experience for flights

[az201013]

Is it better to book a flight through HAL or through an airline for a flight from the US to Europe?

Edited October 9, 2023 by az201013
capitols

[Gigi1977]

We always check both.  
 

Usually flight ease is best but occasionally, it is not.   Our most recent trip to and from Copenhagen we booked ourselves simply because we did not care for flight ease choices and the cost was comparable.  
 

Be sure to pick flexible fares on flight ease so that you are able to change them up until final payment - which is another perk - you don’t pay for air tickets until final payment.  

[0106]

I find that FlightEase offers better prices to Europe, especially premium economy.  
 

I used Flight Ease to book a Delta flight BWI to JFK to Amsterdam (it was actually a code share KLM flight).  The morning of my flight, I received a notice from KLM that the flight was cancelled due to technical problems.  I immediately called Flight Ease.  I was on the phone with them for 2 hours but they were able to rebook me with the same day, same level of seats from BWI to BOS to Amsterdam that actually took two hours less time.  I was happy I didn’t have to deal with rearranging the flights myself.

[CruiserBruce]

50 minutes ago, az201013 said:

Is it better to book a flight through HAL or through an airline for a flight from the US to Europe?

Better in what way?

[Ride-The-Waves]

Flight Ease (HAL) provides better and less expensive options than booking direct with a specific airline.  Best way to understand is to use a flight matrix, such as google.com/flights, then check Flight Ease for their routing.  Works best on long haul overwater flights (Europe/Asia/South America).  US Domestic does not provide similar savings or options.

[Torquer]

We have usually found very good prices on international business class flights through Flight Ease...sometimes $1000+ cheaper than you can get any place else.  For domestic flights and years ago when we used to fly economy on international, the prices were no better than you can get through the airlines.  The other big advantage of Flight Ease is you don't have to pay anything before final payment and you are free to cancel/change flights.  Definitely keep checking every couple weeks since the flights available through Flight Ease change regularly, along with the prices, and you may very well find a better deal or better flight times when you look again.

[ChinaShrek]

The only problem I have read about Flight Ease is that they do not always ticket your flight unless you ask them to do it. There are several posts here about people who had to contact Flight Ease to get their flight tickets after final payment as it was not done automatically. 

[Dancing Shoes]

I was looking for a Montreal to Boise flight on Flight Ease and the price was only $18 less than direct.  It said that unless you are ticketed, the price was not firm, and seats not guaranteed.  I usually book flights as soon as available.

[Taters]

Sometimes we purchase our flights through Flight Ease, sometimes we don't.  We live in Fairbanks, Alaska, so it's a long way from here to anywhere.  

 

Next week we are flying from Fairbanks to Athens for a cruise on Oosterdam.  When we were searching for flight options, Flight Ease offered economy fares on Delta beginning at $549 per person.  That's 11 time zones away.  I've paid more than that in the past just to get to Seattle.  My search via airline websites had prices starting at about $1150 per person.  Flight Ease for the win!

[az201013]

12 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Better in what way?

In terms of cash

[Hlitner]

We suggest looking at the options on Flightease (you can do this online once you have a booking number) and compare it to deals directly from the airlines.  We have usually found that Flightease has good prices on international Premium but amazing prices on Biz and First Class.

 

Hank

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, az201013 said:

In terms of cash

So...cheapest. Just beware of the type of flights you are getting...they are consolidator flights, meaning your ticket is not the same as one purchased from the airline with cash. They are much more restricted, and you are very low on the list for re-accomodation if something goes sideways. This is discussed on the Cruise Air board all the time.

[terrydtx]

We are big believers of Flight Ease and use it when we cruise internationally. Last year we used them for our business class air from the US to Venice  and not only did we get a better price than we could on our own (50% less than direct with airlines) but they took care of us when we had a Covid related delay coming home. My wife and I got Covid at the end of our Oosterdam cruise that resulted in us  spending 3 extra days after the cruise in Italian quarantine in Venice. I called FE and they then canceled our flights home and told me to contact them when we were released by Italy to fly home. I was given an emergency 24/7 phone number to call when we were ready to get our flights. We were released on a Wednesday morning, and I called the FE number and at 3:00am Seattle time I got ahold of a FE agent who got us booked BC flying home on the next day, Thursday. The delay and rebooking did not cost us any additional money, This was something that we would not have been able to do directly with any airline. There was another couple in quarantine with us who booked their airfare with the airline direct and when they called to get home they had to wait for 5 days and pay over $1000 each for the new flights.

Edited October 10, 2023 by terrydtx

[syesmar]

43 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

…Just beware of the type of flights you are getting...they are consolidator flights, meaning your ticket is not the same as one purchased from the airline with cash. They are much more restricted, and you are very low on the list for re-accomodation if something goes sideways….

In cases of cancellations, delays, etc., is it best to contact Flight Ease customer service for rebookings, etc., or is a passenger able to speak directly with the airline?

 

EDIT: saw the Post by @terrydtx after posting my question. Thanks.

Edited October 10, 2023 by syesmar

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, syesmar said:

In cases of cancellations, delays, etc., is it best to contact Flight Ease customer service for rebookings, etc., or is a passenger able to speak directly with the airline?

Based on my experience, prior to departure, I would contact FE directly. I have never waited more than 10 minutes for a FE rep while trying to call the airlines can take hours of waiting. The only time I would deal directly with the airline is if you are at the airport and the delay or cancelation happenes that day you are flying. This happened to us last week returning home from Athens. Our flight from London to DFW was delayed and we missed our connection to San Antonio. In DFW I had an American Airlines customer service desk rebook us to a later flight home.

Edited October 10, 2023 by terrydtx

[cheriberi]

I have booked a cruise leaving from Quebec City in August 2024 & want to check Flight Ease for a one-way flight, but every time I check I get the following message. Has anyone else encountered this issue?

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, cheriberi said:

I have booked a cruise leaving from Quebec City in August 2024 & want to check Flight Ease for a one-way flight, but every time I check I get the following message. Has anyone else encountered this issue?

Have you tried calling FE direct, this may be one of HAL's many IT problems. This happened to us recently and when I called FE they did something on my account that let me book online with no further problems. You should be able to book with FE direct within 330 days of your return flights.

[syesmar]

Question: I recall in the past, some passengers who used Flight Ease reporting that their held flights were canceled after browsing/checking for alternate flights. Has this glitch been fixed?Thanks!

Edited October 10, 2023 by syesmar

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, syesmar said:

Question: I recall in the past, some passengers who used Flight Ease reporting that their held flights were canceled after browsing/checking for alternate flights. Has this glitch been fixed?Thanks!

I have not had this happen in the past.  We are going to use FE for our Volendam Canada cruise next August.

[Tangocherie]

My rule is simple. If for any reason, I have to fly the day of cruise leaving, I book Flight Ease. I can count on their help if needed. If not flying on day of departure, I compare and book the best fare.

[dawnvip]

On 10/10/2023 at 5:29 AM, syesmar said:

Question: I recall in the past, some passengers who used Flight Ease reporting that their held flights were canceled after browsing/checking for alternate flights. Has this glitch been fixed?Thanks!

Glitch is "kinda" fixed. You can browse, check for alternate flights as long as you back out of the booking and do not select "change".

[alwaysfrantic]

Flight ease was a few thousand less for a flight for us.  ONE of us.  I was astounded.  
 

if you can get the HAL website to work, it can be great.  For a period of weeks I could not get it to work, nor could the FlightEase phone line.  I had to book regular flights for all but one person one direction.