Budgetair keep changing my flight times for holiday this summer

mooch

I booked flights for our summer holiday a few months ago with budgetair (I know they have a bad rep, but we were struggling to find a flight for 7 within our budget).

We're travelling to USA, with 2 changeovers on the way.

Since booking, I have received 4 emails, each time changing some flight time in the schedule. This is the first time I have ever encountered this, and although I thought it odd, the changes were only an hour at most.

However now I have received another update that adds 7 hours of stopover time to our return journey.

I am not happy but I am not sure what I can do. As I said, I have never experienced this before, so I don't know why the times keep changing.

Apart from being unhappy with the additional waiting time, I am now concerned that they may very well change the flight schedule again.

Cancelling isn't really an option. I just checked flights and the cheapest that came up would be £900 more than what we paid.

This is what they say in the email I received.

"Due to a change by the airline, your flight details have changed. Underneath you will find your new schedule. As it is an important change, we would like to make sure that you have read this. Can you please confirm within 48 hours by replying to this email, stating that you are aware of the schedule change."

Are they really saying the airline has changed the flight times and the flight at the time I was booked no longer exists?

And what if I don't reply within 48hrs? (The previous emailed changes didn't say I need to confirm within 48hrs)

Any advice before I contact them would be very much appreciated.

littlereddevil

Can't you check on the airline site?

callum9999

mooch wrote: »

I booked flights for our summer holiday a few months ago with budgetair (I know they have a bad rep, but we were struggling to find a flight for 7 within our budget).

We're travelling to USA, with 2 changeovers on the way.

Since booking, I have received 4 emails, each time changing some flight time in the schedule. This is the first time I have ever encountered this, and although I thought it odd, the changes were only an hour at most.

However now I have received another update that adds 7 hours of stopover time to our return journey.

I am not happy but I am not sure what I can do. As I said, I have never experienced this before, so I don't know why the times keep changing.

Apart from being unhappy with the additional waiting time, I am now concerned that they may very well change the flight schedule again.

Cancelling isn't really an option. I just checked flights and the cheapest that came up would be £900 more than what we paid.

This is what they say in the email I received.

"Due to a change by the airline, your flight details have changed. Underneath you will find your new schedule. As it is an important change, we would like to make sure that you have read this. Can you please confirm within 48 hours by replying to this email, stating that you are aware of the schedule change."

Are they really saying the airline has changed the flight times and the flight at the time I was booked no longer exists?

And what if I don't reply within 48hrs? (The previous emailed changes didn't say I need to confirm within 48hrs)

Any advice before I contact them would be very much appreciated.

Yes they are saying the airline has changed the flight times. There's no logical reason why they'd lie (they can't just cancel your flight and book you on a cheaper one) and it's very normal practice - particularly if you're flying with American Airlines.

If you don't confirm within 48hrs I can't imagine anything would happen. What are your original and current flight numbers? You need to see if there are different flights available with the same airline that are more akin to the ones you originally booked and ask Budgetair (who will then ask the airline) to see if they'll agree to move you to them instead. Assuming the flight is more than 2 weeks away the airline don't have to offer anything (and if you're on a non-EU airline, I'm not sure they even have to offer that) other than a refund, but generally will if you're reasonable.

The schedule could change again - no amount of worrying will change that and there's nothing you can do to stop it. There are hundreds of options to get from the UK to New York every single day, your flight can't realistically get any worse than 2 stopovers, one of which being 7 hours!

NiftyDigits

Indeed as Callum suggests, nothing to do with the travel agent and everything to do with the airlines...especially American Airlines. My timings changed around six times.
In my case, as I booked directly with the airline, I contacted them and moved my itinerary to a more suitable time. In fact, I may have changed my routing slightly in order to achieve it,
Same embarkation and disembarkation points, but via a different city. That way i reclaimed any potential loss of time on holiday.

mooch

Firstly, thanks ever so much for the quick and informative replies. It has really helped me figure out what's going on.

I think I understand now why the flight schedule has been changed.

The arrival time of the return internal USA flight has changed to be 32 mins later (it still has the same flight number).

This means that there is only 44mins until the departure of the onward international flight.

So I would guess that is why the next flight has been changed (different flight number) to a later flight. Unfortunately with a 5hr 15mins stopover. Similarly the last flight has been replaced and that stopover is now 3hrs 50mins.

As you suggested Callum, I checked the internal USA flights and I can see several alternative flights with United (that's who it's with atm) and also some with AA.

I'm thinking my best course of action would be to ask budgetair if they could keep the last 2 legs unchanged and instead replace the internal USA flight.

Thanks once again. I was panicking yesterday and am feeling much better now. MSE to the rescue again.

Fingers crossed. Will let you know how it goes.

callum9999

mooch wrote: »

Firstly, thanks ever so much for the quick and informative replies. It has really helped me figure out what's going on.

I think I understand now why the flight schedule has been changed.

The arrival time of the return internal USA flight has changed to be 32 mins later (it still has the same flight number).

This means that there is only 44mins until the departure of the onward international flight.

So I would guess that is why the next flight has been changed (different flight number) to a later flight. Unfortunately with a 5hr 15mins stopover. Similarly the last flight has been replaced and that stopover is now 3hrs 50mins.

As you suggested Callum, I checked the internal USA flights and I can see several alternative flights with United (that's who it's with atm) and also some with AA.

I'm thinking my best course of action would be to ask budgetair if they could keep the last 2 legs unchanged and instead replace the internal USA flight.

Thanks once again. I was panicking yesterday and am feeling much better now. MSE to the rescue again.

Fingers crossed. Will let you know how it goes.

That sounds like it would be best though if you have a ticket on United you can't transfer to American. I'd personally be trying to use this to my advantage and getting a better route out of it too - a two stop flight to New York is a very long flight - I did the same last year (£119 return!) and it took 4x as long as direct, I got some extra airmiles though!

Where are you connecting, Chicago then Canada/Germany? If so you might be able to blag a direct from Chicago to the UK if you get a nice agent (I've had similar from United before but it's really hit and miss, so don't count on it!).

mooch

callum9999 wrote: »

That sounds like it would be best though if you have a ticket on United you can't transfer to American. I'd personally be trying to use this to my advantage and getting a better route out of it too - a two stop flight to New York is a very long flight - I did the same last year (£119 return!) and it took 4x as long as direct, I got some extra airmiles though!

Where are you connecting, Chicago then Canada/Germany? If so you might be able to blag a direct from Chicago to the UK if you get a nice agent (I've had similar from United before but it's really hit and miss, so don't count on it!).

Okay, there's an earlier United flight which would mean only a 3hr stopover which seems about right since I'm discovering that Chicago O'hare is a huge airport. We're going Birmingham to Dublin to Chicago to Dallas.

Usually I would opt for only 1 change but we're dealing with School hol prices and we much prefer the convenience of Bham than London so we're not spoilt for choice.

Thanks again.

NiftyDigits

In my case I researched the alternative route(with the same airline) and gave them the flight numbers. They changed them without further ado.
To reiterate, don't try to suggest flights with other airlines in the first instance, especially if there are alternatives with the same airline.
If the whole itinerary is with United, I wouldn't shy away from calling them direct with the new, more convenient flight designations and timings.
I was able to find a better combination that my original flights. So if you can find a combo with just one stop, don't shy away from explaining to the airline that you can't afford to lose seven hours from your trip and the new combo will keep your closer to your original holiday plan.

callum9999

mooch wrote: »

Okay, there's an earlier United flight which would mean only a 3hr stopover which seems about right since I'm discovering that Chicago O'hare is a huge airport. We're going Birmingham to Dublin to Chicago to Dallas.

Usually I would opt for only 1 change but we're dealing with School hol prices and we much prefer the convenience of Bham than London so we're not spoilt for choice.

Thanks again.

I have absolutely no idea why I thought you were going to New York!

Though as I said, it's the perfect opportunity to get better flights. You can go from Birmingham to Dallas on United with one-stop (via New York). Find the flight numbers and ask for them - there's a good chance they'll say no, (in which case suggest the alternative you've already found) but asking never hurts.

Chicago is a big airport - your terminal isn't. Assuming you're flying United across the Atlantic (and not Aer Lingus with a United flight number), connecting from Dublin to Dallas would probably involve a 5-10 minute walk from one plane to the next plane.

mooch

I wrote to them explaining that I was travelling with young children and over 80s, and gave them the alternative earlier United flight details, but this is their response.

Dear Sir/Madam,

If you are not happy with the new schedule then we can check for refund with airline (takes 7-12 weeks if airline authorize) but we noted that this is the best option available.

Please advise what do you want us to do.

Thank you and apology for the inconvenience caused to you.

Kind regards,
Travix Nederland BV

Obviously disappointing. I'll try to give them a call or failing that, maybe a tweet.

callum9999

mooch wrote: »

I wrote to them explaining that I was travelling with young children and over 80s, and gave them the alternative earlier United flight details, but this is their response.

Dear Sir/Madam,

If you are not happy with the new schedule then we can check for refund with airline (takes 7-12 weeks if airline authorize) but we noted that this is the best option available.

Please advise what do you want us to do.

Thank you and apology for the inconvenience caused to you.

Kind regards,
Travix Nederland BV

Obviously disappointing. I'll try to give them a call or failing that, maybe a tweet.

Reply and specifically ask them to check with United whether you can change the flight instead of refunding it.

You can also call United yourself and ask, though they'll likely tell you to go via budgetair.