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11/16/05 Northwest Airlines Ticket Snafus

David of Battle Ground WA (5/16/03):

I bought a ticket through Expedia.com to fly from Seattle, WA to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. When I was unable to leave the island, as booked, I contacted Northwest Airlines direct and was told my ticket needed to be upgraded to a full, unrestricted fare ticket (which would be honored for 1 year), for a price of $329, plus a $100 change fee. They took my credit card number, and told me that I could leave the island when I was ready, however, I would have to go to the ticket counter at the Kona airport in order to be re-ticketed. In Kona, Hawaiian Airlines is their agent airline.

I gave Hawaiian Airlines the information provided me on March 25, 2003, over the phone from the Northwest Airline Agent, and they couldn't locate my ticket, or any information at all related to my upgrade. I had my fiance from the mainland get on the phone (as Northwest puts you on hold for VERY long timeframes & I was on a cell phone) to try to resolve this issue for me. They couldn't locate my reservation, initially, at all. They could not even look up my record of travel with them on March 4, by my name! They said they needed the credit card I used to book the flight. Well, I booked through Expedia.com, so they had no record of this transaction, but I FLEW with them, and later they took my credit card for the upgrade -- so, where's a record of my conversation?

I'm stuck in Hawaii, with a ticket I paid over $900 for, without any record of my transaction. How convenient for Northwest. Now, I am fighting to get back on the plane home. My fiance spent 5 hours on the phone last night just trying to get someone to understand what I had been told, and how they made the error on their end. At 11pm, she finally gave up, and was told to call Customer Relations in the morning. Frustrated, and tired, what else could she do?

I KNOW that Southest Airlines would not have treated us in this fashion - at all. Where are the phone records of conversations made over the phone when he called in March, and gave them the credit card number and authorization to bill? How is it that Expedia.com knows about this change (it's even in their system, although the changes were made through NWA)? How is it that NWA can claim "well, we never charged your card, so your ticket is void?" Who gave them permission to void my ticket? I certainly did NOT. I gave them authorization to bill me, and because they dropped the ball, I have no way to return to my home. They need to be held accountable for their actions!

Luquan of Metuchen NJ (5/3/03):
My husband and I have bought the ticket to go to Beijing, China on June 30, 2003. Because of the breakout of SARS, we decided not to go this year. When we called to cancel the tickets, we were told by the local agency and the Northwest airline that we CANNOT cancel the tickets, but only change the date. We were told that we could change to any date before December 15, 2003.

According to CDC's warning and the dangerous situation in Beijing, we don't want to go to China this year. We want to cancel the tickets or change the date for next summer because one of us is working in school and summer is the only vacation time for us to travel overseas for more that two weeks. We explained our difficult situation to Northwest and our local agency several times, the local travel agency cannot cancel the tickets if Northwest Airline doesn't agree to cancel.

Northwest Airline Rep. told us that they couldn't refund our tickets because we didn't buy the tickets from Northwest Airline directly. The local travel agency told us that they couldn't refund us if Northwest doesn't change the policy. We told them that we would like to accept the penalty, but they all insist that the tickets are non-refundable.

We spent $1,830 on the airfare. We want to cancel our airline tickets to China and we want some amount of refund from the Northwest Airline Company. As we know, all the Asian Airline companies refunded the tickets they sold out, even the "non-refundable" ones due to the emergency situation. Ironically, most of the American airline companies, such as Northwest, United Airline, which have more flights to Asia, don't want to refund the tickets to all customers.

These companies ignore our rights as customers! We just don't want to go to Beijing, China in this summer. We don't want to risk our lives! Nobody knows how long this epidemic disease will spread around in Asian countries. The United States Government tries to prevent this epidemic disease to come to US. If American Airline companies continue to ignore the danger of SARS, soon or later the break out of SARS will happen in United States.

Lori of San Jose CA (1/20/03):
I was not able to make a return flight that I had booked via the Orbitz Travel website. I called the Orbitz Customer Care phone number twenty (20) minutes prior to the flight take-off time (4:00 PM) in order to re-book a flight. My intent was to use the last half of the roundtrip ticket that I had purchased. I spoke with Neal, a Customer Care Representative. I explained to him my situation and asked him what I options I would have. Neal, the Orbitz Travel Customer Care Representative was incredibly helpful and patient in assisting me. He listened to my concerns, provided information, and made a few suggestions.

After I communicated to Neal that I would like to take a Monday morning flight, Neal proceeded to complete the ticketing process. I was put on hold while a “hold” was issued against my check card. Neal then spoke with me about my seat assignments. I was a bit confused and taken aback when Neal called at 4:47 PM to tell me that it wasn't until 4:02 PM that we had decided to re-book the flight. At that time (4:02 PM) it was too late to re-book using the existing ticket because the ticket in my possession had no value.

Neal explained that most airlines would allow you to re-book a ticket up to midnight on the night of flight, except for Northwest Airlines. He explained that I/we should have contacted Northwest Airlines to see if they could do something for me. Neal stated that he had called Northwest Airlines, but that he had no luck in getting the ticket that I thought we had booked. Lastly, Neal told me that I needed to call Northwest Airlines 6 hours prior to a ticket change. He then told me that it was 4:03 PM when the ticketing was completed.

Neal was helpful in trying to get the hold removed from the card that I was using to purchase the new ticket. He called me back ~ 30 minutes later to explain that the hold would not be removed until midnight the following night. After calling an airline directly and purchasing a ticket, I began to think about the sequence of events and became a little confused. I was sure that I had decided on a flight prior to the 4:00 PM take off time/deadline. With this in mind, I decided to call the bank to determine when the hold at been placed on the card. The representative that I spoke to informed me that the hold had been placed at 4:00 PM.

The difference in minutes resulted in an additional cost and some inconvenience for me, including: the value of one-half of the ticket that I purchased via Orbitz, one-half of the Orbitz processing fee, and the cost of a new ticket). The hold of $105.00 was not removed from my account until more than 24 hrs later, denying me access to funds.

Carolyn of San Francisco writes:
On October 21, 1999 I flew from Surabaya, Indonesia to Greensboro, N. C.. The ticket I purchased was for Business Class all the way. When I got to Narita, Japan they had overbooked Business Class and I had to fly from Narita to Detroit in Economy Class.

At the Northwest counter in Narita I completed a refund voucher to be reimbursed for the difference. On December 7th after many calls not being able to get thru, I faxed a copy of the refund voucher to the number given on their voice mail. As of today I have not received my refund nor can anyone tell me the amount of the refund. After numerous telephone calls and e-mails I have not been able to get this resolved.

Joan of Sewell, NJ, writes:
Purchased 2 round trip tickets to Italy in March for $1,017.09 each, for travel in July. The reservationist told me that if a lower fare became available before our travel date, we would be eligible for the lower fare.

On June 8, I exchanged these tickets for a lower priced fare of $689.11 each, at which time the Northwest Airlines Philadelphia ticket counter issued me a "refund application" on my Visa card. My Visa card company says that this is not a "credit" and therefore they cannot help me!

I have faxed Northwest Refund Department with copies and have not received a response. Getting through on the telephone is impossible.

My Visa card was charged $2,034.18. I have a "refund application" of $655.96 which I am waiting to be credited to my account by Northwest.

11/16/05 Setting you off on the right path. Travel agents sell more than just plane tickets  - By MARIE VASARI

They're the ones who bring you the world, or at least set you on the path there. But travel agents have found their livelihoods to be a whole new world these days.  It's an industry that's evolved from its halcyon days before the Internet and Expedia, before 9/11 and SARS. It's hard to determine just how many travel agencies exist these days -- the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 103,840 travel agents in 2003 -- but the airline industry now only tracks Airlines Reporting Corp.-accredited sellers, said the American Society of Travel Agents. And airline tickets are a much smaller piece of the business these days. The agencies that survived as the industry lost one of its principal sources of revenue -- its commissions on domestic airplane ticket sales -- have learned to adapt.

They find ways to use the Internet to their own advantage, promoting the edge they can offer travelers beyond just a simple ticket purchase.  And debunking what some say are myths. Dan Presser, owner of FourWinds Travel Agency in Carmel, is one of them.

Outspoken and outgoing, Presser talks about the personality of a cruise, an ambiance set by crew and passenger and particular cruise lines. "It's more than just a piece of iron that floats in the water," he says. "Cruising is the best way to travel, because you put away your clothes and the world comes to you." He even recommends a cruise to those who want Las Vegas, because, he said, one can play poker and roulette on any cruise these days. But unlike in Vegas, the shows are free, and the food tends to be extravagant.

Countries, as hot destination trends, come and go. A few years back, Costa Rica was hot, said Presser; now it's Europe -- particularly Italy, where much of the local community's ancestry draws from.  "They all want to go see their roots there," said Presser.
Israel has also been popular in recent weeks, he said.  Initially, he said, the impact of the Internet was devastating to travel agents.

But some have found ways to capitalize on the strengths an agent can offer consumers. Most of that comes down to service, he said.

And booking online, as is popular, isn't always as simple, or inexpensive, as some would believe. He tells a story of one woman who consulted him for flight reservations, then decided to check out pricing herself on the Internet. She booked tickets to travel to an out-of-town business meeting through a discount bidding site, then called him desperately trying to have the reservations changed, because they'd been booked for arrival after her meeting was due to start, and her return flight would require her to leave the meeting before it ended. The woman had even paid an additional $100 to change the reservation, but the second tickets were booked for exactly the same times.  Finally, said Presser, she contacted him again, asking if he could alter the reservation. He couldn't, and the woman got fired over her less-than-impressive meeting attendance. Presser has learned to adapt and specialize. Much of his work now comes from booking cruises and particular travel destinations such as China. He has tried to make his Web site interactive, in many cases helping customers narrow choices before he handles the reservations for them. But ultimately, the strongest edge a travel agent has is personal experience.

Arranging a tour to Australia and New Zealand for some local residents recently, Presser recommended several things from his own experience -- including visits to Frazier Island and a Maori tribe -- that they shouldn't miss. Even if they were to nail a lower fair at an online site, they would lose out in other ways, he said. "These people, our clients, will have a better experience because of our knowledge base." Presser tries to spread his knowledge further than just his paying clients, passing cultural tidbits wherever he can. When he travels, he takes stuffed toy sea otters with him anywhere, which he gives away along with the story of how the otters were hunted to near-extinction. He shows a photo of himself in a longhouse in Borneo, a fuzzy toy otter in the hands of the host, who stands beside him. He's shared photos of a rare flying lemur with a local marine biologist, and shows others of animal traps and a tattooed ex-headhunter. Not the corporate kind, either.

A former advertising executive from Texas, Presser said he used to watch his agency's work on TV, sometimes hoping the commercials would end more quickly. One day, Presser had an epiphany -- "I couldn't sell things I didn't believe in."

So he enrolled in class to learn how to become a travel agent and shucked the advertising career. He took his first cruise -- to the Panama Canal. He opened shop. Despite the changes in the industry, pricing competition and near-constant frustration with the airline industry, it's a job he loves.  "Ninety-nine percent of the people walk out these doors happy," he says. Presser gets to travel, helps others realize those dreams -- other than the fact that he's not getting rich, he said, what's not to love? Joe Shammas, who owns Pacific Grove Travel, echoes some of those sentiments. If someone just needs an airline ticket, they probably don't need to go through an agent. "For simple travel, it's no big deal," he says. But if there's a problem with that reservation, he says they'll find it difficult to get someone to help them in those cases.

Shammas started in the business right out of high school, hired by a friend from church who owned a travel agency. Three years later, at age 22, he bought the business. He's now celebrating his 25th year with Pacific Grove Travel. Losing airline commissions changed the business, he said. Those agent commissions, initially just scaled back by the airlines, disappeared entirely within about two years, he said.

These days, he said, "airline tickets are not our focus." He will handle airline tickets, and said he can often get rates lower than the Internet prices people might find on their own, but agents now charge clients service fees on their services to make up for the lost commissions. His agency sells tours and cruises to individuals, but the lifeblood of his business, and his speciality, is in groups.

He books eight to 10 all-inclusive group tours a year. A steady client is Monterey Peninsula College, which adds an educational element to the experience of travel. This week, about 100 people were scheduled to take two three-day bus tours to Los Angeles for his "Kings and Queens" tour, to see the King Tut exhibit, the Queen Mary and the Getty Center.

A decade ago, he hosted a big band cruise for 30 passengers with his friend, Magic 63 radio host Ed Dickenson. The big band element fizzled when people were more interested in the destination than the music, but that experience has evolved into a partnership that now hosts about two group trips a year.

"We've just finished our 10th year together and we've had a fabulous time. We've been all over the world," he said. "The best thing is I've just met the most wonderful people. Those people on Ed Dickenson's trips have become friends." So much so, in fact, that last summer, Shammas took a tour to Michigan, where Dickenson and his wife often spend the summer. "Those things are special added-value features you can't get on the Internet," said Shammas.

11/16/05 Airline faces fine after man boards without ticket - CNN

NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) -- American Airlines could be fined up to $25,000 after a man who was apparently trying to get a free flight managed to get aboard a plane without a ticket or a boarding pass, authorities say.

Danis Ballard, 29, of Irvington, was removed from the flight before takeoff after the crew took a head count. Authorities determined he was not a security threat, and he was charged with criminal trespass.

Ballard boarded the Miami-bound flight Saturday with only a printed flight itinerary, said Ann Davis, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

Tim Smith, a spokesman for American, said the airline is investigating how Ballard got by its personnel. But he said TSA -- the federal agency created after the September 11 attacks -- should have caught the error at its security checkpoint.

Davis said that Ballard had asked a ticket agent about buying a same-day ticket. The agent printed an itinerary, but Ballard decided the flight was too expensive.

Ballard used that itinerary, which was printed on paper stock similar to what is used for boarding passes, to get past security, Davis said.

10/6/05 Travel agents to lose airline commissions - By South Bend Indiana News 6

If you ever use a travel agent to book your travel plans, you may start paying a bit more for those services now. This week, six of the largest airlines in the nation announced they are no longer paying travel agents a commission for the tickets they sell.

For some travel agencies, that means closing their doors. Others will pass the cost on to their customers. For many business travelers at South Bend Regional Airport, travel agents are a must. “I usually call them, and say, ‘Give me the best price from here to there and give me the best price and the best time and they do. They deliver the tickets to my office and I'm on my way,” said Jason Logan, a frequent traveler.

Convenience now comes at a price
But these days, major airlines say if travelers want that convenience, then they will have to pay the travel agents. It is a big change from just five years ago when the airlines paid the commission, and customers paid nothing. Agents: Service is valuable
Travel agents say the increased processing fee will range from $20 to $50. So will anyone pay that? The folks at Signal Travel say yes. “Our service is valuable. There's no question about that. There's just too many options in today's world for the consumer to get the best value,” said Michele Boyd, Signal Travel.

Internet: A cheap alternative
One the fiercest competitors is the internet. One flier Newscenter 16 spoke to said that when he wants to buy a plane ticket, “Typically I just go online. I can hop on my computer and make arrangements there.” Another passenger said she found buying a ticket online cheaper than going through a travel agent. Internet can be riskier
But doing it on your own means taking the risk that something will go wrong. Travel agents say those decisions are better left to the experts. “We are there to serve the consumer. We are the advocate because without a travel agent, you're on your own and there are many options out there. Some good, some not so good,” said Boyd. Most local travel agencies are planning to adjust their processing fees within the next several weeks. Travel agencies vs. internet  So when is it best to buy a ticket through an agent? One thing to keep in mind is your level of internet savvy. Don’t book online unless you’ve done your homework and know what questions to ask and where to ask them. Just because a site promises discounted tickets doesn’t meant that they’re discounted, so shop around.

A travel agent will give you a variety of travel options, including information about special promotions. If you have a problem, your agent will be your advocate. They can answer your questions and iron out details. Also, unlike many travel websites, agents are local people whom you get to know.

Balancing out these choices depends on the customer’s needs. A travel agent is more expensive than booking online, but also offers a level of professionalism and trust that the internet can’t really match. On the other hand, for travelers who just want to be over and done with it, the web offers a quick, and usually cheaper, alternative to travel agents.

10/6/05 The year was full of aviation extremes - By Associated Press

Out with the old and in with the new. Say goodbye to McDonnell Douglas, hello Boeing. Say so long to USAir, welcome to US Airways. Say farewell to the airline ticket tax, hello to rising ticket prices. The passing of 1996 means an end a year of aviation extremes, from the number of people flying to the price of tickets to the number of plane crashes. It also was a year of controversy, from new security measures to a minimum age for young pilots. The start of 1996 brought a battle over the federal budget that meant a lapse in the 10% tax on domestic flights and the $6 tax international travel. In a case of "what goes around comes around," the tax, which wasn't reinstated until Aug. 26, will expire again Jan. 1. A record number of passengers - more than 550 million - took to the skies in 1996. Not surprisingly, many airlines reported healthy profits for the first time in many years, although some saw higher fuel costs crimp earnings. The number of travelers is expected to rise even higher in 1997 - and ticket prices are sure to. Many carriers have already raised their fares 10% for travel early in the new year. Back in 1996 after a five-year hiatus was Pan Am, which took to the skies again Sept. 26. Other carriers fared less well. ValuJet was grounded for more than three months over safety concerns. The same day ValuJet resumed service, another low-cost carrier, Kiwi International Air Line, filed for bankruptcy protection.

Kiwi plans to return to scheduled service in 1997. Meanwhile, the granddaddy of no-frill flying, Southwest Airlines, celebrated its 25th anniversary with $25 fares. Among airplane manufacturers, the Dutch company Fokker went under after 76 years of business for customers that included the World War I flying ace Red Baron. On the flip side, the European consortium Airbus made huge inroads into the U.S. market, sealing a deal to sell up to 400 jetliners to USAir in a deal valued at up to $18 billion. In the most surprising development, former rivals Boeing and McDonnell Douglas decided they would join not just their commercial aviation divisions, but their military ones as well.

Elsewhere, merger talks between Delta and Continental fell apart before they really took off. British Airways and USAir parted company, the result of BA's courtship with American Airlines. Whether the marriage goes through may be decided in 1997. Going it alone was Mary Schiavo, the outspoken inspector general of the Transportation Department, who quit this summer. The new year will mean the resignations of Transportation Secretary Federico Pena, Federal Aviation Administrator David R. Hinson and Trans World Airlines chief executive Jeffrey Erickson. Back in '97 will be President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, who in 1996 focused on airline security after the July explosion of the Paris-bound TWA flight 800. Although the cause of the catastrophe still isn't known, the new measures include criminal background checks of more airline workers, a system to match luggage with passengers on some flights and possible computer profiles of passengers. Other recommendations may be implemented in the new year.

And in response to the May crash of a ValuJet plane in the Florida Everglades, the Clinton administration ordered fire detectors installed in the cargo holds of all jetliners. It was the deadliest year ever in terms of airplane crashes with more than 1,185 passengers killed on commercial jet flights. There were 230 people killed on TWA Flight 800 and 110 people killed on ValuJet Flight 592. A midair collision in India killed 349 people, and another 125 people were killed when a hijacked Ethiopian plane ran out of fuel and crashed near the Comoros Islands. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 34 others were killed when an Air Force jetliner went down in Croatia. Ironically, in November the Transportation Department agreed to change a 1929 rule that set liability limits for international accidents at $75,000. Instead, victims or their survivors may sue for unlimited damages. Also killed in 1996 was 7-year-old Jessica Dubroff, who was at the controls of a single-engine plane hoping to become the youngest person to fly across the country. The April crash that also killed her father and flight instructor prompted new legislation that bars people without a valid license from flying to set records. Pilots must be at least 17 years old to obtain a license. Travel agents had a small victory in 1996, winning a $72 million settlement in a lawsuit against four airlines that capped their commissions. The agents still have to contend with a $50 cap instituted in 1995 for any domestic round-trip ticket commissions, and more than ever, they are being squeezed out of the loop by electronic tickets and e-mail promotions. While the travel agents were angry on the ground, more and more passengers were taking out their anger in the air. It was a year of unruly passengers - from the Saudi princess accused of choking a flight attendant to the drunken man who cut up seats with a pocket knife - prompting the FAA to issue an advisory recommending that airlines establish a formal policy for such cases, including "zero tolerance" of passenger misconduct.

In a further attempt to keep passengers healthy, American Airlines will in January become the first U.S. carrier to fly with defibrillators - electric shock paddles that can revive heart attack victims in the air. And to be sure there will be something new and different from the airlines next year, United dumped its longtime advertising agency. If the "Friendly Skies" won't be around in 1997, who knows what to expect?

10/6/05 Fire your travel agent - By Christopher Elliot

Q: My husband bought airline tickets from Chicago to Puerto Vallarta on Continental Airlines through his travel agent, who is an old friend. But my ticket was issued with my husband’s surname, even though I did not change my name when I got married 18 years ago.

When I notified the agent of the error, he suggested that I get my drivers license and passport changed to reflect my husband’s surname. I told him that was unacceptable. I mean, would he make the same suggestion to my husband if the tickets had been issued with my surname?

The agent says he can’t change the name without buying a new ticket, which would cost $450.

I spoke with Continental, and it has agreed to make a notation in my record regarding the erroneous name. My travel agent says he will “try” to get this in writing, so that I will have something by the time I have to go to the airport.

But I’m concerned with airport security. I may be able to fly, but may not be admitted to the terminal. I have a copy of my marriage certificate. What else can I do?

— Marguerite Warner

A: First of all, fire your travel agent.

Here’s why. Number one, your agent assumed you shared a surname with your husband. A competent travel counselor - and particularly one that you consider a friend - would make it his business to know that you had a different last name.

Second, your agent stuck you with the bill. That’s highly unprofessional. It was his mistake; he should have fixed it.

And third, as a “solution” your agent recommended you change your last name to match the ticket. As if it’s something you should have done, anyway. How chauvinistic.

Needless to say, a professional travel agent makes sure the name on your ticket is right, doesn’t ask you pay for his errors and doesn’t offend you by suggesting your marriage should conform to some 19th Century convention.

Do yourself another favor: don’t become “old friends” with your agent. Be friendly, be polite, but keep the relationship professional. Otherwise, you could get taken advantage of.

I just wrapped up a case in which a clever agent leveraged her friendship with a client and stuck the traveler with a ticket penalty she should have paid. It was deeply troubling, painful and in the end, unsolvable.

Not to let you off the hook, here. Your husband should have asked your agent to e-mail or fax him a copy of your itinerary immediately and examined it for any possible problems. In the time between a ticket is purchased and a ticket is issued, or “settled,” your agent can make a change to your ticket without incurring any penalties. That would have solved your problem.

Your concern about being allowed on the plane is legitimate. Not only could you get stopped when you check in. Before you reach the TSA checkpoint, your ticket is checked against your ID by a private security guard. If it doesn’t match, you could get turned away.

Continental, like every other major carrier, won’t let you change a name on a ticket even if it’s an honest mistake. However, as a gesture of goodwill, the airline generously agreed to fix your ticket.

I think you should also consider asking your agent to return your ticketing fee. He didn’t earn it.