what to do if you book the wrong flight

April 09, 2022 Post a Comment

I Booked a Flying but Made a Mistake, Now What?

Nosotros've all been there!

— -- If you're the designated family travel agent like I am, I'll bet you recognize that sinking feeling you become when you make all the arrangements simply to notice yourself proverb, "Oops, I goofed!" (Or maybe something a lot more colorful.)

Nosotros've all been there.

Unfortunately today'due south airlines aren't very forgiving. They accuse expensive change fees when we make mistakes and make us jump through other hoops.

What to exercise? Here are a few means to mitigate certain errors.

1. If you put down the incorrect travel dates...

What y'all can do: Review any booking before you lot ding your credit card, and so review information technology again within the next 24 hours. If you detect an error within that timeframe, you tin make the necessary changes for no charge. If you wait until later, you will pay up to $200 for domestic flying changes and up to $400 for international. The lone exception: Southwest has no modify fee whatever.

If yous don't detect your fault until afterward 24 hours accept passed: You will accept to pay the modify fee and the price divergence of a new ticket (and it's usually higher). Before you lot practice this, though, do the math; it could be cheaper to consume your ticket, thus fugitive the additional outlay, if yous discover some other airline with a much amend price. If you tin can't find a better deal, you're stuck with re-doing your ticket and paying the fees. Once again, review all trip details carefully.

2. If you make a mistake in the passenger proper name...

What you can do: If you lot find this error within 24 hours, make the change.

If you discover it after: If information technology's something small-scale such every bit including (or omitting) a middle proper name or initial and comes close to matching the name on the ID you'll nowadays at security, it's probably no big deal. The TSA is usually pretty cool about this and in most cases, will only require a cursory interview with a TSA officer at the security checkpoint and that'll be that. However, if the proper name you put downwards is completely unlike, move on to No. 3.

three. If you booked for the wrong person...

What you can do: Airline tickets aren't similar movie or concert tickets; you can't pass them out to anyone. They can but exist used by the person whose name appears every bit the traveler. If that's not you, either discover the error early or go through the scenario in No. 1.

4. If you booked booked, then saw a cheaper deal...

What you lot tin can exercise: If your reservation is on Southwest and you find a lower fare on that airline, you become a credit for the difference, adept for future travel. If you lot purchased the cheapest deal on another airline such as Delta'due south Bones Economic system your ticket is non-refundable (and more and more of the cheapest tickets on all airlines are not-refundable). If your ticket is refundable, contact the airline.

5. Equally a last resort...

Never be afraid to inquire. Sometimes, throwing yourself on the mercy of an airline rep actually works because some of these folks have wide discretion when it comes to handling bug, especially those who work for larger carriers. I've personally heard of cases where change fees were waived but in all honestly, this is extremely rare. Requite it a try, as long equally you know at that place are no guarantees. Some guidelines:

- Keep your story curt: Don't embellish, just requite the facts and acknowledge you're at fault.

- Do non get aroused: The airline rep didn't make the mistake and may be disinclined to assist a nasty caller.

- Mention membership: If you are a miles fellow member, mention this, especially if you lot have elite condition. If your status gives yous access to a special hotline number, use that to contact the airline.

- Twitter: Many airlines accept designated staff who monitor tweets and respond to problems on social media. Give this a shot.

One last affair: More than and more of u.s.a. are booking flights on phones and those petty keyboards tin can be hard for some, so reviewing reservations is more than of import that e'er.

Rick Seaney is the CEO of FareCompare, a website that curates the all-time deals on flights from around the world. Whatever opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author.

Johnson Theagre