Fuming at alaska airlines

[Rustys Mom]

I booked my friend and I back in March to fly into Anchorage at 7:30 on August 29th so we can spend the 30th in Seward and board Millenium on the 31st. They changed our flights to land in Anchorage at 1 a.m. on the 30th. So we are now paying for a room at Shipp Crekk for 4 hours. We have to catch the train early in the morning. I think it is 6 a.m. I will have a major headache from lack of sleep. I checked their web site and found this: Changes made at alaskaair.com will be assessed a $75 (USD) change fee per person. If I call it is $100.00. The fare is non refundable.:mad:

Barb

[bearbait]

What did Alaska Airlines say when YOU called them about the change??

[Rustys Mom]

I was hesitant to call them because I had called with questions in March and did not have a positive experience. And I was afraid of the $100.00 charge to change. But I did call and explain I am prone to headaches when I do not get my sleep. I did get our flight changed to fly into Portland and then to Anchorage instead of going through Seattle. We still get in late, but 9:30 is better than 1 a.m. Thanks!:)

[bearbait]

They are usually pretty good working with people especially when they are the ones that changed the flights. I've had far more good experiences with them then bad ones. Glad to hear that it's going to work out. Enjoy your trip.

[gdpups]

Any time I've had an airline change the time on me I called and they offered to change it to a better flight (my choice) as long as there was availability for no charge. CALL!

[Chenega]

Great advice to call especially when they changed your flights. If you had decided to make the change, the fee would be charged; that's what the information you found on the website refers to. They've always worked with me when situations like yours happen and I've been flying with them for over 40 years. FYI - Portland is a far easier airport to deal with than SEATAC.

[mytime53]

They are usually pretty good working with people especially when they are the ones that changed the flights. I've had far more good experiences with them then bad ones. Glad to hear that it's going to work out. Enjoy your trip.

 

Any time I've had an airline change the time on me I called and they offered to change it to a better flight (my choice) as long as there was availability for no charge. CALL!

 

Great advice to call especially when they changed your flights. If you had decided to make the change, the fee would be charged; that's what the information you found on the website refers to. They've always worked with me when situations like yours happen and I've been flying with them for over 40 years. FYI - Portland is a far easier airport to deal with than SEATAC.

 

Ditto, ditto, ditto, except the part about flying with them for over 40 years:D...oh, wait, OMG I am that old:(

[pdmlynek]

I booked my friend and I back in March to fly into Anchorage at 7:30

...

They changed our flights to land in Anchorage at 1 a.m. on the 30th.

...

I checked their web site and found this: Changes made at alaskaair.com will be assessed a $75 (USD) change fee per person. If I call it is $100.00. The fare is non refundable.:mad:

Barb

 

Who made the change? Alaska Air? If they made changes, then it sounds like Alaska Air owes you $75 per person! Right? :D:D

[alaska_planner]

you should call them...

 

American changed my daughter's flights and i called them...

 

 

when they make a changed of that significance, the tickets do become refundable..

[Keith1010]

Any time I've had an airline change the time on me I called and they offered to change it to a better flight (my choice) as long as there was availability for no charge. CALL!

 

This has been my experience too.

 

I would definitely call them.

 

Keith

[not2old]

We are sort of in the same mess the OP was in. We are flying from Richmond to Houston with a connecting flight to Anchorage. United changed our connecting time from 1h 15min to 28min! We have never been to Houston, I looked at the site for the terminal and OMG! United has a gazillion terminals and it's a maze!! We. too, have non change non refundable tickets and I don't know whether to call or what! We can't afford the fee to change and if they make our tickets stay this way or entire trip will be lost!!

[room010]

Why on earth wouldn't you call the airline to arrange an alternative that suits? Of course they aren't going to charge you if THEY change the flight.

[zqvol]

We are sort of in the same mess the OP was in. We are flying from Richmond to Houston with a connecting flight to Anchorage. United changed our connecting time from 1h 15min to 28min! We have never been to Houston, I looked at the site for the terminal and OMG! United has a gazillion terminals and it's a maze!! We. too, have non change non refundable tickets and I don't know whether to call or what! We can't afford the fee to change and if they make our tickets stay this way or entire trip will be lost!!

 

 

Two things to realize. First if they make a schedule change there is not charge for you to change flights if the change doesn't work.

[Budget Queen]

We are sort of in the same mess the OP was in. We are flying from Richmond to Houston with a connecting flight to Anchorage. United changed our connecting time from 1h 15min to 28min! We have never been to Houston, I looked at the site for the terminal and OMG! United has a gazillion terminals and it's a maze!! We. too, have non change non refundable tickets and I don't know whether to call or what! We can't afford the fee to change and if they make our tickets stay this way or entire trip will be lost!!

 

You may make it, but your bags have a good chance of not. Are you going to be in Anchorage- long enough for successive flights to arrive for your baggage delivery?

 

Otherwise, I would be changing this to at least an hour connection time.

 

I can run like OJ Simpson and have made connections- most people wouldn't, but I am darn sure to always have a back up flight coming in with my bags. :) I am also, immediately tracking my missed bag with the services desk.

[not2old]

Once again Cruise Critic has helped solve a problem! Thanks to all! We don't fly enough to realize that if an airline changes your flight you won't have to pay to reschedule since they made the change and not the passenger. Lesson learned and again, thanks to all for your advice!

[mytime53]

One other helpful hint to those who find themselves in the situation of needing to get the airlines to "fix" what the airline computers did to their flight schedules....get online and look at your possible choices before you call, and then prioritize them in your mind so that you have the best chance of getting the solution that best pleases you. The customer service agent isn't going to go through all the choices with you, and doesn't know your needs as well as you. And once you hang up from that first phone call, your options become nil unless you pay for the change.

[JimShockz]

What did Alaska Airlines say when YOU called them about the change??

 

Were they helpful at all?:confused:

 

-JS

[6rugrats]

Were they helpful at all?:confused:

 

-JS

See solution below. AS is always very helpful, IME.

I was hesitant to call them because I had called with questions in March and did not have a positive experience. And I was afraid of the $100.00 charge to change. But I did call and explain I am prone to headaches when I do not get my sleep. I did get our flight changed to fly into Portland and then to Anchorage instead of going through Seattle. We still get in late, but 9:30 is better than 1 a.m. Thanks!:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you got your flights straightened out.

 

The airlines have often changed our flights -- and we call them right away.

 

They are good about getting things our way since they were the ones who changed the flights.

[Watson's aunt]

hi

 

I think if you make it to a plane they have to wait for your bags.

 

 

Mary

[Rustys Mom]

Thanks Everyone! Cruise Critic is so helpful to us less seasoned travelers.

Barb

[goose30]

hi

 

I think if you make it to a plane they have to wait for your bags.

 

 

Mary

 

Why do you think that? I don't think their systems are good enough to connect your tickets with your baggage claim. If they were why do so many find that their bags don't arrive when they do?

[6rugrats]

hi

I think if you make it to a plane they have to wait for your bags.

Mary

No, this isn't true. My bags have flown without me plenty of times.

[Algebralovr]

Bags are handled completely separately. I've had bags get there earlier as well as later on different flights. Particularly when flying from WDW out of MCO. If you check your bags at a WDW resort and there is quite a time before your flight leaves, but there are other flights headed to your home airport, be prepared to have to go to guest services to have them look for your bag. In many cases, the bags went on an earlier flight!

 

If your bags come in on a later flight, they will normally deliver them to where you are staying. Hence, the reason to fly in the day before and not on the last flight of the day if at all possible.

[waterbug123]

I think if you make it to a plane they have to wait for your bags.

 

Nope. While your bags are SUPPOSED to go on the same plane you do, they do not cross check each bag to make sure it's owner is on the same plane. If there's extra space on an earlier flight, your bags may be sent on ahead of you, and if you have a tight connection, you may make it but your bags don't. They don't hold the plane for them.