This is why I don't fly discount carriers

 

 

My Texas friends are flying on a budget airline to meet us in Chicago this fall.  Unfortunately, it looks like the budget airline has changed its route structure, and now my friends will arrive in the Windy City 3 hours later than planned.  AARGH!  This screws up the plans for the first evening of our stay.

The following is a clipping from a chat that went on earlier in the day:

• Just got an email regarding my flight to Chicago. Instead of going direct, it is now flying to New Orleans for a 2 hour layover before flying to O'Hare, arriving in Chicago at 6:35 pm
• 11:50 AM

  Message from you, Aargh, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:50 AM.

   

  Aargh
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, I am beyond pissed, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:51 AM.

  S

  I am beyond pissed
• 11:51 AM

  Message from you, I would be too. They probably canceled the direct flight and sent you on a different path than you paid for, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:51 AM.

   

  I would be too. They probably canceled the direct flight and sent you on a different path than you paid for
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, Looks like it, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:53 AM.

  S

  Looks like it
• 11:53 AM

  Message from you, We'll be at the hotel when you get there, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:53 AM.

   

  We'll be at the hotel when you get there
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, And the flight is non refundable, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:55 AM.

  S

  And the flight is non refundable
• 11:55 AM

  Message from you, Damn!, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:55 AM.

   

  Damn!
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, I am tempted to by a new ticket that is direct but concerned that they will do the same with the new ticket, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:56 AM.

  S

  I am tempted to by a new ticket that is direct but concerned that they will do the same with the new ticket
• 11:56 AM

  Message from you, Keep an eye on plane tickets from other airlines if you don't like this one. I tend to stay with the old majors, JetBlue and Southwest, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:56 AM.

   

  Keep an eye on plane tickets from other airlines if you don't like this one. I tend to stay with the old majors, JetBlue and Southwest
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, Mind reader, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:57 AM.

  S

  Mind reader
• 11:57 AM

  Message from you, Yup, Sunday, June 11 2023, 11:57 AM.

   

  Yup
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, Looking at the flights for Spirit and JetBlue, their sites are both taking me to Southwest out of Love field instead of DFW, Sunday, June 11 2023, 12:08 PM.

  S

  Looking at the flights for Spirit and JetBlue, their sites are both taking me to Southwest out of Love field instead of DFW
• 12:29 PM

  Message from you, Are you closer to dfw?, Sunday, June 11 2023, 12:29 PM.

   

  Are you closer to DFW?
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, Both are about the same distance just slightly different direction, Sunday, June 11 2023, 12:32 PM.

  S

  Both are about the same distance just slightly different direction
•  

  Message from Jennifer Sasser, I got the same email. they may change it again., Sunday, June 11 2023, 12:34 PM.

  J

  I got the same email. they may change it again.
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, That crossed my mind also. Which is why I am not rushing to change the flight yet, Sunday, June 11 2023, 12:35 PM.

  S

  That crossed my mind also. Which is why I am not rushing to change the flight yet
•  

  Message from Stephanie Bernzweig, Jenn, did you see the important message to accept the new itinerary? Just wanted to make sure, Sunday, June 11 2023, 12:55 PM.

  S

  Jenn, did you see the important message to accept the new itinerary? Just wanted to make sure
•  

  Message from Jennifer Sasser, I didn't get a message to accept new itinerary, Sunday, June 11 2023, 12:56 PM.

  J

  I didn't get a message to accept new itinerary
• 12:57 PM

  Message from you, Hopefully both of you will have no more headaches with the flights, Sunday, June 11 2023, 12:57 PM.

  

  Hopefully both of you will have no more headaches with the flights

S

Looks li

Both of my friends are taking a "Budget Airline" to get between Point A and Point B.  Neither realized that their discount carrier has a habit of "nickel-diming" its customers, and that one can often get an equally good deal from one legacy carriers.  Now, they are thinking of a more expensive "Plan B", in case things get screwed up again.

Can I trash the discount carrier for changing flight schedules 4 months in advance? Possibly.  But I choose not to do it, as getting a cheap fare involves trade-offs, and the possibility of experiencing events like this is one of the trade-offs one has to make for the cheap fares.  As for me, I'd rather pay a full rate and get better service....

 

 

 

PS: One of my friends cancelled her flight on Spirit Airlines, and got a flight on Southwest for a similar fare.  Yes, she may be out the money.  But she simply doesn't like what Spirit did, nor does she like their terrible schedules.

Doing a test run of mass transit to get to/from a future cruise

 

The weather was nice, and the two of us had nothing better to do.  What better a day to see if we could conveniently make it to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal by bus and subway, and to find out exactly how close the ferry dock is to the cruise terminal. And that's exactly what we did, with a side trip to Chinatown for some duck.

- - - - - - -

RQS and I both wanted to find out where the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal was for our own reasons.  For RQS, it was out of mere curiosity, as she'd go there by Uber if we chose an MSC, Princess or Cunard cruise in the future.  For me, it was to make a dry run (in good weather) to find out how to get there using mass transit and avoid spending $280 to park, or $300 (+ Tip) for cab rides from/to Croton, NY. So, we started our journey from central Queens county at 2 pm, and reached downtown Brooklyn a little after 3 pm where we switched buses. From there, we took another bus to the waterfront, walked the 4 blocks to the cruise terminal. to complete our trip in 90 minutes.

Once at the cruise terminal, we found that NYC Ferries had a stop at the cruise terminal (about 1000 feet away from the actual building).. So we bought tickets to take us to their Wall Street transfer point, and had a nice ride along the riverfront. And then, it was off to Chinatown by bus.

We walked the length and breadth of Chinatown to find out that Ping's was still closed. (Their website says that this is temporary, but not to be open on their scheduled reopening date causes me to start wondering....)  So we walked to the Peking Duck House for some expensive, but tasty grub - their signature dish, the Peking Duck. When RQS and I looked at the menu, we realized that this would be more than either of us would normally spend on dinner.  So she helped me out a little.  (THANKS!) And then we had a wonderful meal.  Would we go back?  Yes, in a heartbeat if our budgets allow for it.

Then, it was time to go home for the evening.  At least, this time, we knew how to get home quickly, in spite of the work being done on the subway.