why do you have to do this when you've paid for the ticket already? How far in advance do you do this and do you contact the company you booked through or the airline directly? (Have always gone on package deals in the past so have never had to worry!)

I check with airline not to "reconfirm" but to see how the schedule has changed since I bought the ticket - if you buy it far enough in advance, with today's airline situation, you can almost guarantee it has changed.

The frequency of snafus has increased a lot lately. I check at least twice -- a week and a day ahead (and if it's international, even earlier than that) -- just to make sure the itinerary is as expected and my seat hasn't been changed, either. And always directly with the airline. Many allow you to do this on-line, so it doesn't take you that long. But believe me, the couple of minutes on the phone or on-line is worth it the first time you discover they've canceled one leg of your flight and now you'll connect through East Overshoe.

I was bumped off a flight from Vienna to Paris becuz when I checked in for the flight,the agent said I had not "reconfirmed" my reservation.As it turned out, the flight was oversold.I was an easy victim and the TA was taking a chance that I would not understand.So on the flight back from Paris to LA I asked the flight attendant about reconfirming.He explained that particularly with foreign carriers,it was a "big thing".It apparently goes back to the good ole days.It my case it is very common and a convenient out for the airline.Even though it is not required these days some cariers use that as a ploy to get someone off an oversold flight without having to provide any compensation.

thanks for the responses. It seems strange that you can pay for your seats and then not get them. I understand about the flight times changing though.

Have the concierge or someone at your hotel call the airline and write down your reconfirmation # on a piece of "official" stationary which is dated and signed. This is not uncommon in many parts of the world, especially Asia. It might make a difference between boarding or being denied a seat on a full flight.

How do you prove that you did reconfirm?<BR><BR>Or does the airline have to prove you didn't (which often occurs when the passenger admitted having not)?<BR><BR>Travel tips:<BR>http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm<BR>

As always,you are totally at the mercy of the airline employee standing squarely in front of you.Reams of paper may not do any good.Time is always of the essence.

Often, there is a &quot;form&quot; the hotel completes for you to take to the airport with you. I have lived and travelled overseas much of my 50+ years and this system of reconfirming outbound flights has always worked for me.