Question About Flying Multiple Airlines

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

I had tickets booked with ATA from LAS (Las Vegas) to Maui. I was flying to LAS with Midwest Airlines. I now have to look for a replacement for the ATA tickets and will have to change or cancel the Midwest flight at a Change or Cancelation Fee of $100 per ticket. I booked the flights directly with the Airlines and not with Orbitz.


So What Happens If?

The best time and rates flying from Milwaukee to Hawaii in Jan. 2009 is flying to LAX with Midwest Airlines and from LAX to OGG (Maui) with United at a Cost of $689.

I could also fly United with a stop in Denver for $916. Duration or total time of each flight with stop over is about 12 hours.

If I book the Multiple Airlines Tickets with Orbitz and there is a schedule change by either airlines and I need to make a change or cancel either flight, is there still a Change or Cancelation Fee?

If I fly with only 1 airlines and that airlines makes a change in their schedule that makes it impossible to make the connection, am I right to assume that I get a full refund without a Change or Cancelation Fee?

Walt

PS.

I made the ATA reservation on March 3rd, 2008 for Jan. 2009 Flights. I think it is just wrong for an Airline to continue making reservations that far out knowing that they may not be flying a month from now. If a person paid by cash or check, they will more than likely be out that money.

I charged the flights on my credit card and it will be interesting to see how the Credit Card Company handles the problem.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

I learned something the hard way, once. We had booked two separate flights, on two different airlines. We used the airlines websites.

The first flight was an American Airlines from Aruba to Miami to LGA. We had scheduled a second flight, on Continental, from LGA to PHX.

We left plenty of time in the layover for any delays, around 4 hours or a little more.



AA got us to MIA on time. However, they canceled our connecting flight to LGA. They rebooked us on a flight that left MIA after our Continental flight would have left LGA.

When we asked AA to rebook us on a flight to LGA so we could make our Continental flight, they refused. They told us that since we booked 2 separate itineraries without using their website, we had no recourse. They suggested that we go to the Continental desk and see if they would take pity on us.

The AA desk was at one concourse, and the CA was at the opposite concourse. We raced back and forth, begging, and pleading. Continental finally took pity, got us a flight to EWR (Newark) and a connecting flight to PHX. Luckily, we had an agent who had enough pull to make it happen. We had to get our AA bags rerouted to the new flights, and that was why we had to run back and forth.

We barely made the CA flight out of MIA. We got to EWR, just about made the PHX flight, and when we got to the airport, we of course did not have any bags.

We received our bags at 4 AM in the morning at the hotel in PHX.

Lesson we learned: Buy insurance first and foremost. Don't split itineraries if you can use an airline site to "seam" the flights (yes, AA does allow you to see other airlines and book them...I didn't know that at the time). And if possible, bring only carryon bags.

We had a happy ending, but it was exhausting.

The other thing I have heard, is that when you use sites like Orbitz, you have even less pull for solutions. I don't have experience there, but I once had to deal with Travelocity about a hotel reservation and they were the pits! Whenever I can, I book things directly with sites of the company on which we will fly or will stay.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

In Europe many low cost carriers treat each flight as a seperate booking even if they are all booked at the same time via the website. They will accept no responsibility if a connecting flight is missed because of a delay with the incoming flight, even though it is one of theirs.

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

Update about Midwest AirLines

I cancelled out the Midwest Airlines tickets to LAS yesterday. Midwest was kind enough to give me full credit toward my next tickets with them. It is good for a year and I will have no trouble using them within a year.

I guess that is one reason why Midwest Airlines has always been ranked as one of the best Airlines for passengers satisfaction.

From their website.

The minute you walk onto one of our aircraft, you know Midwest is different. Wide leather seats, superior service, chocolate chip cookies baked onboard and competitive fares have helped us earn our reputation as "The best care in the air". Add our Midwest Connect regional service and there's something for both business and leisure travelers alike.

Walt

About Us - Midwest Airlines