So Begins Flying Nightmare

[WinniWoman]

I really was trying to be open minded about our flight to Durango. I spent so much time finding the right flights- best connection times, picked our seats, the fares- well- they were just ok- and now- the 1st email from American Airlines stating our flights/seats have been changed.

The main issue is coming home (yes- it is always an issue coming home to the East coast). The new flight first leaves very early in the morning- ok. I guess we can deal with that.

The problem is there is only 40 minutes between connecting flights at Dallas Fort Worth. Would be landing at B and need to get to either A or C.

So- I call AA and the representative was fantastic I have to say. She tried everything to make a change. Essentially the only thing they have right now would still leave Durango very early- but there would be a 3 hour layover in Dallas. Yet we would get home earlier, so that is a plus.
Another she had would leave Durango later and go to Phoenix with a 3 hour layover and then we wouldn't get to Newark until almost midnight! Then will still have a 2 hour trip home. NOT!

Then she mentioned Albuquerque- well that is a 4 hour drive- we are supposed to be on vacation! No thanks!

She was able to change a couple of seats, but not all, but they still stink. We had all aisle seats in the middle of the plane- now we are in the back.
On one flight we are cramped in by the window.

I left it the way it was, as there is a good chance it will change again. And- if I get aggravated enough which I already am, I can get a full refund since AA was the ones that changed it. If I change it now I have to live with it unless they change it again.

So- there it is- the reason I hate flying.All the work you put into it and it all doesn't matter anyway. Glad I did not have to pay for my hotel or car rental or car service up front. Just the travel insurance would be lost if I decide to cancel.

I have never had one trip ever go smooth when it comes to flying. It's always something.The rep. said it is the air traffic controllers who have to constantly switch the flight plans around if there is too much air traffic scheduled. She was really lovely and very helpful and I was impressed with her assistance. At least one thing good..

SMH....

 

[Jimster]

You seem to have the same problem my wife has. You want the airline to do what YOU want. The problem is they will do what THEY want so they can make money. Equipment changes, capacity and other issues will cause the airlines to make changes. Alll of these is driven by money.
Unless you are willing to spend the big bucks to go first class or be a top level elite and even that is no guarantee, you are at the mercy of the airlines.

The only way to keep your sanity is to stay flexible and do the best you can. Spending long hours planning things so they are JUST RIGHT will only cause you to be upset.

 

[Jan M.]

Good Luck to you and please wish me the same!

On other threads I've recounted our nightmare experiences with Delta 16 and 17 years ago and stated that I've never flown Delta since. Well my husband is working in Arkansas for two weeks and I wanted to accompany him. He has to use his company's online travel agency which only uses certain airlines. I could have flown a lot cheaper on a different airline into Memphis arriving/departing within an hour or so of his flights. From Memphis it is about 3.5 hours drive to Fairfield Bay where we are staying. Or we could have driven the 3.5 hours to the Orlando airport and flown into Little Rock also a lot cheaper for my flight. After a couple of days of deliberation I decided to quit being a pain the the butt and just book the Delta flight. I can be on the same flight with my husband and we don't have to drive 3.5 hours each way.

I survived the shock and it didn't actually kill me to pay more for the flight than I can remember ever paying for a flight, $355! There was a pop up offer to apply for the Delta American Express, no fee for the first year and get $100 off my flight. So I applied, was approved and used the card to to book the flight. That brought the price down to $255 which still is the most I ever paid for a flight but since I booked the flight with the Delta credit card I get my checked bag free which is an additional savings.

On the plus side my husband got it approved that his company will pay for the RCI sale week of $203/no points for the one week and the exchange fee of $230/6500 RCI points for the other week, for our stay in a two bedroom unit at Wyndham Fairfield Bay. Yes I could have booked it using my Wyndham points but by booking it through RCI he has a receipt he can submit for the two fees to get reimbursed. Since his company is paying for the two weeks in the timeshare it more than covers the cost of my flight.

Since we moved to Florida 6 years ago I typically fly Spirit, Allegiant and Frontier. I haven't paid over about $150 for a round trip flight and often get them for under $100 and that is with my checked bag each way. But as I've stated before sometimes it just isn't worth the headache and complications to save $100-$150. So now I'm just praying that everything goes smoothly with my Delta flight. Please, please, please Delta, you have two big time strikes against you with me so don't make it a third and make me hate you forever!

 

[WinniWoman]

We paid close to $700 round trip each for these tickets. No small chunk of change. But was wiling to pay it to get the right flight in our low life category I guess. We are not in the Elite class of things. We are lucky to even been flying at all - well- maybe not I guess!

My main issue is the connection time in a huge airport like Dallas for infrequent travelers like us who are not too familiar with airports. Haven't flown in years because of crap like this.

Does anyone think 40 minutes is enough time when you have to go to another terminal/gate? I don't and neither did the AA rep. Meanwhile- they are the ones who changed it to this and put an alert on my reservation about it. Well- duh!

There are no meals on any of my flights. (wasn't before either). So we need a little time to eat something as we will be traveling for many hours.

We are departing our Durango hotel at 4:30 in the morning to get to the airport and not arriving to our house until 7:30 pm eastern time! That is a LONG time. And that is if we actually Make the connection in Dallas!

And we are not retired. We are still working and need to get home to get back to work. It;s not like we can handout in Dallas overnight and get another flight the next day.

When a vacation becomes stressful before it even starts, I have to rethink things.
Maybe I should try United? Or- maybe just scrap the whole thing. But if I do I am afraid we will never fly again and there goes my bucket list. It will have to become a drive to only bucket list.


And- PS if I get a new flight I need to keep it within the car rental return perimeters I booked because now if I try to change it to return the car later in the day, it will cost more for the car rental! You simply cannot win!
.

 

[WinniWoman]

You seem to have the same problem my wife has. You want the airline to do what YOU want. The problem is they will do what THEY want so they can make money. Equipment changes, capacity and other issues will cause the airlines to make changes. Alll of these is driven by money.
Unless you are willing to spend the big bucks to go first class or be a top level elite and even that is no guarantee, you are at the mercy of the airlines.

The only way to keep your sanity is to stay flexible and do the best you can. Spending long hours planning things so they are JUST RIGHT will only cause you to be upset.

Isn't the whole point of belonging to TUG and getting advice on travel sites so you can make the best plans for your trip that you can? The devil is always in the details and if you simply leave everything to chance you will risk having an even worse experience.

And- yes- I do expect the airline to do what it said it was going to do AFTER it took my money as a customer. We don't have a lot of flexibility. We have 6 days to be on this vacation and then we need to get back to work. One thing you are right about is I can have no faith in flying. I at first was very excited to go until I went to look to book the airfare. Then I had that sinking feeling about flying and I should have listened to my inner self.

 

[WinniWoman]

Good Luck to you and please wish me the same!

On other threads I've recounted our nightmare experiences with Delta 16 and 17 years ago and stated that I've never flown Delta since. Well my husband is working in Arkansas for two weeks and I wanted to accompany him. He has to use his company's online travel agency which only uses certain airlines. I could have flown a lot cheaper on a different airline into Memphis arriving/departing within an hour or so of his flights. From Memphis it is about 3.5 hours drive to Fairfield Bay where we are staying. Or we could have driven the 3.5 hours to the Orlando airport and flown into Little Rock also a lot cheaper for my flight. After a couple of days of deliberation I decided to quit being a pain the the butt and just book the Delta flight. I can be on the same flight with my husband and we don't have to drive 3.5 hours each way.

I survived the shock and it didn't actually kill me to pay more for the flight than I can remember ever paying for a flight, $355! There was a pop up offer to apply for the Delta American Express, no fee for the first year and get $100 off my flight. So I applied, was approved and used the card to to book the flight. That brought the price down to $255 which still is the most I ever paid for a flight but since I booked the flight with the Delta credit card I get my checked bag free which is an additional savings.

On the plus side my husband got it approved that his company will pay for the RCI sale week of $203/no points for the one week and the exchange fee of $230/6500 RCI points for the other week, for our stay in a two bedroom unit at Wyndham Fairfield Bay. Yes I could have booked it using my Wyndham points but by booking it through RCI he has a receipt he can submit for the two fees to get reimbursed. Since his company is paying for the two weeks in the timeshare it more than covers the cost of my flight.

Since we moved to Florida 6 years ago I typically fly Spirit, Allegiant and Frontier. I haven't paid over about $150 for a round trip flight and often get them for under $100 and that is with my checked bag each way. But as I've stated before sometimes it just isn't worth the headache and complications to save $100-$150. So now I'm just praying that everything goes smoothly with my Delta flight. Please, please, please Delta, you have two big time strikes against you with me so don't make it a third and make me hate you forever!

Wow. Jan! I do wish you luck! This is exactly what I am talking about. I don't think it is worth it if you ask me. I want to go to Italy some day and to the National Parks in Utah but I am thinking it just will never happen unless something changes big time with the airline industry. I don't seem to have the luck that others have with flying. Maybe I am not meant to travel by plane.

 

[Jimster]

If you buy a new car you can specify the options you like and expect that you will get them. You can even be as picky as you want. That is not true about travel these days. Maybe 10 years ago it was true but not now. I think the problem is two fold. First, your expectations are no longer realistic. You can't expect (like my wife does) to leave at 9:30 am as opposed to 8:30 am so i can get a good breakfast or return at 5:00 pm so i can have a full day with the grandkids. You have to be happy with getting there and getting back. If it works out perfect then great- if it doesn't you don't get too irritated. Second, you don't travel enough to understand the new reality. Hence, here are some suggestions that might help.

Yesterday I went through DFW and changed terminals in a 30 minute turnaround. We never would have made it except that my wife requested special assistance (wheel chair). AA got us an electric cart and we zoomed from one terminal to the other. If anyone in your party could use this (even if you just walk slowly), then i would suggest this. If this doesn't apply to you, then realize there is sky link which is the name for the people mover train in DFW. You will need to use this.

As for food, we had time to grab a sandwich and eat it on the plane, but many flights offer food for sale on the plane. It would be great if the connecting flight offered you a chance to sit down and eat a healthy dinner which would take at least an hour but they are not making the schedule for YOU they are making the schedule for THEM. If all of this seems harsh, maybe it is but wanting a different reality isn't going to make it happen; so why fret about it.

BTW an airline elite is someone who travels a lot and is loyal to that airline and therefore given special privileges. At top levels, elites get a slew of benefits. As for your rental car, your rental doesn't start until you pick it up and you get an hour cushion at the end of your rental. Also remember you don't have to even cancel a rental car unless you pre-paid. Go on autoslash.com and let them do the work finding a lower rate. My guess is they can already get you a lower rate since they book corporate rates anyway. In any case, they check every day for a lower rate and will rebook you at the lower rate if they find one.

Traveling a distance will take a day unless you are very fortunate. You need to resign yourself to that. The airlines expect you to find a way to make it work for your specific needs.

PS. I have flown out of Durango before. You really don't need to leave a great deal of time to go through security. You just need to get there an hour before the flight if you are going to check a bag. If you are not checking bags, probably 45 minutes in advance is enough. What you don't need to do is get there 2 hours in advance

 

[Sandy VDH]

Expect the schedule to change. Keep an eye on it periodically. React as soon as you notice. Use changes that are unacceptable to have the airline change your flights at NO charge. Even changing days if the schedule gets so screwed up, like if you have to make an event (like a cruise departure) and now you are getting there 3 hours too late.

Don't obsess about perfection too far in advance. Its a waste of your time.

 

[rapmarks]

We are now flying back and forth between fort Myers airport and Wisconsin. I couldn't find a direct flight to Milwaukee and my friend told me last direct flight on southwest is April 24 and they are all sold out. Started looking into flights to Madison. United gives you forty minute layover, and the plane is in a different terminal. One flight had us going through Newark. Right now I don't know what we will do.


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[SmithOp]

40 minutes is plenty of time in Dallas, there is a very fast skytrain between terminals, I've done it in 30 min.


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[MuranoJo]

I was a 'semi-elite' flyer for a number of years with my job, and back in those days, enjoyed the perks.
But these days we've learned to accept that schedules will change often and you need to proactively watch for these. Plus seating will change--heck, once we upgraded to Economy Plus and they changed us to Economy and no notice.
It seems in the past few years after every few flights we've taken, DH will say, "I'll never fly again." But I manage to drag him onboard again after a break.

 

[Luanne]

40 minutes is plenty of time in Dallas, there is a very fast skytrain between terminals, I've done it in 30 min.


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It may be enough time if everything goes well. I fly through Dallas when I visit my mom and sister. I've seen a several hour layover be reduced to less than 30 minutes. Most of the time the problem is that my first flight was delayed but I had one instance where a flight, that was already late arriving in Dallas, was delayed disembarking because they couldn't get the jetway to work. Several people who were stuck on the plane with me missed their connecting flights as they waited to get off the plane.

 

[WinniWoman]

If you buy a new car you can specify the options you like and expect that you will get them. You can even be as picky as you want. That is not true about travel these days. Maybe 10 years ago it was true but not now. I think the problem is two fold. First, your expectations are no longer realistic. You can't expect (like my wife does) to leave at 9:30 am as opposed to 8:30 am so i can get a good breakfast or return at 5:00 pm so i can have a full day with the grandkids. You have to be happy with getting there and getting back. If it works out perfect then great- if it doesn't you don't get too irritated. Second, you don't travel enough to understand the new reality. Hence, here are some suggestions that might help.

Yesterday I went through DFW and changed terminals in a 30 minute turnaround. We never would have made it except that my wife requested special assistance (wheel chair). AA got us an electric cart and we zoomed from one terminal to the other. If anyone in your party could use this (even if you just walk slowly), then i would suggest this. If this doesn't apply to you, then realize there is sky link which is the name for the people mover train in DFW. You will need to use this.

As for food, we had time to grab a sandwich and eat it on the plane, but many flights offer food for sale on the plane. It would be great if the connecting flight offered you a chance to sit down and eat a healthy dinner which would take at least an hour but they are not making the schedule for YOU they are making the schedule for THEM. If all of this seems harsh, maybe it is but wanting a different reality isn't going to make it happen; so why fret about it.

BTW an airline elite is someone who travels a lot and is loyal to that airline and therefore given special privileges. At top levels, elites get a slew of benefits. As for your rental car, your rental doesn't start until you pick it up and you get an hour cushion at the end of your rental. Also remember you don't have to even cancel a rental car unless you pre-paid. Go on autoslash.com and let them do the work finding a lower rate. My guess is they can already get you a lower rate since they book corporate rates anyway. In any case, they check every day for a lower rate and will rebook you at the lower rate if they find one.

Traveling a distance will take a day unless you are very fortunate. You need to resign yourself to that. The airlines expect you to find a way to make it work for your specific needs.

PS. I have flown out of Durango before. You really don't need to leave a great deal of time to go through security. You just need to get there an hour before the flight if you are going to check a bag. If you are not checking bags, probably 45 minutes in advance is enough. What you don't need to do is get there 2 hours in advance

Thanks. Good to know about Durango. Very helpful.

Yes, I understand about the Elite travelers benefits and I also understand the airlines only care about making money and could care less about human beings. We flew 6 years ago to Scotland and after that flight experience it totally turned me off to flying which is why it has taken so long for me to try again. But I do expect two days to be travel days, but I do not want it to be torture.

I did use autoslash and I left my reservation the same because even if you only change the drop off time- even if it is much earlier than originally noted, you have to cancel the whole reservation and start over with a new rate. This would have already cost us $50 more so I left it as is.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I live 10 miles from PHL (Philadelphia airport) ... a stupid $5 toll bridge between states. A major hub but not NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, etc in chaos. And every time I read these threads, I truly appreciate my flight options ... domestic or international from Philly.

As for 'fun & games' in gangways issues, strikes, security screenings, bad weather, maintenance problems ... I just know a travel day is totally lost vacation day. And am glad plane flying with all its issues gets me to South Florida way faster than driving south on I-95 for almost 2 days. I-95 is way worst ... construction, accidents, congestion, speed traps ... all causing way more stress.

PS I started travelling regularly to Florida in Spring, 1970 ... I went to college from Fall 1970 til Feb 1974. I flew, rode the trains and drove solo & with friends. Airlines came & went as did some airports (Daytona Beach International, McCoy Air Force Base) with improvements & growth made some totally unrecognizable ... Atlanta had a central cross-road "arched" round concourse between the terminals ... before security existed due to hijacking to Cuba....ended the 25-30 minute window to transfer flights in Atlanta (if you were flying North to South or from the West ... this wagon wheeled hub... each spoke was a terminal with flights going to a different area of the US).

 

[rapmarks]

40 minutes is plenty of time in Dallas, there is a very fast skytrain between terminals, I've done it in 30 min.


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I have concern about how long it takes to disembark the plane. Usually you are expected to be on the plane a certain amount of time before takeoff. What is the airline required to do f you miss your connection


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[WinniWoman]

It may be enough time if everything goes well. I fly through Dallas when I visit my mom and sister. I've seen a several hour layover be reduced to less than 30 minutes. Most of the time the problem is that my first flight was delayed but I had one instance where a flight, that was already late arriving in Dallas, was delayed disembarking because they couldn't get the jetway to work. Several people who were stuck on the plane with me missed their connecting flights as they waited to get off the plane.

That's what I am talking about. I have been through this kind of thing while younger. If we have to run through an airport with stress now we will have heart attacks. I am not going to purposely put myself in that situation. It's one thing if something goes wrong while on a trip- unavoidable - and certainly still stressful. But it is another to knowingly put yourself in a bad situation from the onset just because you may be stubborn on where and when you want to go.

 

[WinniWoman]

I live 10 miles from PHL (Philadelphia airport) ... a stupid $5 toll bridge between states. A major hub but not NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, etc in chaos. And every time I read these threads, I truly appreciate my flight options ... domestic or international from Philly.

As for 'fun & games' in gangways issues, strikes, security screenings, bad weather, maintenance problems ... I just know a travel day is totally lost vacation day. And am glad plane flying with all its issues gets me to South Florida way faster than driving south on I-95 for almost 2 days. I-95 is way worst ... construction, accidents, congestion, speed traps ... all causing way more stress.

Going to Florida would be a breeze for us because we could leave out of our local airport 45 minutes away. Also has some flights to Myrtle Beach- direct- and Europe now as well.

I am just a big National Parks fan and like to schedule our non timeshare trips near them.

 

[WinniWoman]

The plane we are disembarking in Dallas is a small plane, but they just put us in the very back of the plane!

 

[MOXJO7282]

I understand when airlines have to make adjusts to be a strong profitable company but do they have to be so greedy as to continue to strip value from the consumer and jack up prices to make obscene profits so they can pay their over-priced executives? They eliminate routes, use smaller planes and add all these BS charges while giving you less service.

They've also stripped a lot of value from the FF program as well over the years just to squeeze the consumer and extract max profits. We used to be able to get 1st class saver seats easily on the nice planes with multiple flight options. Did this easy 4 times NY to Maui then it starts with only being able to get 2 tickets for the nice flights, then only 1, then none forcing us to take lesser planes and worst routes.

Then it became impossible to be 4 saver seats on any flight. so instead of getting 4 1st savers class for free, now if I'm lucky to get 4 coach anytime seats for max points and if I ever want to get a really nice plane for 1st class, I can for 380k miles that used to cost 140k miles, an absurd increase in less than 10 years of time. I understand some value loss but that is ridiculous and just a money grab as far as I'm concerned.

 

[WinniWoman]

We are seriously thinking of cancelling the whole trip and maybe booking to go to Portsmouth NH that week. 4.5 hour ride. Can also stay in a Hilton Homewood Suite Hotel like we would have in Durango. It will be somewhat chilly on the Atlantic and it does rain a lot there. It's not the Rocky Mountains. But it will certainly be less stressful logistically. Would be a big disappointment because I know we won't ever try to go there again the way flying is. But it also will be a huge cement block off my chest. Hope to make this decision today.

 

[SmithOp]

It may be enough time if everything goes well. I fly through Dallas when I visit my mom and sister. I've seen a several hour layover be reduced to less than 30 minutes. Most of the time the problem is that my first flight was delayed but I had one instance where a flight, that was already late arriving in Dallas, was delayed disembarking because they couldn't get the jetway to work. Several people who were stuck on the plane with me missed their connecting flights as they waited to get off the plane.

I've flown through Dallas over a hundred times, only been stranded twice due to weather. I don't worry about things that may happen 2% of the time, nor let it stop me enjoying a trip I've been wanting to do. One of the times there were tornadoes, the airport was shut down and we slept on cots they rolled out in terminal B.


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[Ken555]

It certainly seems like you're already quite stressed about this trip, and that even a minor change on the day of travel might make this worse. It's probably wise to consider alternatives.

If this was my trip, I'd probably look at all options. If you have an extra day or two to add to the trip, I'd consider driving to a larger city with a more direct route home. Driving often adds a nice addition to a trip, especially where you'll be. It's about a six hour drive to Denver from Durango and there are nonstop flights from there to NYC. Spend a night en route and it would be a relaxing end to what is now a very stressful trip.


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[Jimster]

As to autoslash, I don't think you understand what i said. Don't cancel or modify the reservation! Make a new reservation and only cancel the one you dont want AFTER you are assured you have it right. You may end up keeping the one you have or you might find the new one better. THEN cancel one.

 

[BocaBoy]

40 minutes is plenty of time in Dallas, there is a very fast skytrain between terminals, I've done it in 30 min.

Doesn't that actually prove that 40 minutes is NOT enough time? It does to me.

 

[WinniWoman]

It certainly seems like you're already quite stressed about this trip, and that even a minor change on the day of travel might make this worse. It's probably wise to consider alternatives.

If this was my trip, I'd probably look at all options. If you have an extra day or two to add to the trip, I'd consider driving to a larger city with a more direct route home. Driving often adds a nice addition to a trip, especially where you'll be. It's about a six hour drive to Denver from Durango and there are nonstop flights from there to NYC. Spend a night en route and it would be a relaxing end to what is now a very stressful trip.


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Actually I have not found a non stop flight to Denver from NYC and back. I was thinking- ok- let's try Denver and go to Rocky Mountain National Park instead- but no, of course not.

We do not have any extra PTO days to spare to tack onto this trip either.