Another Air Deviation Question

[SeaWatch12]

Hello to all of the seasoned Oceania Cruisers.

Recently booked our first Oceania trip, on the Riveria in October.

 

I have a flight deviation question. When accepting deviation flights, can seat selection be made at that time or does Oceania require the traveler to wait till closer to flights?

 

Also, the first deviation offer my very nice travel agent received from them has us returning on Alitalia, as that is the only non-stop. I have heard that Alitalia is an airline to avoid. She also said we could return with a stop on Swiss Air or British Airways. Which way would you go?

 

Thanks for your advice. I am sure I'll have alot more Oceania questions going forward.

[JimandStan]

Hello to all of the seasoned Oceania Cruisers.

Recently booked our first Oceania trip, on the Riveria in October.

 

I have a flight deviation question. When accepting deviation flights, can seat selection be made at that time or does Oceania require the traveler to wait till closer to flights?

 

Also, the first deviation offer my very nice travel agent received from them has us returning on Alitalia, as that is the only non-stop. I have heard that Alitalia is an airline to avoid. She also said we could return with a stop on Swiss Air or British Airways. Which way would you go?

 

Thanks for your advice. I am sure I'll have alot more Oceania questions going forward.

 

Oceania only makes the reservations for the flights that are requested and does not ticket the flight until (thank you, Shari :D) 75 days out unless the passenger has:

A) Paid in Full

B) Requested to be ticketed early.

 

Allowing seating selection before the ticket is purchased is a policy which varies from airline to airline.

 

Now, aren't you sorry that you asked? ;)

[no fuss travel]

My TA always gets the seats for us. Oceania does not.

[Andromeda93]

What route are you flying home (eg which airports)?

 

FWIW we have had good international flight experience with BA, if you have to fly coach, but changing planes in LHR takes a lot of time. I have always had to clear both customs and security again changing from one BA flight to another, in returning to the US from a European city that was not London. Once we even had to change terminals at LHR in addition to being rescreened and clearing customs. That time it took more than 2 hours just to get off one flight and into the boarding area for the next.

 

You might also try a different nearby US airport if you have the option, to see if those flight options are better. Someone recently reported on CC getting improved flights by switching their airport from one Washington DC area gateway to another.

[SeaWatch12]

Oceania only makes the reservations for the flights that are requested and does not ticket the flight until (thank you, Shari :D) 75 days out unless the passenger has:

A) Paid in Full

B) Requested to be ticketed early.

 

Allowing seating selection before the ticket is purchased is a policy which varies from airline to airline.

 

Now, aren't you sorry that you asked? ;)

 

Ok - so I guess before accepting the deviation flights, I need to make sure from the travel agent that the airline will let me go ahead and select seats. Thanks for your reply.

[SeaWatch12]

What route are you flying home (eg which airports)?

 

FWIW we have had good international flight experience with BA, if you have to fly coach, but changing planes in LHR takes a lot of time. I have always had to clear both customs and security again changing from one BA flight to another, in returning to the US from a European city that was not London. Once we even had to change terminals at LHR in addition to being rescreened and clearing customs. That time it took more than 2 hours just to get off one flight and into the boarding area for the next.

 

You might also try a different nearby US airport if you have the option, to see if those flight options are better. Someone recently reported on CC getting improved flights by switching their airport from one Washington DC area gateway to another.

 

The flight home would be from Rome to MIA, the other airports in the area are not Oceania gateway cities, so that would be another $199 per person.

 

Glad to hear that BA has been a good experience. Guess I will have to check on the length of time between flights. The flight to Nice on BA changes planes in London.

[Barrheadlass]

I too had heard Alitalia was a company to avoid. I flew 3 days ago to Venice via Rome from boston and all went smoothly and on time. I had to go through security in Rome too, which I found odd.

[Andromeda93]

There is a lot to be said for a nonstop flight.

 

Our experience flying BA may have been fine (in the airplane and at the counters), but moving between flights at LHR was a hassle. I saw a recent thread about other airports at which changing planes is unpleasant and time-consuming too, so I don't think it's unique to LHR.

[LHT28]

In our experience Oceania did give us seat number but I called Air Canada & got ones I wanted

But I have heard some carriers will not change the seats until ticketed

 

I avoid LHR at all costs for any connecting flights :eek:

...if I have to connect in Europe I prefer Schiphol

that is just me though

[TERRIER1]

Once I was given the air confirmation number from Oceania I went online and chose my own seats.

 

As far as Alitalia is concerned, I would check to see if the flights are code share with Delta or another airline. We were booked on Alitalia and in both directions we were on Delta flights.

[Kissing Seahorses]

It is my understanding is that British Air only gives seat assignments to it's own elite fliers prior to departure day, this is true even in premium cabins.

[Andromeda93]

Great idea to check the codeshare info; but drat - it looks like the nonstop from FCO to MIA is operated by Alitalia despite the Delta codeshare.

 

KissingSeahorses is right that BA does not give seat assignments well in advance for some classes of tickets or non-elite flyers. However, passengers can pay ahead of time to reserve seats on BA in all classes of service for international flights. Certain classes of tickets can als reserve seats well ahead ot time for free. So can those with mobility problems, people traveling with infants, groups of 9 or more and unaccompanied minors.

 

In BA economy class, our experience has been that most people do not pay to choose seats ahead of time, but instead reserve seats for free starting 24 hours ahead of flight time via online check-in. We usually do pay, since often we are traveling in a place where we can't reliably log on 24 hours ahead to choose a decent seat. A few times on intra-Europe flights on BA we have not been able to purchase seat assignments before the 24-hour check-in time; for those flights we just chose seats when checking in online.

 

Details on BA seat assignments and related fees: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/choose-your-seat/public/en_gb

[Hawaiidan]

BA is not the way through LHR , however it has one advantage of offering a "premium" coach seat.

Swiss I have taken many times and the connection would be I suspect in Zurich (a great airport in like Heathrow)

You are very wise to avoid anything connected with Alitalia they have a track record and Delta international is not far behind in my opinion.

 

Don't take my word, go to Sky Trax and Seat Guru for seat reviews, they are not pretty

 

 

 

Non stop vs change.... In flying non stops over 10 hours , unless in first or business it is an ordeal. Health wise you are in 3-5% humidity which wrings out your body. Second the air circulation in an aircraft starts at the front of the plane and flows to the back. This means in addition to being totally dehydrated you going to be breathing well used air sitting back in coach..

I find great merit in breaking up the flight because you get a chance to re hydrate, exercise your legs and stretch. You will feel better over all taking a break, like when you go on a long distance drive... you pull over every few hours to rest....why not apply this to flying

Flying to Rome or from Rome can be a 12 hours of flying non stop as opposed to a 8 and 5 hour segments. If you play your cards right you can engineer a 12 to 16 hour layover between flights, and stay in an airport transit hotel. When I fly from Hawaii to Europe get 10 to 12 hour layover in SFO or LAX from the 5 hour flight then take a 4.5 hour with a 2 hour connection in ORD or IAD and then a 7.5 on to Zurich or Frankfurt. After millions of international flight miles over 40+years I have discovered that the far healthier and happier flights are not the brutal non stops. I also don't fly longer in coach than 6 hours at any one stretch over 6 I go to business over 10 First.

:D

Hope this helps... I consider the Non stop being best is a great urban myth... your not trying to broker a time sensitive deal.. so slow down longer is better

[YoHoHo]

A big issue is whether or not they can book seats with the class of ticket that O purchased for them. And one does not know what class that ticket is until after the deal is done.

 

With O purchased flights I have been both successful and unsuccessful booking seats in advance. The frustrating part is the times I could not was on the same airline that other posters have had no trouble at all. The airlines web site generally reports that I cannot modify a booking made by others ( or similar). O will not book seats. In fact they even say "These special requests and services should be arranged by your Travel Agent directly with the airlines."

 

My agent has booked seats for me. A little bit of a hassle not being able to choose ourselves directly. Don't know what those who do not use a TA but booked directly with O do if they want to book seats in advance.

[LHT28]

I go to the airline website do a dummy booking to see the flights available

On AC you can see the seats that are still available on your flights

Then I call AC & ask for the ones I want

 

Not sure if other airline show the still available seats before you have to pay on their site

Worth checking out

 

Lyn

[potterhill]

We flew Alitalia last year from Toronto to Rome. I would swim before I fly with them again.

 

No tvs at your seat. The seats were so old there was absolutely no cushioning and my butt was sore for days ( and I have padding of my own!). They were also so old they still had ashtrays in the armrests. I haven't seen them in many many years.

 

Never again. Over time I am running out of airlines. KLM is also on the blacklist. Some others I can't recall at the moment. Just waking up. Good Morning Vietnam!:)

 

Mo

[queeniev]

I loved Alitalia, we did not take a cruise trip but went from Miami to Rome round trip on Alitalia and loved it although it was a few years ago,.. the wine kept coming, food was deceit and not what you would get normally on an american airline... hopefully it has not changed.. should I take a cruise to Europe that would be our first choice airline.

[TravelerThom]

...I avoid LHR at all costs for any connecting flights :eek:...

The last [and I hope final] time I connected at LHR I told them that (among other airports) I have had the pleasure of Luanda, Brazzaville during a Civil War, Moscow on a 90 degree day when the runway buckled, Bombay before it was Mumbai, dirt strips in Central America, etc - and they were ALL better than connecting through LHR.

 

Thom

 

I will say that when we flew Alitalia from BOS-FCO two years ago the seat bottom fell to the floor [the welds on the metal framing had given way], but it was still better than connecting in LHR.

[irish cailin]

Avoid LHR if at all possible, absolute nightmare to travel between terminals. BA decent enough airline but see if you can get another airport!!