flight question

[nseagirl]

When I booked my flights through Orbitz, I made sure to have at least 2 1/2 hours to connect in Atlanta. Now I have received notice that the connection time on my return trip has been cut to 50 minutes. It appears as if the later flight out of ATL has dissappeared. My question is, if I can't make the connection (initial flight gets in late, or whatever) and it's the last flight out for my destination for that day, what happens?:confused:

[ddonalds]

Hopefully, you booked your flight to arrive the day before your cruise, in which case, you have the next day to recover.... If you didn't, and you get stuck in Atlanta, then you'll miss your ship's sailing (since the cruise didn't book the flights, you did). You can probably catch up with it somewhere, so I would check with your travel agent, or the cruise line to determine your options before the issue happens. I have made a flight in Atlanta with a 45 minute connection time, but I have also missed a couple when my flight was delayed coming in... I always allow the couple hours between flights (as you tried to do) to take care of changes, but it sounds like you caught an unlucky break. Is there a way to change your first flight to an earlier one - or better yet, come in the day before? Good luck - always a stressful situation.....

[Krazy Kruizers]

We book our own air -- have for the last several years.

 

And I always book so that we have at least 2 hours between flights.

 

But within a couple of months the airlines change our flights as more and more flights are being dropped.

 

I do hope that you are flying in a day or so before your cruise.

 

The planes are really full and should you miss your connecting flight you may not fly out until the next day.

[greatam]

When I booked my flights through Orbitz, I made sure to have at least 2 1/2 hours to connect in Atlanta. Now I have received notice that the connection time on my return trip has been cut to 50 minutes. It appears as if the later flight out of ATL has dissappeared. My question is, if I can't make the connection (initial flight gets in late, or whatever) and it's the last flight out for my destination for that day, what happens?:confused:

 

Since you don't post dates, airline or arrival city, no one can help you with alternative flights.

 

IF there are no other flights (doubtful) and you miss the plane, you are simply STUCK until the following day. You are entitled to a hotel and meal vouchers IF it is the airline's fault you missed your connection. BUT only if it is the airline's fault-mechanical delay, crew problems. NOT covered if it is weather related or an airport problem-security delay most likely.

 

You need to find alternative flights, call Orbitz and have them REBOOK you on other flights. Do NOT call Orbitz before you have alternative flights available. Orbitz will simply tell you that you have "plenty of time-it is a legal connection".

 

When you find alternative flights, you call and say something like this: I booked flight XXX so I would have 2.5 hours connecting time. You have changed my flight and I may not make my cruise/vacation/business meeting or whatever. Please book me on flight XXX".

 

You MAY have to get a supervisor involved. You may have to fly a different route (instead of an ATL connection, you may have to connect in CVG (Cincinnati) or some other connection. You may not like the options, but at least you will get to your destination on time.

[6rugrats]

When I booked my flights through Orbitz, I made sure to have at least 2 1/2 hours to connect in Atlanta. Now I have received notice that the connection time on my return trip has been cut to 50 minutes. It appears as if the later flight out of ATL has dissappeared. My question is, if I can't make the connection (initial flight gets in late, or whatever) and it's the last flight out for my destination for that day, what happens?:confused:

 

If you cannot change this flight with Orbitz, and I rarely read of someone being successful with this, but who knows, you will spend the night in Atlanta. If you know you are going to miss your connection, get on your phone the minute your plane lands and call the airline to try and get protected on the first flight out of ATL in the morning. Don't wait until you get off the plane and then stand in line. Call first!

[cb at sea]

If an airline changes your schedule by more than 90 mins. you can cancel with no penalty....

Call and see if you can get something else...preferably the day prior to your cruise...it just makes life SOOOOOO much easier!

[6rugrats]

If an airline changes your schedule by more than 90 mins. you can cancel with no penalty....

Call and see if you can get something else...preferably the day prior to your cruise...it just makes life SOOOOOO much easier!

 

This is not correct; it depend on each individual airline. Since OP has not provided this information, there is no way you could know this.

 

In addition, OP did not book directly through the airline, she used Orbitz. Even if she was allowed to cancel with no penalty by the airline, Orbitz will charge her a fee.

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

I ran into this same problem once but it was with a booking through Priceline.

 

A couple weeks before the trip all of the flight times were changed to worse ones.

 

I just called and told them that the cruise line recommended arriving and departing before or after these certain times and Proiceline made the changes and re-booked me without question.

 

Good Customer Service or Good Luck? Either way it made the trip stress-free!

 

GOOD LUCK!

[nseagirl]

This is for my RETURN flight. I'm still good with my flight to port. My question is whether the airlines will make any kind of overnight arrangements if I can't make my connection through no fault of my own. The airline changed my flights so that instead of a 2+ hour window to catch my connection, I now have 50 minutes. In Atlanta, that may not be enough if the plane from FLL is delayed at all.

[pms4104]

This is for my RETURN flight. I'm still good with my flight to port. My question is whether the airlines will make any kind of overnight arrangements if I can't make my connection through no fault of my own. The airline changed my flights so that instead of a 2+ hour window to catch my connection, I now have 50 minutes. In Atlanta, that may not be enough if the plane from FLL is delayed at all.

If 50 minutes is considered a legal connection time in ATL and you miss the flight thru whatever delay on the first flight, the airline will provide accommodations only if that delay is due to conditions directly attributed to the airline, such as crew problems or mechanical issues. If weather is the factor that causes you to miss the second flight, the airline likely will not accommodate you in any manner, except for rebooking you on another flight.

[nseagirl]

That's what I was afraid of. I just spoke with Orbitz and was told that if my flight out of FLL was delayed and I couldn't make the connection that the airlines would take care of hotel for the night and get me on a flight in the morning. She neglected to mention weather delays. I think I'll call them back! Thanks for your help!

[6rugrats]

That's what I was afraid of. I just spoke with Orbitz and was told that if my flight out of FLL was delayed and I couldn't make the connection that the airlines would take care of hotel for the night and get me on a flight in the morning. She neglected to mention weather delays. I think I'll call them back! Thanks for your help!

 

True; weather delays, air traffic control delays, etc. aren't the airline's fault and you will get nothing (with the exception of some high status flyers on some airlines). To get the most accurate information, why aren't you just calling the airline directly?

[nseagirl]

True; weather delays, air traffic control delays, etc. aren't the airline's fault and you will get nothing (with the exception of some high status flyers on some airlines). To get the most accurate information, why aren't you just calling the airline directly?

 

Can I call the airline directly if I booked through Orbitz? If I can do that I will!

[nseagirl]

If you don't like the first answer, call again! I called back and spoke to someone who knew what she was doing. She said she agreed with my issue with a 50 minute layover and asked if she could put me on hold. While I held, she called the airlines and got me on an earlier flight out of FLL that will give me back my 2 hour connection time.

 

I feel much better now!:D