high bid

As some of you know I'll be spending my "Economic Check" in another country (Mexico). So we've had this trip planned since Feb08 and this morning Orbitz calls and states they've canceled our flights. So "the boss" goes round-n-round w/someone hardly able to speak English for 3hrs and w/out reason or explanation Orbitz states that Mexicana Airlines has canceled our original flight booked back in Feb08. Without much apology or understanding they wan't to know what we want to do. WTH? What do you think I want to do? So "the boss" finally gets them to refund the airfare but we now have to go purchase another flight (4days before we leave) and of course we all know how this works out at the last minute. As explained the refund will be credited back to your card w/in the next 2-3 billing cycles which usually means 60-90days. I was on conference phone w/them and "the boss" is about ready to blow up, so I take over and she hangs up. Basically, we end up loosing the first & last day and spend $400 more in having to rebook flights that 1)get you there @ night 2)leave at 6am. A total of 5hours later everything is booked again but w/lots of expense and anger..

I hope no one else has to deal w/this but I know the folks on this site are well experience in anger management and an overall good support group. Thanks for listening and preventing me from reaching thru the phone and destroying some customer service rep. "RANT OFF."

00Dog

That sucks but I can't say I have any sympathy. The average air traveler has no loyalty to any given carrier and are only after the cheapest fare. People aren't paying for what it costs to fly that seat on a given flight and then they wonder why the service is crap or the flight gets cancelled or the staff isn't friendly, etc. Airlines are closing left and right and that will fix some of those problems due to reduced capacity.

A lot of people were in a much worse situation than you are when they bought discount tickets to and within Hawaii, only to get stranded when ATA and Aloha closed in the same week. Hawaiian and the mainland carriers didn't have the capacity to get these people home, nor did it seem that they cared to add flights to accomodate people that chose not to do business with them in the first place but rather opted for that cheap ticket.

Sorry you had to learn the hard way but cheap airline tickets are my rant. By they way, you're probably better off in the long run if you rebooked on an American carrier. I've seen foreign airlines pull some pretty "interesting" maneuvers in the air and their maintenance practices leave a lot to be desired.

high bid

Thanks for the sympathy. Canceling flights w/out reason knowing travelers will have to rebook at higher rates (within 4 days of travel) is just wrong.....almost as if they did it to hike the fares due to higher fuel cost, but of course they won't come out and say that.

At an expense of $1k, I didnt' think this was a "cheap airline ticket." Good thing they have comp liquor...they're going to wish they kept me on the original flight.

soulezoo

I was loyal to Aloha and used them many times... they went belly up 3 days before the trip to Maui...