tot eh podium, bypassing 50 people in line trying to get on the flight, and was handed my boarding pass for the last available seat on the plane.

We booked Carnivals fly2fun where were flying the day of because they guarantee you will make the ship or they will fly you to the next port.

 

 

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"they" will not fly you - they will TRY to find an open seat on a flight, which does not mean you will be on the NEXT flight. If there are 2 of you and there is 1 seat available, you either bid each other goodbye or you wait again. AND, you must have a passport if your next opportunity to board is other than Puerto Rico or the USVI, AND you have to be boarding at a port which will not violate the terms of your specific cruise. Cruise passengers on a consolidator/bulk ticket from a cruise line's air division are pretty far down on the totem pole of who gets reacommodated on another flight...

I'd like to know how they fly you to the next port if it is a private island...

I'd like to know how they fly you to the next port if it is a private island...

Perhaps...

Perhaps...

Well if your cruise is out of Brooklyn, NYC and your flight is cancelled on the day of the cruise...

Ok, wrong Mayor & Boro President...