I have a free trip using miles to St. John USVI for this Nov that I booked back in May flying on CON.(This is my first trip ever on Con Airlines)

Everything was fine and peachy, until last night I called just to check in on the flight times. To my shock, Con had cancelled service from EWR to PWM for my 7:00pm flight!!!! Now their last flight from EWR to PWM is at 5:00PM.

Guess what my flight from STT(thru SJU) gets into EWR at 5:07PM!!!!! I cannot connect to PWM that night.

They "apologized" and said they would have called me to let me know of the flight change "very soon".

So now I am stuck over night in NJ with 2 kids because of there change.

They did offer 3 "hotel vouchers" for their error, that they will give me when I arrive that night in NJ. (I have never used these before and don't have any idea what type of hotel they will put my family up in or how to use them)

My question is:

Can I fight to get them to fly me to PWM that night even if they have to pay for my flight(I am using award seats)?

How do I use these "Hotel vouchers" that they "promise" and what can I expect for rooms or rates?

Thanks for your expert advice!

[This message has been edited by tasnam (edited 10-10-2000).]

[This message has been edited by tasnam (edited 10-10-2000).]

The hotel vouchers are very simple. When you get newark, speak to the customer service agent that meets your flight. The voucher will name the hotel, it will most likely be one of the airport hotels that has a free airport shuttle. If it dosesnt, ask the airline for a taxi voucher. When you check-in, just give the hotel the voucher, and you're done. You'll need a credit card when you checkin , to cover incidental charges, like room service and the like. You won't be charged for the room.

You should also ask for meal vouchers, they'll probably be given with the hotel voucher. Since your overnighting, you should get both a dinner and breakfast voucher for 3 people.

Since, you're on a mileage ticket, the airline has no obligation to put you on another airline. It doesn't hurt to ask, just don't expect to get it.

So it looks like i'll be spending the night in Newark on there "vouchers". Since I have never used them I have two questions.

1) What type of hotel can I expect Con to put me in?

2) What is the chance that the rooms could be sold out? (Storms or Conventions)

What I mean is they told me I will get vouchers for their error, couldn't happen that I'll show up and the hotels are booked?

You should be just fine, as Boomer has noted!

It's a free chance to possibly meet up with some NYC EWR FT'ers!

I believe that you are quite unkind to CO by saying that you are getting the shaft or they made an error. They probably don't owe you a thing, so they are being nice by giving you hotel vouchers.

Personally I would take advantage of the situation by going to downtown NY and enjoying the museums, shows, etc.

Thanks for your opin. Freakflyer.

I did get the shaft.

They booked my flight, then cancelled service and did not notify me of the change.

Imagine for a minute if I did not find this out, then went to the airport (with 2 young children) and found out the day I was leaving that I had NO return leg but had to stay over. That is getting the shaft!


I did not say anywhere that the overnight vouchers were not a good faith gesture. Just that I got the shaft by getting a leg cancelled and not notified by the airline.

Before asigning blame i'd like to know the timeline.

From you're post it looks like your flight isnt for several weeks. It's not like you were in danger of showing up at the airport and a plane not being there. Continental might not have gotten around to calling you. It's not like it was urgent, they probably had agents calling people who's flight that day was cancelled.

To categorize this as "getting the shaft" is a bit harsh. In fact since it was a mileage ticket, I think Contnental was very fair.

Flight cancellation are part, not a fun part however,of the air travel world.

I find it difficult to conger up any sympathy for your terrible "shafting". Your post is a little lean on facts, but I assume you are doing a RT Portland ME and St Thomas USVI on Continental Airlines (I thought Con Airlines was that convict airline thingee). I assume you are taking the ferry to/from St John. You picked one of my favorite islands. Smart choice. Nice reggae there.

I seriously doubt CO makes its flight schedules and changes to coincide with your reserved flights. I know they dont do such re me and my 100k mi/yr. Changes happen all the time. IT IS A FACT OF LIFE. Sometimes they are in your favor, sometimes not. IMHO you were fortunate to get 3-4 freebie seats. I never could on CO, DL, UA etc. Also the free hotel too. As for timing, it appears you made reservations approx 6 mo in advance. A lotta things can change in 6 mo.....ie just look at the NASDAQ or Firestone tires. Once I planned a trip on CO to Bali. They dropped the service. I got over it in 2 hours. I realized no matter how much I whined, they were not going to restart it.

It always pays to be PROACTIVE and not reactive. Phone calls are cheap (especially to 800 numbers). Do it and you will have nicer trips (and a nicer life in general).

I always take the attitude: make the best of what life tosses at you. A similar thing happened to me last year when CO changed the day of their non-op to SCL from Tuesday to Monday.

I had a BusinessFirst FF ticket [issued by NW on my Worldperks points] on the Monday flight, connecting from my then-home base of YEG on NW. I received a sked change notice from NW about its flights in the mail and when I called to confirm some details, found out [a month before the trip] that CO had made this change which would affect my outbound plans. I didn't ..... at CO (or the NW agent handling my res call), but asked if I could do a stop-over enroute to EWR on my NW itinerary. The agent checked the rules, and said this would be permitted on the FF ticket.

So I called up a friend in CLE and asked what she was doing Monday night: I did not object to paying for my hotel in that city -- never expected NW or CO to cover that expense -- and had a pleasant evening with my friend, saw a bit of CLE for the first time, visited the Rock'n'Roll Museum and a few other places before taking the subway out to the airport the next day, and continued on to EWR and my flight down to SCL. Got lemons, make lemonade.

Take the kids to Manhattan, or find something else to do on the day. You got a bonus trip to the Big Apple. What's the problem? Given you got many hundreds of dollars of free travel, things happen. Make the best of it. Maybe Catman can suggest some sites to see on the west side of the Hudson.

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 10-12-2000).]

A good planner never likes it when things go wrong, but usually triedss build into the plan some contingencies. I too book my flights well in advance when I use ff miles. Normally that is 9 months in advance (or more if busness class to Australia). I always call 2 months in advance to update the flights. Almost without exception times are changed, flight numbers are changed...and some time equipment changes as well as connetion issues. I too do not like it, but that is the way it is.

I then call a week in advance, and usually the day before.

I can only imagine how much trouble this change is for you, traveling with children! I agree CO is doing you well to supply hotel vouchers for 3 rooms! I to would try for food vouchers too...good luck. I would skip asking for a flight on another airline, it would seem unreasonable and may cost you something that they are offering. Try to documment, as possible, the room offers and any others to make receiving them straight foreward.

Someone suggested visiting Mahattan. I have not been there but we will be in a few weeks and plan to go to the Central Park Wildlife Center. Prices are $3.50 for adults and 0.50 for children. They are open 10am -5 or 5:30. There is also the Bronx zoo. It is much more expensive, but is free on Wednesdays according to the info I got on the web. I do not know how much time you will have.

Enjoy your trip, and try to lighten up on the airline. As suggested elsewhere they would have eventually told you. If they tell you too soon, you run the risk of having to change your plans another time. They also could have offered you no vouchers, only an "I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you".

Personally, I'm surprised that CO offered you the hotel vouchers so far in advance. Usually hotel and meal accommodations are only provided by airport agents, and they like to think of it as a sort of last resort. If it were me, I would be pleased that CO offered the hotel (and probably you'll get meal) vouchers. Instead, in lieu of that, they will often just offer to refund your ticket price/miles, or schedule you say to fly on an earlier day/time to avoid having to put you up in a hotel. I'm no real fan of airline customer service in general (especially via phone), but in this case, I'd say you did very well by CO.

If you really want to go to PWM, in EWR, ask them to fly you to BOS, and then take DL/US/AA to PWM. If you decide to TRY this, have flight schedules available to propose times to the agents. There are flights EWR-BOS each hour. Not sure of schedules BOS-PWM. Again, whether they do this will depend on who you get at the airport. I would not recommend asking about this over the phone, because they might document your record (if they have not already) that you have been advised this would not be possible.

If you take the hotel voucher deal, they will likely put you up in the EWR Marriott, Hilton, etc. I was put up in the Marriott one night flying TPA-EWR-BOS after misconnecting in EWR due to weather. I considred myself lucky as well, because there is no rule or law that says an airline has to put you up in a hotel especially if it is due to weather. They often will do it, but again it depends on who you get.

I think the idea of spending time in NYC is a good one, especially if flight schedules permit.

I suppose there is a slim chance (say if NYC has a big weather event on your flight date) that all hotels will be sold out. Still, I'm sure they would be able to find you a room somewhere. If your concerned, check NYC weather prior to your departure. If it looks bad, then maybe have the airport representative at your departing point for EWR reserve the hotel room. Ask them to call the EWR airport CO agents, so you'll be assured of a room. Again, though, this will probably not be an issue. On the day I misconnected it was 10:00PM or later, on a bad weather day, and they still had hotel rooms right on the airport.

Perhaps your children would also enjoy doing some airplane watching at EWR?

Good luck, and be sure to write a trip report.

Ranles:

Central Park is lovely that time of year. You'll be close to peak color season.

If you want other suggestions, on things to see in NY, just ask.

"Central Park is lovely..."

Almost all the time in my view!

My son constantly bemoans the fact that we do not have an apartment bordering on it - he's not particular, in that CPS, Fifth or CPW are all fine - just as long as he can "bop on out" and head into the park!

BYW- I was surprised that Randy had never been to Manhattan and also somewhat surprised that, 'til now, it was kind of a little secret!

Have a great visit!

About 5 years ago, Mr Naxos and I were ticketed, using award travel from JFK-SFO- Taipei-Bkk. About one month before departure, UAL ceased service into BKK, temporariily it turned out. We were called and told we would be rerouted from BKK- Hong Kong and booked on THAi AIrways. Since we had never been to Hong Kong and had wanted to visit, I politely asked if we could build in a stopover before we returned to the US. At first the rez agent was reluctant, but some gentle persuasion worked and we were granted an unexpected opportunity t visit Hong Kong for 4 days. I promptly called to get hotel rez using some UAL 50% certs and we happily stayed at the Shangrila and enjoyed this vibrant city and feasted on dim sum and duck and fish as well as shopping and sightseeing.
Enjoy New York. The new Hayden Planetarium has opened at the Museum of Natural History or the new Central Park Zoo and a visit to the Balto statue , or a visit to the Empire State building or a Circle line tour of Manhatten, or the Mummy room at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or a Frozen Hot Chocolate break at Serendipity- Wish I had a stop in the Big Apple soon. Sometimes the unpredictability of travel offers the best experiences.





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> ... got the shaft ...
>
> So now I am stuck over night in NJ
> with 2 kids because of there change.
> They did offer 3 "hotel vouchers"
>

A tad overly dramatic for my taste. Perhaps
you are simply not a really freq flyer.
Perhaps, not.

Regardless; *whenever* travelling by
airline:

*YOU* must be fully prepared missing connections and cancelled flights. There
are many reasons far beyond our control.

I recommend packing one full change of clothes in your carry-on for everyone in
your family. If you must unexpectedly
overnite, you will be prepared for just
about whatever.

Always carry 48 hours worth of of meds on your person; you will be prepared for just
about whatever.

Also wise to [re]consider how you pack
the checked baggage. Rather than have a
his, her's and kids' bags. Again; put a
little of everyones' clothes in each bag.
If a bag is lost, you will be prepared.

Photocopy a govt issued ID for everyone
travelling - wise for even domestic travel.

Use *paper* tickets. Avoid e-tickets. If
you must be rebooked on another carrier,
e-tickets are going to require that you
stand in at least one [likely two] add'l
lines.

Double-check *everything* - frequently. I
just learned that my travel agent [American
Express] decided to change my 1st-class
upgrade seating to a center coach seat back
by the engines. Mistakes happen. I caught
and fixed this before it became a problem.
Hint: *Everything* includes checking hotel, ground transportation ... ad. naseum.

Since you mention the hardship of travelling
with your children; it ain't easy on me
either. Please carry-on a few things that
will keep the occupied. Talk to the airline
and learn what will [not] be served on your
flight. Regardless of whatever they promise
you; pack some sort of snack. Ain't nothing
worse that travelling with a hungry child on
a [delayed] flight with the cabin too cold
or too hot. i.e. Dress them in layers.

If the kids are in diapers, carefully
estimate what you require for the duration
of the door-to-door travel time ... then
multiply by two [2].

If things go bad, really bad, really
really insanely bad. Never, ever bark
shout or threaten the goddesses working
the gates and cournters. Find someone that
does fit this description. Get the entire
family in line directly behind the jer[s].
Stay in line directly behind them. Use the
same gate agent that they have just savaged.

Be as sweet and sympathetic as possible
re: what they just endured. Offer them
your 'extra' apple/soda/whatever. Become
a Ward & June Cleaver family. When things
are really bad, the goddess at the counter
will sometimes award a miracle to the
deserving.

-doug