1/21/05 Vacation To Cozumel Via Usair

[mr314man]

Knowledgeable people,

Thanks for letting me lurk a bit on the forum. I feel for the folks at US Airways and the negative outlook.

I have a rather selfish question. What happens IF US Air is no more or slashes service, I have an e-ticket, and hotel reservation, etc?

Me and the girlfriend leave on 1/21/05 out of STL, connect in Charlotte, go to Cozumel. Return through Charlotte 1/28.

I booked through Orbitz and did not really think about the airline. 😱 I have flown US Airways w/in the last couple of years and always had a great time.

Any reassurance/advice would be helpful. I turn 40 in 1/24 and I'll be damned if I do it in a $hithole like STL.

Help!

 

[GadgetFreak]

Knowledgeable people,

Thanks for letting me lurk a bit on the forum. I feel for the folks at US Airways and the negative outlook.

I have a rather selfish question. What happens IF US Air is no more or slashes service, I have an e-ticket, and hotel reservation, etc?

Me and the girlfriend leave on 1/21/05 out of STL, connect in Charlotte, go to Cozumel. Return through Charlotte 1/28.

I booked through Orbitz and did not really think about the airline. 😱 I have flown US Airways w/in the last couple of years and always had a great time.

Any reassurance/advice would be helpful. I turn 40 in 1/24 and I'll be damned if I do it in a $hithole like STL.

Help!

[post="233064"][/post]​

STL isnt that bad a place to spend your birthday.

 

[reznc]

You'll be fine.

 

[Skyhungry]

At least get a paper ticket. Now!

 

[phl2]

At least get a paper ticket. Now!

[post="233110"][/post]​

why the paper ticket?

 

[jimntx]

Because the paper ticket has all the information on it that an airline would need if they decided to honor your booking on an airline that has ceased operating. In the case of the E-ticket, all the information that "proves" that you bought the ticket is in the defunct airline's computer.

Remember, your friendly, neighborhood U.S. Congress (Republican majority, both houses) allowed the law to expire that requires other airlines to honor tickets purchased on an airline that has gone out of business.

 

[zonecontroller]

As big airlines falter financially, Congress
approved legislation to protect passengers holding tickets on carriers that quit flying.
The provision, requires surviving airlines to accept tickets from failed airlines. It limits their re-booking fees to $25 on a one-way ticket

travelers use credit cards to buy tickets. That usually gives the ticket holder the option of requesting a refund if the airline goes out of business.

Both House and Senate voted to reinstates through Nov. 19, 2005, a consumer protection that had expired last month. President Bush has promised to sign the bill into law.

In the fine print:

• 60-day provision. Ticket holders have 60 days from the day their carrier stops flying to make arrangements with another airline. If their carrier folds in January, they can book their flight on a new carrier in March, Mitchell says.

• Frequent-flier tickets. The law doesn't specify protection for frequent-flier award tickets. Inquire, but don't count on it, Stempler says. "You really depend on the kindness of the airlines if they want to honor that," he says.

• No new routes. The law gives ticket holders the chance to use their ticket on a different carrier, but only on the same route. Fliers booked Philadelphia to Charlotte, for instance, won't be able to use the ticket for a flight to Florida.

• $25 fee. Most airlines will probably charge the full $25 each way when honoring a ticket on a defunct airline, but don't assume you must pay that. Southwest, for instance, hasn't charged customers when flying passengers of defunct airlines in the past.

As soon as you know your carrier has stopped flights, make new arrangements that day, because many people will simply buy new tickets and fill up already-crowded planes, Stempler says. Fares are so low, many people will pay twice to lock in their plans. "You need to move as quickly as you can," he says.

 

[jimntx]

As big airlines falter financially, Congress
approved legislation to protect passengers holding tickets on carriers that quit flying.
The provision, requires surviving airlines to accept tickets from failed airlines. It limits their re-booking fees to $25 on a one-way ticket

travelers use credit cards to buy tickets. That usually gives the ticket holder the option of requesting a refund if the airline goes out of business.

Both House and Senate voted to reinstates through Nov. 19, 2005, a consumer protection that had expired last month. President Bush has promised to sign the bill into law.

My bad. Didn't know they had actually gotten around to doing something that protected consumers rather than big contributors.

• No new routes. The law gives ticket holders the chance to use their ticket on a different carrier, but only on the same route. Fliers booked Philadelphia to Charlotte, for instance, won't be able to use the ticket for a flight to Florida.

As US Airways is the only airline that flies CLT-CZM non-stop, if US Air ceases operations in early to mid-January, what do you think the chances are that another airline will start serving that route in time to help this guy? He departs on 21JAN. In fact, what are the chances that another airline will ever fly this route? It exists because US Airways has a hub in CLT, not because there is a natural O&D market for CLT-CZM.

• $25 fee. Most airlines will probably charge the full $25 each way when honoring a ticket on a defunct airline, but don't assume you must pay that. Southwest, for instance, hasn't charged customers when flying passengers of defunct airlines in the past.

[post="233123"][/post]​

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the law also specify that the airlines only have to honor the ticket on a space available basis? In January, there ain't a lot of space on anybody's airline flying the Mexican resort routes.

I would be more concerned about getting to CZM, then not being able to get back.

 

[US1YFARE]

Because the paper ticket has all the information on it that an airline would need if they decided to honor your booking on an airline that has ceased operating. In the case of the E-ticket, all the information that "proves" that you bought the ticket is in the defunct airline's computer.

Remember, your friendly, neighborhood U.S. Congress (Republican majority, both houses) allowed the law to expire that requires other airlines to honor tickets purchased on an airline that has gone out of business.

[post="233119"][/post]​

Doesn't the E-Ticket have the ticket number on it? Isn't that all the information they really need?

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Doesn't the E-Ticket have the ticket number on it? Isn't that all the information they really need?

[post="233142"][/post]​

US1YFARE, depends on the carrier. US Airways has e-ticketing arrangements with American, Continental, United, and Northwest. However, these joint electronic tickets only allow the use of a electronic ticket when itineraries include travel on combined carriers. As per the US Airways website:

"US Airways will charge $50.00 per ticket for requests to issue paper tickets on any electronic ticket eligible itinerary. Requests to convert existing electronic tickets to paper from any source will also incur the fee.
Paper tickets shipped by express courier service will incur an additional fee of $15.00. "
http://www.usairways.com/customers/travel_.../electronic.htm

 

[HGIEFOswitch]

Remember, your friendly, neighborhood U.S. Congress (Republican majority, both houses) allowed the law to expire that requires other airlines to honor tickets purchased on an airline that has gone out of business.

[post="233119"][/post]​

[/quote]


This is great news. Good job Congress! Why should competitors be forced to fill its seats up w/ another carriers tickets w/o pay?

 

[mrfish3726]

I'd get my money back FAST, and book someplace else PERIOD!

 

[wench]

I'm with mrfish..

Bingo..
you cant trust this group.
It's not the same company I started with 21 yrs ago..

Rseume is polished and I'm down the road when I get a good offer..
See Ya.
Best of Luck on your trip..

 

[RumorS]

At least get a paper ticket. Now!

[post="233110"][/post]​

Sure we will print your ticket to paper for only a small fee of 50.00 per ticket. We will be waiting fo your call!!!! Goodluck!

 

[EyeInTheSky]

I'd get my money back FAST, and book someplace else PERIOD!

[post="233318"][/post]​

Mrfish is a Frontier Airlines employee; I KNOW he doesnt' represent the majority of good people at that airline.