i_am_kane

faredolce:

Yes, I need to get over this hump in the planning. BTW, everyone in my family is amenable to any decision I make regarding the airline and flights.

To me, these flights are the foundation of my trip. Once that is in place, I can build on it (with the fun stuff).

rkkwan: About the $100 charge for redepositing that you mentioned. Would you clarify that comment? Do you mean if I book the three FF tickets on AA, and then decide to fly a different airline, I would have to pay $100 for AA to transfer the FF miles back into my account?

jo_ann: Positive comments about your recent Delta flight...was the 777 new equipment (you mention plush).

My husband just mentioned that we should give the AA miles to our son and his family flying out of Tampa (code share partner is British Airways - AA doesn't fly to Italy from Tampa). Since four of them are flying out of that location, we would only have to pay for one person and be done with it. Hmm, food for thought.

rkkwan

All airlines charge a fee to redeposit miles into one's FF account, unless you're a top-level elite. Some charges $25 or $50, but from what I'm reading on aa.com, they charge $100 for a year, or something like that. I'm not an expert on AAdvantage, but you can call to ask, or ask this again on the "Airline" forum here so that fellow Fodorite AAFF can answer. Or ask it on the "American AAdvantage" forum on flyertalk.com.

Anyways, if all 10 of you don't have to fly into Venice on the same plane, then there are lots you can do. And yeah, like book three seats for those from Tampa first, using your AA miles.

rkkwan

Also, a Tampa-Italy ticket is likely to cost more than NYC-Italy if you pay by cash. Another reason why you may want to use miles on those tickets.

socialworker

HI--I did not read the above, so if this is a "double", sorry. I have booked flts way ahead b/c they were the exact departure times I wanted, only to have the airlines do a schedule change that made the issue moot....

mztery

I concur with those who say to give your miles to those flying from Tampa.

One other point on the tix from Delta - one advantage you may not have thought of, is that if you book and pay tickets now (at least with Amex or Diners) AND they declare bankruptcy after your purchase you SHOULD be able to get the $$ back for the tickets from the CC company and then rebook if you need to.
I realize this is a separate question form "what of htey eclare B/K while i'm on my trip" but it is one factor people don't often take into account. Several carriers are in B/K now and still operating - so if oyu buy tix and htey then go totally belly up you are stuck about refunds from the cc.

I also don't kmnow what the latest congressional decision was about carriers honoring each others tix - I know there were some rules about that that changed?
Bottom line is , if a carrier ceases operations while you are on a trip it is anyone's guess what will happen and how accomodating other carriers will be. However it is likely that if Delta goes in B/K oyu will have SOME warning before they stop flying....

Travelnut

I just flew Delta from Florida to Texas. On the connection coming back, Delta changed my terminal building 3 times, and my gate 4 times, within 90 minutes. They also downgraded to a smaller plane, told everyone their seat assignments weren't good b/c the configuration was different, had all passengers line up at the desk (80-100 people) to get their seats reassigned. While I was waiting in line, they then called out a list of names who could go ahead and board - I guess they figured out which seats still had a "match" and let those people board, then they reassigned anyone left over.

Sound like fun?

mikemo

As the US (Corporate) bankruptcy laws change significantly on 1 October, Delta has no choice.
Delta will still be flying next spring as the US taxpayer will "bail" the company out as has been done in the past.
M

i_am_kane

The posters are FlyerTalk.com have grim remarks about Delta's future from selling Comair/ASA to doing a sale/leaseback of their gates at PHL.

Also, one poster wrote: "Delta bonds are due on 12-15-05 and are selling at 28 cents on the dollar. This means the market is almost sure Delta will be in bankruptcy by 12-15-05. If you believe otherwise, you can bet $280 and make $1,000 by 12-15-05, or a 750% APR return if Delta is not bankrupt by 12-15-05." Other posters are mentioning Chapter 7 (full liquidation), not reorganization. Looks like Delta has sold most of their assets already.

Oh, well...

111op

There has been no more news about Delta, I assume? Ok to use them in April? I flew them once last year and didn't like them, but they have the best flight times for me in April.

Thanks for any opinions.

bob_brown

Things have been quieter on the Delta front since the agreements for pay cuts, and other cost cutting measures.

I dislike flying coach class in Delta's B777s. Very tight and for me very uncomfortable.

Business class is ok, but it is expensive.

To be honest about it, I don't like coach in any of the transatlantic flights. Possibly the class on British Airways that is a higher priced coach seat is tolerable. I find the rest of them to be pretty tight seating.

If I can find a 767 with 2 - 3 - 2 seating, I can do ok on the "2" sides, provided I am with my wife. We have learned to adapt.

i_am_kane

Seems like eons ago when I first posted this question. bob_brown, you are right...all's quiet on the Delta front lately.

If anyone is interested, I did book our "perfect" flights on Delta Airlines, albeit expensive.

Six people JFK - VCE and FCO - JFK, and four people MCO-JFK-VCE and returning the same route. So, the ten of us have been booked since the middle of October, 2005.

Right now, the equipment is a 737 with seating of 2-3-2. We are all lined up on one side of the airplane(s) in five rows of two seats.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.

111op

How much was the ticket, kane, by the way?

Thanks.

I can't believe that it's $800 to fly JFK->BRU, CDG->JFK for Good Friday long weekend. I don't know yet if I'm pulling the trigger. Seems quite high for April.

Intrepid1

Are you sure it is a 737?????

i_am_kane

Intrepid 1,
Typo - it's a 767 with 2-3-2 configuation.

These are the air fares for non-stop flights to/from JFK departing 6/24, returning 7/8.

Booked six seats at $1,142, today's fare is $1,611.

MCO with a connection in JFK departing 6/24, returning 7/2 (different departure date from Rome):

Booked four seats at $1,381, today fare is $1,725.

These are all coach seats, and the fare NEVER went down, only up, up, up.

111op

Wow. You saved thousands of dollars! Congratulations!

i_am_kane

111op,

Yes, we saved (if you look at it that way) almost $5,000. As it is, these tickets cost me over $12,000.

dewdrops

i am kane

We too are flying to Delta to Italy in may-june. We got lucky and found fares for 924.00 in Dec. We fly tpa-jfk-fco and vce-jfk-tpa. I thought fares would go down to at least $800.00 but that never happened. Have a great trip.

111op

Well, but the discount is nearly 1/3. You should use that on another trip.

mari5

American Airines 777 has 2 on each side (5 in the middle)...I believe about the only major carrier with this configuration.. It's GREAT! They also have an inch more width in the seats.

i_am_kane

dewdrops,

I agree, $924 is a good price. Is that including taxes?

We tried to get flights in/out of TPA, but they were too expensive. There's another part to this story: The flights to and from MCO are on Song, which will not be flying after May 1,2006 as has been reported by Delta. I expect to hear from Delta about this portion of the flight(s) soon. Our guess is that my son and family will fly true Delta flights to and from JFK.

I would have preferred to take our vacation in May, but we have to wait until the Connecticut grandchildren are out of school, which is June 23rd.

dewdrops, These are great flights, don't you think? You are doing the exact opposite of our itinerary.

111op, You've got that right...I'm already planning our 2007 trip. I have a paper map of Europe taped (blue tape won't harm the sheetrock) to the wall. There are so many places we would like to visit in Europe.

However, I must make a confession...I really just want to go back to Italy again next year. The Lakes, Tuscany, Sicily, Marche - wherever.

"Italia! O Italia! Thou who hast the fatal gift of beauty." Lord Byron