Schedule changes causes shorter holiday

Date: 18 June 2012
Airline: Spirit Airlines, flight 244
Location: Guatemala

I am requesting partial refund of my airfare. My return trip was changed just prior to my flight. As a result I had to alter my vacation plans and was forced to shorten my stay in Guatemala. I am only requesting partial compensation.

I called the customer service line on this matter prior to my flight and was told I had to make the request at the airport. I then spoke to the agent at the airport prior to my flight and was told I had to call the customer service line.

-Preston

Note from AirSafe.com: Typically, airlines are not required to compensate passengers for costs not directly related to the trip. While the schedule change may have affected their holiday plans, that is not covered by most airlines.

If a passenger is concerned about delays affecting other parts of the trip, consider options such as purchasing insurance.

Holiday Airline Travel Advice on Security and Baggage

With the holidays comes the joys and the headaches of holiday travel, especially if it involves going to the airport. If you follow AirSafe.com's advice, you could avoid most of the mistakes that passengers make when it comes to packing and air travel.

Advice for infrequent flyers
If you have never flown before or if you have not flown in a long time, you should review the AirSafe.com's Advice for the Infrequent Flyer, which covers some of the basic things you need to know, and also has links to more extensive information about security and baggage issues.

Baggage Advice
The following links will provide you detailed information on a range of baggage related subjects of interest to travelers during the holidays or at any other time of the year:
What the TSA allows in checked and carry-on baggage
Carry-on baggage tips
Top 10 baggage tips
Baggage claim advice
Lost and damaged baggage claims
Duty-free items
Traveling with your laptop
Overhead baggage risks

Security Advice
Top 10 Security Tips
Acceptable identification
Restricted and prohibited items

Other advice
Fear of flying
Traveling with children and infants
Top 10 tips for children traveling alone
How to fly with your pets

When You Book with an Online Travel Service, Prices Can Change Before Your Very Eyes

George was kind enough to share the following story about his experience booking a holiday trip online, and it looks like the online service decided to give itself a present.

I went to Travelocity and filled in the required fields for the round trip flight for $312.40 for two seniors (my wife and I are visiting her brother for the Christmas holiday). When I went to the bottom of the page and clicked on the "Continue with Flight Only" button a page came up with a dialogue box that said "we're sorry. The price for this trip has changed. . . ." The new price was $392.40.

This is classic bait and switch, which is larceny by artifice or device in every state in the union. In my state larcenies carry a five year felony incarceration. I sincerely believe that if the person or persons who built this website, maintain it, or oversee it, are prosecuted as an example, with adequate publicity, then it will stop. Otherwise, they will continue doing it. I have retained the printed pages from the site with all of the foregoing information on it as written documentation of the bait and switch electronic maneuver.

AirSafe.com Responds
While we have no comment or opinion on the potential legality of changing prices in the middle of an online order, but it seems that there could be a more customer friendly way to deal with sudden price changes. The average customer would be happy to see an unexpected price drop, but a sudden price rise might deny any online travel service the most valuable thing of all, a repeat customer.