Oceania emergency number doesn't answer

[Redtravel]

Imagine how it feels when you get a text stating that your plane was cancelled 8 hours before you are supposed to fly.  Called airline and was told that the tickets were bought through Oceania. Called the 24/7 emergency number. Message was to call back during regular business hours.  Airline did rebook us.  Oceania was no help. When I did eventually talk to an O rep, she said that it happens.  What happened to 24/7 ?

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

Imagine how it feels when you get a text stating that your plane was cancelled 8 hours before you are supposed to fly.  Called airline and was told that the tickets were bought through Oceania. Called the 24/7 emergency number. Message was to call back during regular business hours.  Airline did rebook us.  Oceania was no help. When I did eventually talk to an O rep, she said that it happens.  What happened to 24/7 ?

Can’t imagine “how it feels” because we only DIY air for O cruises. 

A lot of infrequent travelers don’t understand that purchasing a “bulk ticket” on an O Air contracted carrier flight requires contacting O for changes. 
Not a problem…. until it’s a problem.

[mnocket]

3 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Can’t imagine “how it feels” because we only DIY air for O cruises. 

A lot of infrequent travelers don’t understand that purchasing a “bulk ticket” on an O Air contracted carrier flight requires contacting O for changes. 
Not a problem…. until it’s a problem.

I generally agree, except I have occasionally booked through cruise lines when they offered one-way international business class for much less than I could book myself.  Those days seem to be a thing of the past lately🙁  Still, I'd expect cruise line travel departments be available 24/7.  Is this a common problem with O?

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, mnocket said:

I generally agree, except I have occasionally booked through cruise lines when they offered one-way international business class for much less than I could book myself.  Those days seem to be a thing of the past lately🙁  Still, I'd expect cruise line travel departments be available 24/7.  Is this a common problem with O?

I wouldn’t know and hope to keep it that way. 😎

In any case, with cruise lines and biz class, do be careful when you do the math.

As regards O: That bizclass quote they give you may look good at first glance. But, remember that the cost is in addition to the price you already paid for coach tickets in your cruise fare! You don’t get a credit for those coach tix when you buy the bizclass tix. So, you’re basically buying two tix per person.

 

As for cheaper tix: when you do the comparative math, learn how to use the ITA Matrix website in your initial research. You can’t buy tix there. But, you can find pretty much every option for getting from A to B to C et al. via all but a very few airlines. 
Armed with that info, call airlines directly to purchase tix. Their phone reps may have additional flight info and deals (e.g., partner flash sales on connecting intercontinental flights) that you’ll not always see in their web listings.

Also, please recognize that true “value” in air travel (just like with cruises) is about more than just price.

Our preferred carrier is United Airlines and it certainly isn’t because their biz class is the cheapest. However, our SFO is a major United hub and their Star Alliance partnerships worldwide keep intercontinental connection challenges to a minimum. Plus, they test their FFs very well! And, as the COVID era travel taught us, at the very least- United answers its phones!  

[jonthomas]

That does not apply if in Canada where there are very few options. We still have cruises coming up where premium econ air to Europe with O is 149pp. Even for a cruise on Allura, prem econ for April 2026, from Rome to Toronto  at 499 pp prem econ, direct is a bargain for Canadians.

I guess you can do all kinds of acrobatics and fly through the states, but not sure the savings would be worth the aggravation. 

We have had several flights through O, when doing Europe, so far so good.

Yes when going to the states we always do our own air.

[FlyerTalker]

Canadians have a ton of options.  Not if you want non-stops from Toronto, or just want to fly Air Canada.  But to say you have few options is, IMO, to say that your searches tend to start and stop with AC.

[FlyerTalker]

4 hours ago, Redtravel said:

Imagine how it feels when you get a text stating that your plane was cancelled 8 hours before you are supposed to fly.  Called airline and was told that the tickets were bought through Oceania. Called the 24/7 emergency number. Message was to call back during regular business hours.  Airline did rebook us.  Oceania was no help. When I did eventually talk to an O rep, she said that it happens.  What happened to 24/7 ?

 

Since you don't mention airlines or cities, it's tough to do a deep analysis.

 

Suffice to say that when the airline said "tickets through Oceania", your proper response is "This is not a voluntary reroute - it's due to your cancellation".  And then present them with some options which you had already researched as alternatives.  Which EVERYONE should do BEFORE their travels, and not wait until the excrement makes contact with the impeller.

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Since you don't mention airlines or cities, it's tough to do a deep analysis.

 

Suffice to say that when the airline said "tickets through Oceania", your proper response is "This is not a voluntary reroute - it's due to your cancellation".  And then present them with some options which you had already researched as alternatives.  Which EVERYONE should do BEFORE their travels, and not wait until the excrement makes contact with the impeller.

 

 

Bingo!

Even with a scheduled 3.5-5 hr planned layover, I always try to have several alternative connections in mind should our originating SFO flight be delayed.

[ronrick1943]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Bingo!

Even with a scheduled 3.5-5 hr planned layover, I always try to have several alternative connections in mind should our originating SFO flight be delayed.

So true, last year flying PSP/SFO/SIN, we spent the night at the Hyatt at the airport to catch our flight to non-stop flight to Singapore.  Due to a radar Asia problem we had to spend the night in Honolulu.  The next day we were told we'd leave at 2:00PM, but the plane add a computer problem (because it was an international flight and a new plane, they didn't know how to fix the problem), another night in Honolulu.  We took off the next day being 3 days late (international date line).  UA compensated us fairly and paid for all hotels, taxi's and food.  That is why we using plan on additional days before we board a ship. Stuff happens, so you need to plan and go with the flow.

[WESTEAST]

3 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

Canadians have a ton of options.  Not if you want non-stops from Toronto, or just want to fly Air Canada.  But to say you have few options is, IMO, to say that your searches tend to start and stop with AC.

Agree that Canadians have many options with non-stops or one-stops and not just with AC or through Pearson - we never fly to US to connect. We use Google Flights (https://www.google.com/travel/flights) as find it quicker/easier to navigate than the updated ITA Matrix, gives just as many routes/prices and is our go to source to find the routing we want. We compare air prices: O upgrade to Business Class fare (factoring in the included air fare) to our TA Consolidator rates to DIY rates for our routing of choice. Surprisingly once or twice, the O fare was a good rate with the transfers included.  Always best to compare.

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 minutes ago, WESTEAST said:

Agree that Canadians have many options with non-stops or one-stops and not just with AC or through Pearson - we never fly to US to connect. We use Google Flights (https://www.google.com/travel/flights) as find it quicker/easier to navigate than the updated ITA Matrix, gives just as many routes/prices and is our go to source to find the routing we want. We compare air prices: O upgrade to Business Class fare (factoring in the included air fare) to our TA Consolidator rates to DIY rates for our routing of choice. Surprisingly once or twice, the O fare was a good rate with the transfers included.  Always best to compare.

Google Flights is a less robust version of ITA Matrix -particularly when it comes to more specific search parameters.

[clo]

8 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Not a problem…. until it’s a problem.

100%. I work very hard to cut out the middle people.

[clo]

7 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Our preferred carrier is United Airlines and it certainly isn’t because their biz class is the cheapest. However, our SFO is a major United hub and their Star Alliance partnerships worldwide keep intercontinental connection challenges to a minimum. Plus, they test their FFs very well! And, as the COVID era travel taught us, at the very least- United answers its phones!  

We feel the same. And using points it's all refundable for any reason.
(Have you been to the EWR Polaris lounge? Incredible.)

[clo]

4 hours ago, jonthomas said:

That does not apply if in Canada where there are very few options. We still have cruises coming up where premium econ air to Europe with O is 149pp. Even for a cruise on Allura, prem econ for April 2026, from Rome to Toronto  at 499 pp prem econ, direct is a bargain for Canadians.

 

I don't usually make this point but will here. A "direct" flight isn't a nonstop but rather makes a connection. Let me tag this on to make it clearer.

 

"Though the term 'direct' is used interchangeably with 'non-stop', the two are different. In a direct flight, you do not change planes and you have only one flight number. Unlike the non-stop flight, the plane makes a stop en route to the final destination for refueling and picking up and dropping off passengers.

[DrHemlock]

8 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

But, remember that the cost is in addition to the price you already paid for coach tickets in your cruise fare! You don’t get a credit for those coach tix when you buy the bizclass tix. So, you’re basically buying two tix per person.

Yet another reason for one to request the air allowance from O -- never lavish but usually reasonable -- then book Biz or even Econ tickets oneself whether with money (usually nonrefundable 😢) or those fabulous refundable FF miles.

[FlyerTalker]

51 minutes ago, clo said:

We feel the same. And using points it's all refundable for any reason.

 

Not true.  There are some programs where they are NOT refundable, some where they can be redeposited for a fee, and some where the miles can only come back for use in a program airline, not a partner.  (Iberia Avios, for example).

 

Also, any points that are used to transfer into an airline program, say from Amex, Chase, Citi or CapOne, can't go back to the original point program.

 

 

[clo]

2 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Not true.  There are some programs where they are NOT refundable, some where they can be redeposited for a fee, and some where the miles can only come back for use in a program airline, not a partner.  (Iberia Avios, for example).

 

Also, any points that are used to transfer into an airline program, say from Amex, Chase, Citi or CapOne, can't go back to the original point program.

 

 

 

Sorry, I mis-wrote. In our case it's totally refundable. Sorry, folks.

[FlyerTalker]

46 minutes ago, clo said:

I don't usually make this point but will here. A "direct" flight isn't a nonstop but rather makes a connection. Let me tag this on to make it clearer.

 

"Though the term 'direct' is used interchangeably with 'non-stop', the two are different. In a direct flight, you do not change planes and you have only one flight number. Unlike the non-stop flight, the plane makes a stop en route to the final destination for refueling and picking up and dropping off passengers.

 

Let's make it even clearer.  "Direct" does NOT involve a connection.  It simply means that you do not have a change of flight number.  Also, what you quoted was wrong, in that there may very well be a change of aircraft, just no flight number change.  This is known as "change of gauge" and happens a bit with intercontinental itineraries.

 

And "direct" flights can be quite circuitous.  Southwest used to have a flight from Baltimore to Oakland that made SEVEN stops along the way, but was "direct" because it was the same flight number the whole way.  BWI-ORD-BNA-MCO-HOU-DAL-PHX-LAS-OAK

 

So to summarize:

 

"Non-stop" means no stops between origin and final end point.

"Direct" means no change of flight number, but may have both stops and/or aircraft changes

"Connection" means a change of flight numbers, which most often (but not always) includes a change of aircraft.

 

All non-stops are by definition also direct, but not all direct are non-stops.  And connections are neither non-stop or direct.

 

 

[clo]

40 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

All non-stops are by definition also direct, but not all direct are non-stops. 

Yes. This. Most people these days especially use the term "direct" with non-stop. It was just in this particular case that I 'spoke' up. Thank you.

[jonthomas]

7 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

Canadians have a ton of options.  Not if you want non-stops from Toronto, or just want to fly Air Canada.  But to say you have few options is, IMO, to say that your searches tend to start and stop with AC.

Yes I agree with you. We do have a couple of others. Some have terrible reputations,  some are charters, some are very limited in their schedules and yes we want NON stop, so we have a better chance at seeing our luggage again.

[GeezerCouple]

2 hours ago, DrHemlock said:

Yet another reason for one to request the air allowance from O -- never lavish but usually reasonable -- then book Biz or even Econ tickets oneself whether with money (usually nonrefundable 😢) or those fabulous refundable FF miles.

YES!

One way international J (or the increasingly elusive F) tickets are a wonderful use of awards.  Awards can be terrific for round trip, too, but because international premium tickets are usually more than half the price of the round trip, it's perfect for using points, where there's no "one-way penalty".

 

We've had to redeposit the points occasionally when we needed to cancel, and there was a modest fee.  (Travel insurance will cover that fee.)

And we've had the occasional time when we couldn't re-deposit the points into the original program.  So we've occasionally had some points held captive in an airline program that we don't often use.  Then we need to find a route where it's not too inconvenient...  But using points for premium international flights on top international airlines... what a treat!

 

GC

[FlyerTalker]

17 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

Yes I agree with you. We do have a couple of others. Some have terrible reputations,  some are charters, some are very limited in their schedules and yes we want NON stop, so we have a better chance at seeing our luggage again.

 

You vastly overrate the likelihood of actually losing your luggage.

 

 

[FlyerTalker]

21 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

And we've had the occasional time when we couldn't re-deposit the points into the original program.  So we've occasionally had some points held captive in an airline program that we don't often use.  Then we need to find a route where it's not too inconvenient...

 

Time to remember that alliances work in both directions.

 

Let's say you transferred into Air France and now have points "stranded" there.  Just as you could use DL miles to fly on AF, you can use AF points to fly on DL.  Same with other carriers - you have moved into BA Avios - you can book AA flights with them.

 

Just need to think outside the box.

 

(Now, this doesn't solve the issue of bank points that are now in an airline program, rather than back to your Amex/Chase/etc account.   But it does make then at least usable)

 

 

 

 

Edited May 17 by FlyerTalker

[DrHemlock]

10 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

YES!

One way international J (or the increasingly elusive F) tickets are a wonderful use of awards.  Awards can be terrific for round trip, too, but because international premium tickets are usually more than half the price of the round trip, it's perfect for using points, where there's no "one-way penalty".

Just to be perfectly clear:  Miles held in an airline FF membership program (e.g. AAdvantage or United Mileage Plus) are one thing, while "points" held in a bank or credit card program are of a different breed which varies from program to program.  

My post above to which GeezerCouple responded was based only on my experience with miles, not points.  Ever since Covid, FF miles have been refundable without fee on trips booked through American and United even if flights would involve travel on code-share OneWorld or StarAlliance carriers (and I hope they stay that way!).  Those two programs have worked for us very well for overseas travel to all sorts of destinations the past several years, so they suffice.  And, like GC above, I nearly always book two one-ways rather than RT since a different airline's return schedule or mileage cost might be more convenient (or cheaper) than the outbound flight.

But FlyerTalker is undoubtedly correct in pointing out that other FF and points programs may have different rules, so I should have been more specific by restricting my original post to AA, UA and their alliances.  Happy flying!

Edited May 17 by DrHemlock

[clo]

10 hours ago, DrHemlock said:

Just to be perfectly clear:  Miles held in an airline FF membership program (e.g. AAdvantage or United Mileage Plus) are one thing, while "points" held in a bank or credit card program are of a different breed which varies from program to program.  

My post above to which GeezerCouple responded was based only on my experience with miles, not points.  Ever since Covid, FF miles have been refundable without fee on trips booked through American and United even if flights would involve travel on code-share OneWorld or StarAlliance carriers (and I hope they stay that way!).  Those two programs have worked for us very well for overseas travel to all sorts of destinations the past several years, so they suffice.  And, like GC above, I nearly always book two one-ways rather than RT since a different airline's return schedule or mileage cost might be more convenient (or cheaper) than the outbound flight.

But FlyerTalker is undoubtedly correct in pointing out that other FF and points programs may have different rules, so I should have been more specific by restricting my original post to AA, UA and their alliances.  Happy flying!

Thanks for this. We are die-hard United passengers and their alliance partners. And since we ALWAYS return from a different city than we arrived in the round trip thing isn't an issue.
PS: Have you been to the Polaris lounge in EWR? Incredible!