Change in departure date - Air Transat?

[Sue]

I was booked to go to Puerto Plata on May 2nd, but was informed by my travel agent this week that the departure date has been changed to May 1st. I have never encountered a change in flight dates in all my years of travel. Are airlines allowed to do this without any compensation for the customer. Luckily I don't have to make any changes regarding accomodation when I'm there, but what about those who are booked in a hotel and have to scramble for another night's accomodation? I have contacted Air Transat and am waiting their response. I was just wondering if others have had this happen.

Sue

 

[Tom]

Is Air Transat a Charter or Scheduled carrier? If they are a Charter, they can do pretty much as they please.

Tom

 

[Sue]

Charter - all we have are charter airlines to PP from Toronto. I guess it's that old saying "you get what you pay for".

Sue

 

[Jodi]

Hi Sue...as an "air only" passenger, you'll be lucky to get any compensation for accommodation.....it's still worth a try though....good thing you have a place to stay. In a case like this, normally the passengers who are travelling on packages that include a hotel will have an extra night's accommodation provided at no extra cost. Look at it this way, you're getting an extra day there! I'm headed down to Santo Domingo from Toronto April 2nd...after so many trips down there the past 2 years on charters, I've decided to pay a bit more this time and fly American Airlines to DR via Miami.

Have a great trip Sue!

 

[Keith Murphy]

Dear Sue,

I was scheduled to return from PP on May 2. I fly air-only out of Toronto because my wife and I have time share at PP Beach Resort.

My travel agent informed me that AirTransat has stopped flying on that Sunday for the summer. I had booked a couple months ago. My agent checked with SunQuest (flies Mondays), Signature (flies Saturdays), so I decdided to go with the flow. It louses up some plans in that I like to do any financial business on the first working day of the month. That's the bad news.

The good news is another day in paradise and some of my friends have been begging me to stay with them for a day or two. So,.......I cash a favor and everyone is happy. Also, AirTransat (my agent informs me) has offered a $50. voucher for future travel on AirTransat. Fat chance, since my wife and I are moving to PP permanently in late July.

I hope this helps you and/or others.

Regards, Keith Murphy

 

[Kari]

Last year at this exact time I had booked a two week vacation to Puerto Plata, using Air Transat on a flight departing from Calgary. Since I had to fly to Calgary to catch that flight, it was very inconvenient when I was just about to leave my house to go to the airport and the tour company called to inform me that my flight to the DR had been cancelled and the next one would be leaving 12 hours later. This meant spending 12 hours in the Calgary airport and losing a day in the DR. There was to be NO compensation. When I complained in writing, I finally recieved a voucher for $25 off of my next trip that I would book with that tour compnay. The voucher has since expired. Perhaps you could insist on being compensated by the tour compnay. People we met on the same trip were on the same flight as us and booked through another tour compnay, but they recieved $100 credits to their credit cards. I guess it all depends who you book through. Good luck

 

[DEE]

Air Transat is a charter, so they can do changes anytime they wish. Plus the tour companies are starting their new summer pricing & flight schedules, so even though it might of stated in you tour book a May 2nd departure, it usually is always different. Next time you book, if it is near a switch of a season, ask your travel agent to check with he tour operator if their new flights are assigned yet. The months to be wary are: May and October. Bye the way we are also leaving May 1st to DR- Puerto Plata, staying at the Riu Mambo. Where are you going?