I have a Love/Hate relationship with flying. I love that I can go half-way across the country in less than 4 hours. It allows me to get to my vacation destination sooner and enjoy more time at the destination. But there are also things I hate about flying. Here are some of them.
· Nothing is guaranteed. So you have booked the perfect flight to fit in with your vacation. But everything can change, and you have not control over it. The Airline can change to Time for the flight, so now you can’t get there after work, or the flight arrives after your cruise leaves. Or maybe you have that perfect window seat in First Class. The airline can change that to an Aisle in coach. Or your Non-Stop flight now has a stop with a 3 hour layover. The Airline can do all of these things. Do you have any recourse? Maybe….
· Fees, Fees and More Fees. Most Airlines now charge Luggage Fees. Those have now become the Norm. But there are also airlines that will charge you for a Carry-On. Also, they can charge you for a Seat Assignment (What! I have a ticket, but not a seat?) Or what if the Airline made one of the changes listed above? They can allow you to change to a different flight, for a fee. On some Airlines, they will even charge you for that Soft Drink. I’m just waiting for they day when they charge you to use the Bathroom.
· Delays can mean Days. Since most flights are full, when you have a delay that makes you miss that connecting flight, it might be days before the Airline will get you on another flight. So you are stuck in theairport while your Cruise Ship sales or your Paid For Resort Room goes unused.
· Basic Economy = Lower Class Citizen. When you book a Basic Economy flight, you can be treated like a second class citizen. You have a ticket, but you might not have a seat assignment. You can pay more for one, or just take your chances at the airport. But waiting can cause problems. You can be the last to board the flight and also be the first bumped if they oversold the flight.
Even with all of these negatives, flying can still be the best option. Most flights will get you where you are going without many problems, but there are still things you can do to improve your chances for a smooth flight.
· Never book Basic Economy. Go ahead and pay for better class of service.
· Don’t fly on the Super Budget airlines, unless they are the only ones available. You often end up spending more because of their fees.
· Fly in the day before. Whenever you go on a cruise, fly in the day before. If there is a delay or a problem, you have time to fix it. Plus it is less stressful on the whole Embarkation process.
Finally, my last piece of advice is to use a Travel Advisor. If that delay or change occurs, your Travel Advisor can help you out. They can monitor your flights and can get a flight rescheduled, sometimes before you even realize you have a problem.
When you are ready to start planning your next trip, just drop me a line or give me a call. I’ll be glad to help plan your trip, including that airfare, so that it can minimize the troubles that you might have.