What happens if you dont make your connecting flight

dizzytina

Hi everyone,
Im looking for a bit of advice. We are travelling to Orlando in August and the flight has a connecting flight at JFK airport. My auntie from Australia is actually flying to new york that day and arrives 2 hours after our connecting leaves JFK for Orlando. i have approached the travel agents and explained that due to this being a very rare opportunity to see my family we want to stay in New York for a few days. Ive priced up flights 3 days later from New york to orlando which we are willing to purchase and we are happy to take just hand luggage cases with a view to buying bigger cases in orlando when we eventually get there.
The travel agent have now said that if we dont get the connecting flight we are classed as no shows and our return flights home (scheduled for 3 weeks later from orlando)will be cancelled at that point?
I just wondered if anyone knows if this is the case. Surely they would assume that if we have missed our connection flight we will still be travelling to orlando on an alternative flight?
The travel agents want to charge us over £1500 extra to make changes which makes it completely impossible for us but i just wanted advice of anyone with experience or anyone who has missed a connecting flight and what happened.
Thanks in advance if anyone can help

jpsartre

dizzytina wrote: »

The travel agent have now said that if we dont get the connecting flight we are classed as no shows and our return flights home (scheduled for 3 weeks later from orlando)will be cancelled at that point?
I just wondered if anyone knows if this is the case.

Yes, that is indeed the case.

Voyager2002

The travel agent is correct, although the change fee sounds excessive.

See what happens if you speak with the airline directly. It is unlikely that they could do anything (since we went through an agent the booking 'belongs' to the agent) but the off-chance of success probably justifies a phone call.

dizzytina

thanks guys. The travel agent have said that we would need permission from the airline direct. I have emailed them and explained so I'll cross fingers and toes....

photome

dizzytina wrote: »

thanks guys. The travel agent have said that we would need permission from the airline direct. I have emailed them and explained so I'll cross fingers and toes....

posting on social media or phoning them would most likely bring about a speedier response.

It is still likely to cost you to cancel the flight you should have been on and rebook the one you want though even if they will do anything as you booked with an agent

as for missing the connecting flight, that happens all the time but you cant just decide to miss it, you need to turn up for it in the first place

Gleeful

Voyager2002 wrote: »

The travel agent is correct, although the change fee sounds excessive.

See what happens if you speak with the airline directly. It is unlikely that they could do anything (since we went through an agent the booking 'belongs' to the agent) but the off-chance of success probably justifies a phone call.

The change fee will include the airline ticket reissue fee, plus any difference in fare and tax, which for several people, and a flight in August, will soon add up, so could well not be excessive.

Gleeful

photome wrote: »

posting on social media or phoning them would most likely bring about a speedier response.

Why would you encourage a customer to kick up a fuss on social media when this is a customer created issue, rather than agent created issue.

hollydays

Gleeful wrote: »

Why would you encourage a customer to kick up a fuss on social media when this is a customer created issue, rather than agent created issue.

Where has anyone suggested kicking up a fuss?

jpsartre

Gleeful wrote: »

Why would you encourage a customer to kick up a fuss on social media when this is a customer created issue, rather than agent created issue.

Asking on social media does not mean kicking up a fuss. Many airlines actively encourage passengers to contact them in this way, it's no different from email but the response time is usually much quicker.

photome

Gleeful wrote: »

Why would you encourage a customer to kick up a fuss on social media when this is a customer created issue, rather than agent created issue.

where did i mention kick up a fuss? please show me

nothing wrong with asking a question on social media, for example if a question is asked on KLM facebook they gtee a response within 24 hours, in my experience emails get ignored.

I also suggested phoning

jpsartre

Another one is BA who usually responds in a matter of hours on Twitter.