Haven't flown before - a few questions!

[bumbershoot]

Unless you're flying Southwest, DO. NOT. LOOK. AT. PRICES. AFTER. YOU. BOOK.

Probably isn’t relevant for the OP, but Alaska Air should be on that list too. They allow fee-free price reductions as well, and IMO they make it easier.

Another issue I’ve noticed happening to us a lot recently is seat assignment changes by the airlines.

Yep and that’s been going on for at least 20 years. That’s when I first started to use SW because I was tired of choosing my seat then finding out it had been changed.

Frankly I would rather use SW, pay for early bird, and walk onto the plane to actually physically choose my seat if sitting with people was that important to me.

 

[winterman]

Check out Bangor, Maine, as well. The distance to you may make it worth any additional cost.

 

[SL6827]

Another issue I’ve noticed happening to us a lot recently is seat assignment changes by the airlines. Since sitting together is so important to you, check periodically that your seats are correct. We have this happen all the time, that they change our seats and don’t alert us. I’ve had them move the kids all over the plane before, where they ended up no where near me. What happens is you initially book the flight and choose your seats. The flight is scheduled on a Size X plane. Then the airline changes the plane to Size Z and everybody’s seats get moved around because the new plane is configured differently. You can also have airlines rearranging seats for other reasons as well, so keep checking them up until you leave to make sure they haven’t changed. It’s usually a minor inconvenience and easy to fix online ahead of time, but if I had waited and discovered the issue at the airport, it would have been too late to fix.

If you pay to pick your seats and then are not given those seats, do you get your money back?

 

[SL6827]

1. When will tickets go on sale for next Nov/December? When is the best time to buy - as soon as they go on sale, or later?

2. Where is the best place to buy them - direct from the company, or on a discount travel site? If the latter, which one?

3. What airline do you recommend? We can fly out of Portland, ME, Boston, MA, Providence, RI or Portsmouth, NH?

We had planned on flying Spirit since they're so cheap (I know about the fees) until I read reviews here on the board. The two biggest complaints with them, are two of my biggest criteria which are:

- I absolutely MUST be able to pick seats, because I absolutely MUST be able to sit with my children. One struggles with anxiety and the other has ASD. Not sitting with them is simply not an option.

- Since we're going for such a short trip (only have 2-3 days in Florida), getting there on the day originally planned is definitely a must. So, if the flight is delayed/canceled, we need to be booked on another flight, ASAP.

I'm taking my first flight to the Grand Caymans early next year. Worried. Scared. Long story. But it is not an option so I have to do it. Hopefully if all goes well, I'll will fly to Disney from now on out of Atlanta.

 

[WonderlandisReality]

We are looking at the same airports as you (Central Maine residents). This is really going to depend upon what you value most. Bangor is somewhat limited on flights and we've all but taken it off our list. We've done Portland, Manchester, and Boston to WDW in the past. Manchester was more difficult to drive to than it looks. Portland typically goes through JFK so many more options for connections (but not much for departures). Boston offers non stop flights. I also have two children with Special needs so we are leaning heavily on Boston for this reason. I've flown Delta internationally with them in the past and they are great. JetBlue is high on our list. I've flown Spirit with other adults to WDW and it was okay for adults. I wouldn't do it with my family though. We did a United flight from Portland first thing at one time and due to combo of factors missed connection and then were hit with delay out of JFK. We were scheduled to leave Portland at 6 that morning and finally made it to the hotel just before midnight.
Depending upon your bravery and party size there is a 9-seat Cessna that leaves Augusta Maine 3 times a day and typically has you in the JetBlue terminal (C) in Boston within an hour and 15 minutes. It's the quickest security line you will ever do and the tickets are decently priced. We've done this several times and it can be pretty fun and a great time saver.

 

[nighttowll]

If you pay to pick your seats and then are not given those seats, do you get your money back?

I would think this depends on the airline. All the airlines I’ve flown, basically the legacy ones, you don’t really pay to pick your seat, so much as you pay to sit in a specific category of seats. Basic economy seats are usually free, then you have a series of other premium seats that increase in price from there. This is all separate from first class. If you pay for a seat in a specific premium level, they aren’t going to move you to an economy seat, at least not without the refund of the seat fee, but that doesn’t keep them from still changing your seat within that seat category.

Some of the sketchier discount airlines that actually make you pay for the privilege of picking a seat, I’m guessing they would refund you as well. I don’t see them having any other option, unless they just leave you hanging. Because if you chose seat C5, and now the flight has been rescheduled to a plane that only has A and B rows, it doesn’t matter if you paid to pick C5, that seat no longer exists, so your seat is going to change.

I think with any airline you’d have to check the fine print to be sure of the refund though. I could see them saying, you picked a window seat in the front 1/3 of the plane, we put you in a new window seat in the front 1/3 of the plane, so since this a comparable seat, we don’t have to refund you. I can also see them saying that the fine print says if the plane type changes, all seat choices are subject to change without refund as well. Airlines are notorious for doing what they want and not really caring how they impact their customers. They just want as much money as they can get out of you. That’s why you really have to be your own advocate and stay on top of stuff.

 

[Sandiz08]

In your situation, I would still do Southwest Airlines especially if I have one child at least 6 or under. We have always done family boarding and never not sat next to each other. If you don’t have at least one child 6 and under, pay for early board check in as you will most likely board the plane before family boarding. If you want to do both, then that can be a double guarantee. However, I don’t think it’s necessary as we have always found seating together during family boarding in the back of the plane and in the rare occasion someone with a young child boards late, people have always been accommodating.

 

[maxiesmom]

In your situation, I would still do Southwest Airlines especially if I have one child at least 6 or under. We have always done family boarding and never not sat next to each other. If you don’t have at least one child 6 and under, pay for early board check in as you will most likely board the plane before family boarding. If you want to do both, then that can be a double guarantee. However, I don’t think it’s necessary as we have always found seating together during family boarding in the back of the plane and in the rare occasion someone with a young child boards late, people have always been accommodating.

Family Boarding can be skipped over, if it looks to the gate agents as mostly families are waiting to board. It is not something they always do.

I would also not be comfortable relying on other passengers moving to accommodate me. If sitting apart is a problem, the right thing to do is to pay for Early Bird Check In. Not paying and then asking others to move for you is a bit rude, imho.

 

[mshanson3121]

Family Boarding can be skipped over, if it looks to the gate agents as mostly families are waiting to board. It is not something they always do.

I would also not be comfortable relying on other passengers moving to accommodate me. If sitting apart is a problem, the right thing to do is to pay for Early Bird Check In. Not paying and then asking others to move for you is a bit rude, imho.

Yes, whatever we do, I will pay for the seating selection etc...