Ugh..airline changed departure time!

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

OK, opinions please...I've already booked our airline tickets for our Christmas cruise...we are traveling Christmas day to Miami then returning on New Year's Day. Sailing on the Freedom that gets in on January 1 to Port Everglades and we fly out of Miami. Original flight time was 12:30pm but the airline just sent an email saying flight time is changed to 11:00am!

 

I think we will be OK, but I just don't know. If we carry our stuff off ourselves and have transportation ready to take us to MIA, we should make it to MIA by 10am, but I'm just not sure.

 

Anyone done it?

[rrraydon]

New Year's Day? The holidays?..shew, I don't know...I think I'd change the flight to later or maybe stay an extra day if I could. I think it'd be real tough.

[serene56]

First let me tell you that you do not have to take the 11:00 flight and can make changes without fees. Is there a later flight. is there a flight out of FLL--since they made the change they have to accomadate the better flight that suits your needs

 

 

You just had a nice relaxing cruise--why end it with the stress of making that flight.

 

You would need to be at the airport before 10am- your luggage will need to be checked in at least 1 hour before flight time.

 

Its the holidays and its gonna be a zoo.

 

--

 

MIA is about an hour away---if the traffic plays nicely.

 

You will need to depend that the ship will arrive on time- clear by customs. meaning everyone paid their bills nicely. no problems etc.

 

Ship is supposed to dock at 8am--if all the stars are aligned--and you can get off on the first wave of passengers and you can be off by 9am you might get it covered.

[okwriter]

I agree about calling the airline. Since THEY changed it, they will change it again to better suit your needs.

[jenms2000]

the airline did the same thing to me. i called and they will change the flight at no charge but you will have to travel on the same day and out of the same airport as the original flight. i tried to change ours to leave out of FLL but they wanted to charge the $150pp fee. you would be cutting it close to make the 11am flight. good luck and enjoy your cruise. i'll be on freedom in october!!!:)

[golfadj]

I would ask the airline for a more sensible connection.

 

You can probably make it but why have to stress over it.

 

And if you do not make it they will certainly rip you off with an extra charge.

[mass02703]

Jenms2000.....I think that it depends on the airline that you are flying. Last year on our way to Florida Delta changed the time on us to a later flight. I told them that this was not acceptable flying with a baby. They allowed me to change to a different airport as long as it was within 60 miles. This worked out better for me as I live very close to Providence airport yet we were originally flying out of Boston due to the lower cost. This year our flight to Ft. Lauderdale for our November Glory cruise from Miami has once again been changed to a later flight (luckily we are flying in the night before). I called SPIRIT and told them that I was not happy with this change as we are now getting into Ft. Lauderdale at 11 pm with a 3 year old. They told me that I could change it to any flight within 48 hours of my original flight (unfortunately it doesn't look like anything else will work for us and be non-stop so I am forced to keep this late night flight).

[going to see the world]

Aside from the time crunch (which I certainly wouldn't want after a long cruise) you have to think about the weather too. Chances are it could be bad and that could cause problems as well. The weather might be fine where you are going, but their could be flight changes due to other places having bad weather.

 

We went in the middle of December last year, and after an amazing cruise, we had to sit at BWI from 10:30 am-1:30 am due to weather. nooooo fun. :)

[Cinderose]

Delta did the same thing to me in in 2006 when we were going on the Paradise - flight times wouldnt work - earlier or later since we were meeting up with another group when we arrived and they would wait for us - They were nice enought to refund my ticket back since it was the 3rd time they had changed it in a month. That was back in 2006 and I dont know how more strict they have become on things - but worth a shot to ask...

[PA Dutchman]

Airlines are getting good at changing times at least they left you know. Last time they changed ours and we didn't know till we checked several weeks before we were to leave. Now we go early and and stay an extra day.

[ImmortalxKiss]

I have booked through Travelocity before ..and yes, they will definitely change your flight to accomodate your needs better!!

[yogimax]

Usually, if the change is over one hour, they will let you choose a different flight.

[kimba6539]

Airtran changed both of our flights going down and coming back. The coming back flight was originally a nonstop leaving around 1 pm out of FLL. We now leave at 1015 am. We are going to self disembark and hope for the best!

 

Kim

[serene56]

the airline did the same thing to me. i called and they will change the flight at no charge but you will have to travel on the same day and out of the same airport as the original flight. i tried to change ours to leave out of FLL but they wanted to charge the $150pp fee. you would be cutting it close to make the 11am flight. good luck and enjoy your cruise. i'll be on freedom in october!!!:)

 

I just did that recently for our trip to Disney. We booked the first flight out of the morning. They changed my flight to arrive after 1pm. which kinda shot the day. I called and they made the change to the night before on the last flight.

 

You keep calling until you find someone that will give you what you want.

[clackey]

OK, opinions please...I've already booked our airline tickets for our Christmas cruise...we are traveling Christmas day to Miami then returning on New Year's Day. Sailing on the Freedom that gets in on January 1 to Port Everglades and we fly out of Miami. Original flight time was 12:30pm but the airline just sent an email saying flight time is changed to 11:00am!

 

I think we will be OK, but I just don't know. If we carry our stuff off ourselves and have transportation ready to take us to MIA, we should make it to MIA by 10am, but I'm just not sure.

 

Anyone done it?

Don't worry about it yet. If it is anything like our last trip they will change it again and maybe twice. Very frustrating.

[serene56]

Airtran changed both of our flights going down and coming back. The coming back flight was originally a nonstop leaving around 1 pm out of FLL. We now leave at 1015 am. We are going to self disembark and hope for the best!

 

Kim

 

 

Kim- we always book a flight out of FLL at 11:00 we barely make that. But we are also in the first wave of passengers to be called off.

 

IF you are off by 8:30 you should make that flight.

[LHP]

I am not a fan of the Miami airport.

 

The past few times we had flown through there....we were off the ship in record time BUT....the airport had ONE (yes ...ONE) security guard checking everyone's ids and tickets before going through the scanner....and this man could not have been any slower (even if he was walking through molasses)....

 

As a consequence....the security line took FOREVER to get through....

 

I would make the airlines change you to a later flight, so that you can end your relaxing vacation the same way!!

[zqvol]

OK, opinions please...I've already booked our airline tickets for our Christmas cruise...we are traveling Christmas day to Miami then returning on New Year's Day. Sailing on the Freedom that gets in on January 1 to Port Everglades and we fly out of Miami. Original flight time was 12:30pm but the airline just sent an email saying flight time is changed to 11:00am!

 

I think we will be OK, but I just don't know. If we carry our stuff off ourselves and have transportation ready to take us to MIA, we should make it to MIA by 10am, but I'm just not sure.

 

Anyone done it?

 

 

You need to be at MIA no later than 9:30. New Years day should be slow so clearing security should be easier than usual. It is about 35 minutes from Port Everglades to MIA. Unless the ship is late clearing customs even using regular disembarkation you should be off by 8:30. (Keeping in mind that it is a holiday you may not be off that quick depending on how many people customs has working on the holiday.) As long as you are at the airport and have bags checked 30 minutes before departure (that is what the airlines require for domestic flights) you should be good.

 

BTW New Years day and Christmas day are two of the slowest days for flying all year. Those are the two best days for tight connections because the number of people in the airport is down considerably.

 

I would say it will be tight, but you should be fine. I would not hesitate to take that flight.

[Cruise2Karaoke]

Both Christmas and New Years day are relatively quiet for air travel.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

OP- call your airline and if THEY changed the time they should be able to put you on a later flight free of charge. The same thing just happened to us today.

We are returning from our Legend cruise on Nov 7th and just received notice from AirTran that our 11:35am flight was moved up to 11:20 am. I was already stressing over the orig flight time so 20 less min would not work as Tampa advises no flights earlier than 11:30 am. I called the airline and even though it was only a 20 minute time difference they were more than willing to put us on the 2:14 direct flight home free of charge.

 

I am so relieved! This way we wont have to rush and do the self assist with ALL of our luggage and run to get a taxi. We are looking forward to disembarking when our zone is called and then enjoying a nice lunch at the airport.

 

:)

[vacruizer]

I've gotten to where I check flights at least once a month after I book to see if they've changed on me. The airlines won't notify you until about 3 or 4 weeks to go at which point you may not have many options that close to your departure day.

 

A few years ago I booked airfare in Feb. for a July cruise. Delta changed flight times on me SEVEN different times in five months. A few times it was minor - 15 or 20 minutes. But others they took my nonstop and made it a connection and another they had our return flights so that the flight from FLL to Atlanta was arrving after our connecting flight had already left. We had originally booked from Raleigh (a three hour drive for us) since it was cheaper and the flights were nontsop. When they finally moved our flights to where we weren't getting into Raleigh until late that night, they agreed to change my flights to flying from my home airport. It all worked out for the best but I had to stay on top of them and call any time there was a change I couldn't live with.

[Chief Cruiser]

OK, opinions please...I've already booked our airline tickets for our Christmas cruise...we are traveling Christmas day to Miami then returning on New Year's Day. Sailing on the Freedom that gets in on January 1 to Port Everglades and we fly out of Miami. Original flight time was 12:30pm but the airline just sent an email saying flight time is changed to 11:00am!

 

I think we will be OK, but I just don't know. If we carry our stuff off ourselves and have transportation ready to take us to MIA, we should make it to MIA by 10am, but I'm just not sure.

 

Anyone done it?

 

I had an 11:15 am flight out of Miami and had no problem at all making it to the airport, but then again, it wasn't a holiday....just a routine run-of-the-mill Saturday. Even at that, unless something unusual happens, I don't see a big problem. However, if I could change it to a little later flight without any penalties, I might opt for that just to be on the safe side. I don't normally fly on holidays so I have no idea about passender traffic at those times. :confused:

[Bulldog3777]

I arrived at one of the Fla cruise ports to board a ship and the cruise ship had not even arrived. Seems illness with an elderly person caused an unexpected stop in Key West. You never know what is going to happen and everything has to go correctly for your 11am flight.

[dustyroad]

this happened too me once. i booked direct with northwest ( thank god ) and had my departure after my cruise from vancouver leaving at 8:30 am instead of 2:30 pm. i freaked. when i called them and told them my dilema they changed me back to a later afternoon flight with no charge. after all i told them, they were the one who changed my time not me. no problem after the phone call and i had a great cruise and easy flight home. good luck.

[arpie05]

Don't worry about it yet. If it is anything like our last trip they will change it again and maybe twice. Very frustrating.

 

NO, take care of it NOW because there is only a small window in which they will make a FREE fix of their moving the flight. If you wait, then you are out of luck! Of course they could change the flight again between now and January but maybe you can fly out first thing the next morning and not worry about it and enjoy a day.