Aloha Airlines left me high and dry!
 

I had booked a flight into Burbank on Aloha back in December. I called Aloha when I found out they weren't flying to Burbank any longer and was told I'd be put on a flight to John Wayne. I called today to check on my flight info as I could not find a confirmantion email in my saved mail and lo and behold! They had not only changed my airport, but my date and time of travel, I need to be in LA for an event at 2 pm on the 22nd, but my new flight gets me at 10:30 that night.

I have called Aloha twice. The first time I got a snooty, cranky agent who told me it was my responsibilty to read the fine print of any contract into which I entered. Then she made a comment about me booking using my United Milesd #, not my AlohaPass #. Second agent kept repeating to me "You had been notified of this change." I certainly don't recall being notified of a change my travel date! The did offer me a seat on a flight to Orange County, at a price of $661 + $100 change fee. This will buy me a seat on the day was originally scheuled to travel, but because my flight was cancelled and there are no seats at the fare I paid they couldn't find me a flight on that day. My head is spinning from this logic.

To add insult to injury, that same fare is $300 less if I book it online, but I can't make a change to an exisiting ticket on-line, even though my exisiting ticket isn't the ticket I bought from them--airpport, date and time of travel have all been changed, by them, note you, not me. As far as I am concerned this is NOT the ticket I purchased, but, again, they then tell me "Ma'am, you were notified."

I booked a seat on a United flight for $422. I will never again fly Aloha.

What a terrible story, htg2M. I hope when you get back and have some time you will continue to press them for proof of the notification.
Are you still planning to visit Eden, NC?

Possibly in August. I have some family stuff going on this year--weddings and what-not, that are bringing me to the mainland several times over the next few months. I am trying to work in some other trips each time I go to LA, one to MSP, one to Vegas and hopefully the trip to NC, I am so glad I only had this one trip booked on Aloha. They had some very good fares this winter and I booked a few flights with them into Burbank. This was the last one I had into Burbank, and unless I can figure out someway to use this ticket towards a future flight that I can affford, I'll not be flying Aloha again.

Travel safely, htg2M. I am headed to Oahu and Maui this week and have made many notes from your postings. Thanks for all the great counsel.

here today - You ought to call them again and ask to talk to a supervisor. It may or may not help.

I had a problem with United last year. I called a couple of times and got the run around. Next time I talked to a supervisor and there was no problem getting what I wanted.

You may also send them an e-mail telling them what you want.

Each time you contact them, either by phone or by e-mail, you talk to a different person or group of people. Sometimes you get lucky and get the right one.

On the other hand, if you spend any more time talking with them and get no more satisfaction, it can lead to additional frustration.

But it worked for me.

I have already called them four times earlier today. The last time I called it was explained to me that I had been offered a chance to have them cancel my flight and give me a refund, but I had refused this. I did call Aloha when I first heard they were stopping flights to Burbank, and yes, at that time I was offered a refund. I was also told that it should be no problem and that I would be rescheduled on a flight into John Wayne. I said I'd rather fly into John Wayne than loose the $320 fare I had paid and that was the end of the conversation. I do not recall any discussion of changing my travel dates, or ever getting a new email with my new flight info, even though they keep insisting that I had "been notified."

So far they are not showing any indication of wavering from the official stance on this. As far as they are concerned, they notified me of the change and I had refused an offer for them to refund my ticket. What gets me is that they have seats still for sale on the days I want to travel and they can be bought on Aloha's website for $650 R/T. But the only way I can even change my exisiting booking is if I pay them the $100 change fee + the difference of my $320 ticket from a $981 fare, for a total of$761. That is the cheapest fare they have told me they can offer me over the phone.

I'm done calling. I bought another ticket on United and will try writing a letter and hope that at some time in the next year I'll be able to apply the original fare to another more affordable flight on Aloha.