? about direct flights from BOS to MCO

[CamColt]

Buzz, when we called to confirm our seats on the later flight we were given, we specifically asked if an earlier flight became available would we be able to get on that without a charge and we were told yes because we originally booked the earlier flight. Then after a while we decided to go a day earlier and when we called back to switch, we were able to do that with no charge and no hassle. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by that. There is hope there.
I should mention I am part of the 10% and part of the 30%. Im much more relaxed about our August trip when we are driving as opposed to our December trip when we have to deal with this flying hassle.


What I dont understand is why the price of our flight more than doubled within days and only a few seats were taken? I thought the price went up as the flight filled up.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> why the price of our flight more than doubled within days and only a few seats were taken...

On some dates (such as Sunday afternoon after Thanksgiving) the number of cheap seats is very small. The airline knows it can eventually fill the seats at a much higher fare. But there are some cheap seats so nobody can say the date was blacked out.

If you do not cancel, and a cancelled flight is re-instated, you can certainly ask to be changed back. You may have to go up several levels in the customer service hierarchy since the lowest levels are likely to be outsourced to persons manning phone banks in foreign countries who were given very little power.

 

[mcnuss]

Actually I think I would try to use Southwest's Business Model. As far as I know, they never cancel flights, always booked solid, on time, no hassels. And to boot - the only airlines that has made money since 9/11.

You do not fully understand the SW model if you think they price their flights based on some kind of happy consumer-friendly model. They are all about making money, period - as they should be. Go to their website and pick a flight. It will show you every single fare available, highest to lowest. Look at how quickly the lowest fares sell out. That's no different from any other airline. It's based purely upon supply & demand as others have noted. SW just happens to be more up front about its pricing model; it is not a different model at all.

But bc SW will not allow you to book more than 5 or so months in advance and bc of the narrow scheduling window, they make fewer changes. They can also make changes without effecting seat selection, which if you think about it, is liberating for the airline.

I like SW, I respect Herb Kelleher and his business ethics and the corporate culture he has nurtured, but if you think flying SW is "no hassle" and they are always on time and don't cancel flights, you must fly a different SW than I do! To me, flying SW is an enormous hassle. I always feel like a sheep...line up here, line up there, push your way thru the crowd, get pushed, ugh. I have been late as often on SW as on any airline, and I have had flights cancelled and re-arranged at the last minute. I would never take a SW trip that included a plane change. The thought of having a tight connection, running thru the terminal to the next gate for my boarding group number, and waiting in a line a second time is more than I can take. They need to come up with a solution for connecting pax, like giving you your boarding group assignment for you 2nd flight when you check in for your first.

Most of the airlines are miserably run, consumer hostile, money losing hell-holes of corporations, and I feel sorry for the regular-Joe & Jane employees who have gotten caught in the sucking vortex of their CEOs' stupidity and greed. We are pretty much hostage to them though, and they know it.

 

[cpl100]

After resonding to the email from Song, I received this reply:

Thanks for getting in touch with Song.

If the schedule that you had originally booked is reinstated, I will do
all possible to accomodate you on the early morning departure and later
return without penalty.

We appreciate your support and trust your future flights will be
entirely satisfactory.