Turning Airline Hostility into Travel Bliss

For the entire airline industry, the skies no longer seem friendly.

For some travelers, the airlines’ recent bad publicity has left them with a good-enough reason to postpone trips and enjoy staying home.

“If you are flying, that portion of your trip is ultimately out of your control, which makes people nervous to begin with,” said Kathryn Finkelstein, a travel agent with MickeyTravels, LLC. “Basically, you are dependent on airline companies, TSA security regulations, weather conditions and other travelers.”

Finkelstein said that travelers should be realistic, prepared and proactive in their travels to assure a positive air travel experience.

“Know that there are several factors that can come into play that are out of everyone’s control. There may be delays, a long wait at security, unfavorable weather, etc. If you are prepared for this reality, it is easier to deal with these hiccups as they happen.”

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Tom Karnes of LaMacchia Travel concurs that selling travel is different today.

“It’s all about setting the correct expectations,” he said. “We prepare our clients that airline travel is not a service anymore, it is a business and therefore things do not always favor the passengers.”

He said that depending on the airlines, there are things you can do to make your trip a little more comfortable: "Online check-in, purchase upgraded seats and prepay bags, but if all goes bad, have your travel agent’s phone number handy."

The odds of something this extreme happening to you, however, are low.

A recent Virtuoso Flash Survey shows travel advisors say that bumping passengers against their will rarely happen, and only 30 percent of respondents said it had happened to their clients.

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“It’s unfortunate that we’re seeing a rash of these stories lately because our findings show that for all the tens of thousands of passengers who fly daily, only a tiny percentage of them have ever been involuntarily bumped,” says Terrie Hansen, senior vice president of Marketing for Virtuoso.

“When an incident does occur, it captures enormous public attention because, with any travel mishap, the viewing public immediately imagines ‘this could happen to me, too’ and it’s an unsettling feeling. Having an advocate with a vested interest in the success of the trip is invaluable. It might not prevent the situation from happening, but it’s certainly reassuring to know: here’s a knowledgeable and well-connected expert to call and help fix it.”

If passengers should find themselves in this situation, Virtuoso’s advisors say that you should do the following: Insist the airline rebook the next available flight, even on another airline; comply with the request, but politely ask for more compensation than what the airline is offering; contact your travel advisor for assistance; and ask for a credit card-issued gift card instead of an airline voucher, especially if you’re not a frequent traveler.

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“If possible, book a flight that arrives several hours before you need to be at your destination,” said Finkelstein. “This way, if there are delays, you have some extra time to work with and it will help to alleviate the stress of being on time.”

“Remember that we are all human and any change to our original plans can cause many headaches, but usually these changes are ones made to keep travelers safe,” said Finkelbaum.

“Ultimately, everyone has the same goal. You want to arrive at your destination safely, and airlines want to get you there safely. If it takes a little longer due to safety issues, be grateful for the delay. Your safety is more important than time schedules.”