Strange Situation With Choice Air

[Merriem]

many months ago I booked our business class seats on Ethiad to go to Perth where our cruise starts. Many months later I had a call from the airlines stating that our flights had been changed. The next thing I know Ethiad had control of our booking. When I look at what we paid Celebrity and what Ethiad shows, Ethiad is $1000 less than what we paid. Seems strange. What happened to the $1000 is what I would like to know.

[Newbie545]

When I look at what we paid Celebrity and what Ethiad shows, Ethiad is $1000 less than what we paid. Seems strange. What happened to the $1000 is what I would like to know.

 

Do you mean the price for Ethiad going directly through them and not choice air or the current price with choice air is now less?

[Merriem]

Do you mean the price for Ethiad going directly through them and not choice air or the current price with choice air is now less?

 

What we paid Celebrity for Choice Air is now less on our Ethiad Reservation . I paid about $9400 to Choice air, and the airlines has our total paid at $8200 give a take a few dollars. EThiad is showing we paid less for our tickets.

[jelayne]

I would call Choice Air & ask. You said Ethiad had “control” of your booking; that is the case with all bookings/airlines. Choice Air is just like booking with Expedia, Travelocity or other 3rd pastry booking sights. Once booked you should be given you airline booking number and then seat assignment, meal selection is done directly between you and the airline.

 

Airline prices do change sometimes go up sometimes down but unless you booked a refundable fare my experience is that once booked your fare is set regardless of price fluctuations.

[Merriem]

I would call Choice Air & ask. You said Ethiad had “control” of your booking; that is the case with all bookings/airlines. Choice Air is just like booking with Expedia, Travelocity or other 3rd pastry booking sights. Once booked you should be given you airline booking number and then seat assignment, meal selection is done directly between you and the airline.

 

Airline prices do change sometimes go up sometimes down but unless you booked a refundable fare my experience is that once booked your fare is set regardless of price fluctuations.

I am on the phone with Choice air as I type. Actually the airlines do not take possession of your fare with Choice air. They confirmed that. It is $1300 less and the Choice air guy doesn't understand it either.

[jelayne]

I am on the phone with Choice air as I type. Actually the airlines do not take possession of your fare with Choice air. They confirmed that. It is $1300 less and the Choice air guy doesn't understand it either.

 

We have booked 8-10 flights with Choice Air. Once we have booked we are given a booking # and from that point on we have never dealt with or heard from Choice Air. We have had flight times changed, equipment changed resulting in seating changes and flights cancelled & we have been moved to different flights by the airline- never once have we heard from Choice Air; everything has been between the airline & us.

[pretzlaff]

It is probably "profit". If I pay a travel agent $5000 for a trip, I expect them to actually get the trip for me at a wholesale price and keep the difference.

 

If they did not make money, how could they stay in business?

 

The real question is, how much would the trip have cost you to book it directly with the airline? $8200, $9400, or $12000?

[Hydrokitty]

We have booked 8-10 flights with Choice Air. Once we have booked we are given a booking # and from that point on we have never dealt with or heard from Choice Air. We have had flight times changed, equipment changed resulting in seating changes and flights cancelled & we have been moved to different flights by the airline- never once have we heard from Choice Air; everything has been between the airline & us.

 

That's been my experience as well but when flying business or first class Choice Air is almost 50% less than dealing with the airline directly and I've never had a problem that wasn't worked out well before departure day...once I get my booking # I go to the airline, choose my seat, tell them I need a w/c to board....Virgin Atlantic changed our flight numbers at least 3x and were driving me crazy but once they decided on a number the flights went off without a hitch and their upper class lounges are the best of them all. KLM and Lufthansa are just exceptional service airlines and once I've selected our seats I don't hear from them until I check in.