Non Region Specific Your Flight Has Changed!

[dbostedo]

We've already handled that effectively here locally. The airlines just need to catch up. I live near "Portland." The other one is "The Other Portland" (sometimes known as "Left Portland"). Simple.

But that's pushing a change on the other Portland, which you can't control. It would be better to rename your local Portland to "Right Portland". Plus, it could mean two things!

 

[David Chaus]

We've already handled that effectively here locally. The airlines just need to catch up. I live near "Portland." The other one is "The Other Portland" (sometimes known as "Left Portland"). Simple.

The challenge is of course that the booking agents aren't from "here locally." They might be in Fort Worth, they might be in Delhi. Either way you can't understand their accent and vice versa.

I have heard "thank you Mr David" a few too many times.

 

[crosscountry]

And you, my friend, may have a bright future in airline customer service.

In case you didn't know, I work in customer service of another industry you probably don't want to deal with (but can't avoid, unlike airline).

 

[cosmoliu]

I haven't flown since the pandemic started, and I don't miss it. Two years ago I made the 11 hour drive to Snowbird and thought it wasn't bad. Last year I made the 17 hour drive to Winter Park, overnighting in St. George, Utah, and also thought it wasn't bad. About 8 years ago I met a L.A. friend in Snowmass. I flew. He drove, and I thought he was crazy for doing that. Now that I've done these trips, and considering how paranoid I am of COVID exposure beyond my immediate ability to avoid, I may never fly to ski again.

 

[Tony S]

So basically this thread boils down to fly < drive < move.

 

[Crank]

Skiers! We've always had to be flexible flyers as who who has flown for skiing has not been caught out by winter storms and been re routed missed connections waited for long tedious hours in airports?

Nowadays it seems we must become even more flexible. Bend over please.

 

[dbostedo]

Unfortunate that so many have had bad experiences. I guess my home airports are pretty good (DCA mainly, and sometimes IAD) - I've rarely had a bad experience that wasn't weather related, flying 15-20 times a year (though less these days). I would definitely say for anything over, say, a 6 hour drive, flying is MUCH more preferable to me.

EDIT: The worst experience I've had for ski trips was getting my luggage into Aspen last season. My flight made it fine, but my luggage didn't. And didn't show up until noon the next day despite a few other flights coming in that it could have been put on.

The worst experience I've had overall was with Sata Airlines (Portugal)... I was flying DC -> Boston -> Azores... my bags didn't get checked through correctly and I had to pick them up in Boston and re-check them. (Luckily I had just enough layover time to do that.)

And then coming back, while waiting to get through customs, they announced me over the PA and told me to find the Sata rep. The Sata rep said they couldn't get me a flight back to DC that evening (though it was partnered with American, which runs an hourly shuttle between Boston and DC). So they gave me taxi and hotel and food vouchers. Once through customs, I went to the American counter and asked if they could get me on a flight - they had plenty of availability. Sata was just clueless somehow. I actually got on an earlier flight than the one I was booked for and got home early.

 

[Tony S]

Unfortunate that so many have had bad experiences. I guess my home airports are pretty good (DCA mainly, and sometimes IAD) - I've rarely had a bad experience that wasn't weather related, flying 15-20 times a year (though less these days). I would definitely say for anything over, say, a 6 hour drive, flying is MUCH more preferable to me.

I can't believe you tempted the gods by putting that in writing.

 

[dbostedo]

I can't believe you tempted the gods by putting that in writing.

I put my faith in Ullr to protect me from Váli, the god of flight. Those Norse gods are always fighting each other anyway.

 

[Tony S]

Check again in 3 days. I've had so-called "fixed" itineraries get messed up again that quick.

That was a TERRIBLE suggestion. I'm not going to pursue this line of investigation any further.

 

[Jwrags]

What I bought, just a couple weeks ago:
View attachment 183163

What I have now:
View attachment 183164
View attachment 183165

Did I get a notification? No!

The crowning insult? They're now telling me I waited too long to tell them I didn't want to fly to a different city from the one I'd booked.

American is probably my least favorite airline with the worst customer service.

 

[Jwrags]

The best rebooking experience I've had is with the American Airlines app, flying back from Aspen to DC in Feb. 2021.

• I was at the airport waiting at the gate when I got notified of a delay in my flight, then another, and it meant I was going to miss my connection in Dallas
• I was able to change my flight in the app while sitting there, to a different Aspen flight to Dallas, that would still make my connection
• While waiting in Aspen for that flight, it was announced that they had a mechanical issue and my new flight would also be delayed (which quickly showed up in the app)
• At this point, I swtiched to an entirely different route, again all in the app, from Aspen to O'hare to DCA.
• That flight went fine, but of course (as I knew would happen) my bags didn't come with me
  • Once I arrived in DC, as I was walking through the airport, the app notified me that my bags had not arrived, and let me put in my address for delivery the next day
  • My bags showed up at my house around 10 PM the next day I think

TL;DR version: I was able to change my flight twice even with different airports, and get my lost bag notification and delivery, all in the app without talking to anyone or waiting in any lines.

I was amazed how well that worked - but it doesn't always; Depends on the airports and the systems being used I think. Sometimes the bag tracking isn't perfect, and sometimes you still have to talk to someone to rebook.

I’m curious what your status level is with AA. It does make a difference in how you are treated as does your ticket class.

 

[Tony S]

I’m curious what your status level is with AA.

I know EXACTLY what MY status is with AA.

 

[dbostedo]

I’m curious what your status level is with AA. It does make a difference in how you are treated as does your ticket class.

I'm Gold status, which is the lowest level of 5. (The others are Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum, and Concierge Key.)

I get one free checked bag, boarding group 4 (of 8 or 9), and sometimes free upgrades to economy plus when checking in, or first class on standby (I don't often get that except on fairly empty flights).

Edit: Thought of a couple more perks... I can check in at the priority counter and not use a kiosk which is nice if the kiosks are busy. And sometimes they screw up and put priority tags on my bags (so they come out first at baggage claim) even though only the levels above mine are supposed to get that.