so sick and on tilt I feel like ranting about it....

Its unreal how these guys just flat out rape you hard and their reasoning doesn't even make sense and ends with "its airline policies sir"....anyone here that works in the airline industry that can explain this to me?

So I bought my ticket last week to go to Frankfurt Germany on Oct 1st, it was meant to leave from Vegas to Chicago at 6 am on monday, Chicago to Frankfurt at 2:30, and the total cost was 750 roundtrip, which compared to my last ticket to Europe this was awesome....

Anyway I lacked a little foresight and I didn't realize that the wcoop main was on sunday and probably wouldn't finish till 1 pm or so on monday (if everyones predictions were correct) so I figured that I didn't want to play the wcoop and risk getting to the final 100 at 4 am and have to leave to Chicago. Also, playing with the fact that I have a plane to catch in the back of my head could affect my play pretty bad (JC Tran pretty much gave up 400k cuz of it last year).....

Anyway on to the raping....I decide I should fly to chicago on saturday and play the ME at hoosier's place this way I wouldn't worry about missing the flight if I happened to get deep. So I call United and I'm like "Hi, I just need to change my flight from vegas to chicago from monday to saturday, and leave the rest of my trip as it is right now" I have done this many many times with continental and I was ready to pay the 200 or whatever fee for the flight change, so she tells me that I'd have to pay the $200 fee plus the difference between the cost of the flight now, so I was like alright w/e it'll be like 280 or something. She then tells me Its $1k more to move the LV/CHI flight up to saturday, and I was like "wtf? I dont think you understood I don't want to change the whole flight, I just want to change the small part, from LV/CHI" she's like yes, I understand that but since you're staying in chicago prior to your frankfurt flight you have to pay a whole different ticket, WTF?!? does that make sense to anyone? So I tell the bit.ch "whatever, I'll just take a seperate ticket from vegas to chicago on saturday then, its $250, and I'll leave the other flight as is and just miss my first plane on monday and catch the one to frankfurt in chicago" She tells me I cant because it I miss the first flight my ticket will be canceled, in other words I have to BE in the first flight in order to be allowed into the 2nd flight. So I spend the next 15 minutes telling her how retarded that is....what difference does it make to them? If the ticket is paid for why shouldn't I be able to do this? I really don't get it at all.....anyway, instead of being able to do that she pretty much told me that I can either take the flight on monday or I can pay for the WHOLE flight (that I had already purposely booked in advance so it would be cheap) at the rate that it is now, 3 days before the trip. So after hanging up on her, talking to orbitz, hanging up on them, talking to United again, and 3 hrs on the phone, instead of 750 I now have to pay 1700 for changing a $200 flight. SOOO tilted...

Oh yea and someone there should be a law against voice activated recordings, you know, they ask you a bunch of shit and repeat something you didnt say, and then they ask you for all your info like reservation # flight # etc....only to transfer you to a retarded operator who ends up asking you the same fcking things.....god this shiit tilts me so fcking bad a;dfalsf;lashg;flhasd;lifha

I think that classifies as semi-life tilt. Are the airline companies doing that bad that they're really squeezing you that tight? They straight up Fockered you (from Meet the Parents flight scene).

You should have done a Phil Hellmuth and mentioned, "Lady are you at a computer right now, do you know who you're talking to? Google "world's greatest Mexican poker player" and tell me what you see. I've been on TV for goodness sakes." I'm not sure that would have made any difference, but it would have made the conversation much funnier/lighter.

Are you going to Frankfurt to visit/vacation? I've been a few times and loved it. Safe travels JC.

Dude, that's airline policy.

And I bet she didn't even give you a Rusty Trombone!!!!

The funnier part will be when you bust in hour 2 of the Main Event and then realize you could have left your flight as originally planned and you not only just busted out of one of the biggest online tournies of the year you also just paid an additional $1000 for no reason.

LFT for sure buddy.

Seriously ... I agree with how retarded it is.

Travel Agents > Orbitz/all online ticket egencies

AINEC


also

1st class to europe> couch

AINEC

I love Couch!


I feel your pain JC, but unfortunately, everything you wrote is pretty standard when dealing with connecting flights and routing.

Sux. GL in the ME though if you play.

And no seriously, that is some fucked up shit there! It would be cheaper to buy a 3rd ticket and they won't even let you do that? There needs to be some changes in shit like that. WTF difference does it make if you miss the first flight? Man I'm on tilt for you! So messed up!

Make it happen! ... http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_info...enators_cfm.cfm

Raped? Wow. I thought if you wore a sexy outfit, they just kicked you off the plane!




Seriously, that sucks.

Oddly enough, this was on CNN today!!!

Getting taken for a ride: Airline fees
Plans often change and flights must be rescheduled, but airline penalties can be harsh.
By Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com staff writer
September 26 2007: 3:35 PM EDT
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- You paid a fee to purchase the ticket, you may have even chalked up the extra charge for an exit-row seat, and you're prepared to spend $5 for a cocktail on board - but when plans change and you need to modify your flights accordingly, that's when you really get hit.

Most airlines charge change-of-plan fees, which have doubled over the past few years. But are these fees really a necessary cost of last minute travel tweaks or are consumers just getting taken for a ride?

Depending on the type of ticket and the airline you're flying, rebooking rules can vary greatly. Southwest (Charts, Fortune 500) still lets you change your flight for free but Virgin America charges $40 per person.

Earlier this year, JetBlue (Charts) raised its rebooking rates from $25 to $35 (for changes online), and from $30 to $45 (for phone-ins). And that's mild by industry standards.

If you're flying US Airways, United or American Airlines, be prepared to cough up $100 per person if your plans change. On Delta (Charts, Fortune 500), the change fee is $75 per person for domestic flights but those fees can more than double for international travel.

That's all in addition to any difference in fares and charges from third-party travel sites like Orbitz, which levies a penalty of $30 on top of the airline's cancellation fee.

"Really these fees are a way for airlines to squeeze money out of their passengers," says David Lytle, editorial director for Frommers.com.

But according to Michelle Mohr, a spokeswoman for US Airways, The change fee "is not something for us to make money on, it's to offset the cost of not having that seat for sale."

Depending on the time frame and the market, "we might not necessarily have the chance to sell that seat again," she explained.

While a cancelled seat could remain empty on less in-demand flights, in many cases the airline is still able to resell the seat at an even higher last-minute fare. Although there are still some financial implications to the paperwork and processing involved, according to a spokesman from American Airlines.

Yes, there is a cost to the airline for up-to-the-last-minute changes but it's not nearly as high as what is passed on to the consumer, Lytle said.

"Airlines can make any sort of change they want in their flight and not reimburse you in anyway, but if you need to make a change you will get punished financially," he added.

If you have to switch flights, can you avoid taking a beating?

If you know your plans may change, then arm yourself with information before you choose who to fly with. It's often difficult to find the airline's policy online, so call a representative and ask what fare rules and change fees will apply.

It might turn out that paying more upfront for a ticket through the airline's own site instead of sites like Orbitz, or opting for a refundable ticket, could save you a bundle when the babysitter cancels again.

If it's a last-minute change, shoot for standby seats, which are often fee-free if you're willing to chance not getting on the flight at all. But be prepared to show up early and hope for the best.

Also, many airlines will waive the rebooking fee if there is a family emergency or other extenuating circumstance.

"We always try and work with our customers," said a spokeswoman from Southwest.

Of course, there is no hard and fast rule on what gets you off the hook, but if you kindly explain your situation to a customer service representative you might get a reprieve

Yeah, cause that works.

1. because they own the jets. buy your own Boeing and run an airline.

2. exactly. when you buy a seat, they can't sell it again. so when you cancel, they lose $. so they created disincentives for people to change flights. if there were no penalty for changing flights, I'd do it all the time, too.

fyi

Fractional ownership of a 737 Boeing Business Jet runs $11 million down, $65,000 a month and $5,000 an hour of flight. You are allowed 200 hours total a year. 50% of their current ownership is private individuals. As of 2002

You do get to write off depreciation and will recoup some of the $11M when you sell back your ownership.

Oh what do you know about it Balloon Boy!?

I know I can't afford it.

I think I know of one that you can afford though...

I knew you were going to post that.

ah but he was willing to give up the seat he already paid for without refund and buy a seperate ticket to Chicago but they wouldn't let him do that either. That's the real ****ed up part.

That's why I only fly Beans Air.

I see that Rod is still using his machine for good and not evil.

LFT

exactly.

thats like buyng a large pizza with half olives and half pepperoni, and then saying "wait, no olives please" and then the pizza place says, sorry too late, its 1 million to change the olives now.

so then JC says, ok. well forget it, keep the olives on but i want another small pizza with just pepperoni, and i wont eat the half of the large with olives, and then the Pizza place replies with "sorry, but if u dont eat the olive side, u cant eat the pepperoni side"

then JC says, thats retarded, how does that make sense. and then pizza place says ,its pizza policy sir, we need to know all our pizzas will be eaten. etc etc.

QFMT

beat me to it...

this is the perfect comparison.

actually, its nothing like that at all


damn you

now I want a pizza

Well, I'm going to the EPT Baden and WPT Barcelona, Hoosier Roothlus and I decided to go like 6 days early and travel/party....Rooth and I are big soccer fans so we decided to go watch a Champions league game in Stuttgart, Germany. I've been there before and it was awesome...So we'll go there on the 2nd watch the game then leave to Paris on the 3rd...should be good times, I'll make sure to post some decent reports..




yes this is very true....fortunately for me I had just cashed a winning 1k ticket from the bet I made on Forrest Grffin in the UFC, pretty much a freeroll (cuz I rarely bet sports), so thats what kinda made me decide to do this, it didn't hurt as bad ....It was still tilting as **** though, more so because they use the most retarded logic I've ever heard. So yea, theres a good chance I'll bust early, but I think that the slight chance of getting deep and being comfortable > $1k ....







yea I travel so often and always have change of plans, so dealing w/ agents is hard since they close and stuff....Also I fly 1st class mostly everywhere in the US b/c its tax deductible and I get miles, etc.... the price for a 1st class ticket to Europe was like 5k-7k a month ago, couch was 700, I'll take the 7 hrs of suffering before I pay that insane price...





yep...if the seat is payed for who cares if its empty right? I just don't get it.......I'm probably going snedl someone @ united an email bitching like a maniac, see if I can get anything out of it, at the very least let them know how retarded they are....I doubt they care but still its worth the 10 minutes....

Heh , it reminds me of Maddox when he got Fcked By Orbitz ...sticking it to the man like that would be sweet.

You might want to call them again, be polite, ask for a manager, explain your situation as politely and as clearly as possible (without using profanity and the words "retarded," "sick," etc). Your odds of arriving at a solution that makes sense to everyone are better than "bitching like a maniac" by e-mail or over the phone.

This is similar to being in a big hand at the poker table in a live game. If you keep your cool and think it out, you'll do much better.

I l out l'd

I did the first time....asked for a manager he pretty much said "good luck trying to leave on saturday for less than $1k" and then...I went insane in the next 2 phone calls.

omg a;hldskhf;sdhf;lahsdf;lhasdl

I just log into my bank acct:

Pending........ Orbitz.....975.00
Pending.........debit (united airlines)......975.00....

Orbitz never sent me a confirmation email for this transaction and United did,.....the mother fckers charged me twice!!!


how bad am I running?????? now I have to prepare myself for another fcking 3 hrs of dealing w/ shit with my bank and orbitz GOD DAMNIT!!!!!!!!!!!

United just cancelled my flight back to Chicago and I am stuck in Rochester.

Does that count, or is domestic travel beneath this thread?

Sometimes, credit card authorizations pend twice but, if the credit card was only actually billed once, the second authorization should drop from the account in the next four business days. It's an inconvenience when staying in a hotel, renting a car, and I guess flying. I'd recommend checking your account for the next week to see what happens.

If you're only supposed to be billed once, and the charges post twice, your credit card company should be able to help if the airline and/or Orbitz don't take care of it. But there should not be a problem.

Umm just win the WCOOP and G5 over there

Well it already took the money out of my account? is that always the case? The problem I see is that they charged one from united and one from orbitz, I called my card to try and talk w/ a banker and they were closed...I'm gonna call orbitz and check I guess..

No wonder these people have to resort to squeezing customers. They suck horribly at everything they do.

maybe you should fly TED

I'm very disappointed none of you pervs caught this.

JC, I feel you man. The airline industry wonders why they lose eleventy brazillion dollars a year? How about trying a little thing I like to call GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE and that might change for them.

GL this weekend and over in Europe

speaking or Germany, I would love to visit. I have friends who have been to Hamburg and they loved it. I meet a bunch of german exchance students over a week-end and thought they were great people and really got a feel for how welcoming they are for strangers to visit.

What surprises me is how well they adjusted post WWII. They are a fully functional nation with and identity and have left he past behind. Many people got duped by the nazis into false beliefs. I find it astonishinmg how well the recovered.

Have fun.

<But according to Michelle Mohr, a spokeswoman for US Airways, The change fee "is not something for us to make money on, it's to offset the cost of not having that seat for sale.">

I lol'd. This is like double-speak. In other words, they had the seat filled and they were happy, but are even happier to charge someone an additional $1000 "because the seat they are vacating was unavailable for sale"?!? If JC is filling another seat on their airline, doesn't that even things out? Shouldn't there only be a small admin charge for reqorking the booking?

you'd be amazed if you went....It is such a great country, I'd go as far as to say it's the best all around country I've ever been in..... Frankfurt might be one of the nicest cities I've been to, sooo clean, so organized, the crime rate in German cities is pretty much non existent (from what I heard and saw), the public transportation is by far the best I've ever seen, and the people are incredibly friendly (a little less friendly in Eastern Germany)... From what I saw, the cost of living is unbelievably cheap, like I talked to a waitress that said she made like 400 euros a month, lived by herself and went to college. About the Nazi stuff, they really don't like to talk about it, and they seem ashamed about their past, I get the feeling that most tourists love to ask about the concentration camps and all that and its like all the germans want to say is "thats not the only thing we have in Germany". Anyway, I highly recommend visiting if you ever get the chance.

The only thing is that I went during the world cup, Countries are usually at their best when they host so I may have gotten a "fake" germany, I'm excited to see it w/ out all the tourists and world cup stuff.

oh and the only thing negative I can say about germany is that their food sucks imo, and there seems to be a shortage of ice in the country, they serve you the beers room temperature which is nasty.

I really hate flying.

Wait. Im confused. Are they black olives or green olives?