hills27

Hdm, ticket prices change by the minute. What the agent told you earlier today may no longer hold true. Why are you so hostile towards someone that is trying to help you find a decent fare?

hdm

hill27,
I'm not looking for a 'decent fare'. What I want is to have the free trip that I believe was promised to me when I handed in my tickets.

Imagine if you were in a restaurant with a friend and you ordered apple pie and the waitress brought you peach pie, then lemon, then blueberry, and every time, your friend said, eat that one, it's good. You might say, but you don't understand -- I ordered apple pie because that's what I want.

My impression was not that mrwunrfl was keeping an eye on fares for me, but that s/he was implying that I was incorrect about the fare. If I was wrong about that I'm sorry. If I came across as hostile, I'm sure you can understand that this has been a very frustrating few days for me.

hdm

Well, an amazing thing has happened.

This morning I received a response from US Airways apologizing for the misunderstanding and offering to extend my vouchers for an additional year from the expiry date (which would make it December 30/08). I have to give them my certificate (voucher) numbers and then they'll email me the authorization for the extension.

It won't help us with a trip this year, but we'll certainly use them for next year, if not Florida at Christmas then maybe somewhere in the summer.

Suspicious girl that I am, I won't consider this a done deal till I have those free plane tickets in my hand -- maybe even till I'm sitting on the plane -- but I have to say that they really came through for me!

AMAZING!!!!!

Sarvowinner

Well done. A win for the good guys.

rkkwan

Now you understand the conditions, book your flights early. Airlines open up their reward availability (which this voucher apparently uses) 330 or 331 days before flight time. Still, trying to use it for Christmas or major holidays will be next to impossible.

hdm

Thanks. If I try to book them early in the year for Christmas time and it doesn't work, we'll use them for another holiday.

Yay for us!!!

nanabee

YEAH! well done.
i'm glad you stuck your ground and all's well.
thanks for keeping us posted. aften we hear of problems or complaints then the person quits posting and we never know what happened.

LvSun

Don't know about your problem but some things sure got messed up during the merger when they combined their computer systems.

karameli

Great! That's what happens when you submit a reasonable, polite complaint. I'm glad it got the response it deserved.

hdm

Thank you. I do think being reasonable but firm was a good idea. Also, was in advertising years ago, I was taught that three ideas works best when making a presentation to a client so I gave them three choices. I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd said no to everything but I'm glad we can part friend. I've learned my lessons about vouchers, though: a) don't take 'em, and b) if you do, book early, early, early!

The letter I'm supposed to get will list the restrictions so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they're ones I can deal with.

hdm

Thank you. I do think being reasonable but firm was a good idea. Also, when was in advertising years ago, I was taught that three ideas works best when making a presentation to a client so I gave them three choices. I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd said no to everything but I'm glad we can part friend. I've learned my lessons about vouchers, though: a) don't take 'em, and b) if you do, book early, early, early!

The letter I'm supposed to get will list the restrictions so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they're ones I can deal with.

hills27

I suggest marking your calendar for 330 days from the date you want to use them and call on that date to book.

hdm

I will definitely do that, hills. We're limited by the university calendar but I'm going to try to find out the 2008 schedule as soon as possible.

hills27

But it's usually pretty easy to guess - e.g. schools starts the _th Monday after New Year's, etc. And I bet you the registrar's office knows, even if they haven't published it yet.

hdm

It's really easy to figure out for this year but not so easy for 2008 (lieu stats and all that, plus sometimes we get extra 'President's Days'). However, the Registrar's office is right downstairs from mine and I'm going to ask them tomorrow.

I can't book my ticket until 364 days before my flight anyway and since the tickets won't be refundable, I'd hate to make a mistake at this point.

mrwunrfl

Great, glad it worked out for you. I hope you figured out which rules apply to your voucher (the roundtrip flight credit "Take Flight Certificate" wouldn't be applicable to the open-jaw itin you wanted for this Dec.)

hdm

My understanding from their email is that the thing I'll be receiving in the mail lists any restrictions on the back, and that's fine (the thing I had was blank). I don't mind playing by the rules as long as I know what the rules are. We can always make our plans meet their requirements (ie not open jaw).

caribtraveler

hdm: That's GREAT. Congrats.

sognodfn

Hi, hdm. I'm glad USAir responded positively to your letter. I don't have anything to add about the voucher situation, but I was excited to see that you had thought of starting your return flight from TLH. We live 90 minutes away, and after your kind invitation to send my son up to you last year for the seder, the least I would have done was to meet you at the airport with a kosher corned beef sandwich to eat on the plane home!!
L'Shana Tova!

hdm

The thing that pleases me second-most (most being that we got the vouchers extended) is that both sides maintained their dignity.

sognodfn, I'd forgotten about that seder invitation! We're really hoping to do the Florida trip in 08 so don't think I'm going to forget about that kosher corned beef sandwich offer!

L'shana tova to you too, and to every one else Happy Jewish New Year!