Direct flight changed to connecting flight
#1
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Direct flight changed to connecting flight
I will try to make a long story short.
We booked through Air Canada Vacations a 2 week AI in Cancun leaving on Feb. 25th/04. Before X-Mas my travel agent called to tell me that my direct flight from Montreal was cancelled and we now had to go through Toronto (to and return flights). One hour wait one way - two hour wait on the return flight. Since we travel with our 3 kids we always ask for direct flights during the day (first criteria in choosing our destination). We asked if there was a discount. No. We asked if we can change to the direct flight on the following saturday. We could but it would cost 2000$ more. We cancelled the trip. Do all airlines regularly do this? Are we simply "difficult" travelers?.
We booked through Air Canada Vacations a 2 week AI in Cancun leaving on Feb. 25th/04. Before X-Mas my travel agent called to tell me that my direct flight from Montreal was cancelled and we now had to go through Toronto (to and return flights). One hour wait one way - two hour wait on the return flight. Since we travel with our 3 kids we always ask for direct flights during the day (first criteria in choosing our destination). We asked if there was a discount. No. We asked if we can change to the direct flight on the following saturday. We could but it would cost 2000$ more. We cancelled the trip. Do all airlines regularly do this? Are we simply "difficult" travelers?.
#2
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Flights are cancelled and people rerouted all the time. Once you have bought the ticket, the airline has an obligation to get you from point A (your origin) to point B (your destination) in a reasonable amount of time; however, direct flights are not a guarantee. One connection is not that big of a deal (I have 2 kids and have travelled with them since they were infants--I never used a flight being direct as a criteria for whether I would take the trip or not--in fact, I have often taken an extra flight segment to get more frequent flier miles).
#3
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I don't know about being difficult, but I would honestly never think of cancelling a trip due to a change in my air routing.
Actually, I think a death in my family would be about the only reason I would cancel a trip....and I've had my fair share of things being changed in my travel plans before.
Actually, I think a death in my family would be about the only reason I would cancel a trip....and I've had my fair share of things being changed in my travel plans before.
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Especially travelling in the winter time, we try very hard to take non-stop flights. That way, if a flight is delayed, we'll get in late, but we won't get stranded mid-trip after missing a connection, which has happened to us. Sometimes we drive to a larger airport about 90 minutes away if it means we can fly non-stop.
Would we cancel a trip if our air reservations got changed? I don't think so, but I'd be anxious.
Would we cancel a trip if our air reservations got changed? I don't think so, but I'd be anxious.
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I should have added that we are 90 minutes from the airport to begin with and the changes meant we were coming home at around 2 a.m.
We went to Cancun last year in the same time period and left 2 hours later than scheduled because of a "traffic jam" on the runway in Cancun.
Unless there have been changes at that airport I figured it would probably be the same because of spring break.
I would not have cancelled had it been any other time (not winter).
We have already planned another trip but not by plane.
Thanks for the comments!
Richard
We went to Cancun last year in the same time period and left 2 hours later than scheduled because of a "traffic jam" on the runway in Cancun.
Unless there have been changes at that airport I figured it would probably be the same because of spring break.
I would not have cancelled had it been any other time (not winter).
We have already planned another trip but not by plane.
Thanks for the comments!
Richard