Anyone have trouble with airline reservations booked through Orbitz?

[smithfamilyof7]

I bought our plane tickets months ago using Orbitz on Jetblue. We have a group of 8 - 5 kids and 3 adults. There weren't seats all together when I made the reservations, so I had two groups of 3 and a group of 2, mostly spread out. A month or so later, I checked the trip in Orbitz and for some reason, my seat was unassigned. Weird, but ok. I went in to assign the seat and more were available... I changed all of our seats so we had one whole row of 6, and 2 were in front of us.

So this morning I wondered to myself, do I check in for the flight through Orbitz or will these reservations be linked to my account directly on Jetblue. I pulled up the flight through Orbitz. All looks fine. I pull up my account on Jetblue. The reservations are there, but half of our seats are not assigned! (They ARE on Orbitz, but NOT on Jetblue.)

After 30 minutes on the phone with Jetblue, my choices are 1) Call Orbitz and see what they can do, 2) Hope they can rearrange the seats when we get to the airport or 3) Upgrade to different seats at $40/seat.

I'm at work so I'm having DH call Orbitz but I don't see what they will even be able to do. According to Jetblue, the seats which Orbitz has "confirmed" as ours have been purchased by other passengers.

Anyone have experiences like this through Orbitz? I'm hoping other passengers will be accommodating on the flight and will change seats so my 9, 10, and 3 year olds don't have to sit alone. But I'm still super PO'd about it.

 

[laeeyore]

Hi:
I have had and am currently having the same situation. A long time ago my husband and I booked through Orbitz to fly from LAX to NYC on Delta and I chose seats through Orbitz at booking. I don't think they had online check in at that time but I know when we got to the airport to check in they tried to put us in 2 middle seats in different areas of the plane. When I asked what happened the Delta lady said those seat choices you make at booking only go to Orbitz, the airline does not see them .She recommended the next time to call the airline as soon as you make the res. and tell then directly what seats you want. They did manage to seat us both together.

Cue to Dec.2014. I made res. on Orbitz to from LAX to WDW in May for us two a my daughter who will be 7 at the time, made seat assingments and sure enough when I got the confirmation it says Seats:Unassinged. Sigh,
I keep trying to call U.S. Airways and pick the seats but so far I end up in perpetual hold. I think in my case and in yours I would wait to get to the airport, option 2. I wouldn't call Orbitz b/c they cant do anything really and I wouldn't pay an additional 40.00 seat b/c that's just unfair. If you have young children I would hope that the airline wouldn't be dumb enough to stick them next to strangers. That's probably what I'm going to do in June, although I may just go down to the airport this weekend and try to fix it in person.

Good Luck, I think this is a really bad business practice by Orbitz to promise seats when they good and well they wont communicate it to the airlines.

 

[smithfamilyof7]

What a pain! I'm sorry you're dealing with this too. Are you able to check your flight confirmation directly through the US Airways website? I'm able to pull our flight information directly from Jetblue and can change my seats that way. Problem is, we fly tomorrow so there are no other seat arrangements near each other.

The kids who don't have assigned seats are 3, 9, and 10. NONE of them would do well not seated next to one of us adults. My husband spent over an hour on the phone with them. Orbitz says they sent the seat assignments to Jetblue months ago; Jetblue says they never got it. They both say there's not much they can do about it. Jetblue is trying to help us figure something out but it's so last minute, there isn't much they can do.

We're pretty much at the mercy of other passengers, hoping they will switch seats so we can sit with our kids.

 

[laeeyore]

I was able to fix it on the U.S. Airways site just now. A coworker walked me through the steps. Luckily it seems that we all had assigned seats on the first portion. My husband had been left off the second portion of the flight so I was able to select a seat for him. Luckily b/c we are so far out the original one I picked was still available.
I completely understand where you are coming from. There is no way I would have my child sit next to a stranger on any flight, especially the three year old. I can only imagine the reaction from other passengers if my daughter had had to sit alone at 3 years old. She hated to sit still and was very active on board airplanes as well as being a chatterbox. That would have been an adventure for the other passenger for sure. I think once you get on the plane and the person next to your child sees they will be babysitting for next few hours unless they switch thanks to the airlines it might do wonders to change their minds.
I hope everything thing goes smoothly though and you enjoy your trip to Disneyland and CA!

 

[starjazz]

I'll be shocked if between the decency of normal people, and the flight attendants, you aren't able to sit together. Very shocked.

 

[MunFam]

I'll be shocked if between the decency of normal people, and the flight attendants, you aren't able to sit together. Very shocked.

Really? Maybe I am the rare selfish person, although I fly regularly for business and I do not see people willingly giving up their seats often, but if I paid to choose my aisle or window seat and someone asked me to change because some poor family booked through a third party discounter and cannot sit together, I would not give up my seat without significant compensation...especially if I was getting moved to a center seat or to the back of the plane, or worse...both, especially on a long haul flight.

If it is important to the OP to be seated together, purchasing tickets together should be a priority right now. If the flight is overbooked, there will be people just thankful to have a seat, let alone be willing to give up a seat or seats so that a family can sit together. I would not gamble on kind people or the airline moving people around at the gate. That rarely happens (unless business and first class are empty and they bump people to first creating open seats in coach...then there will be room to move people to aisles, windows, etc and may create some pockets for the kids to not be seated alone). Additionally, I would find out what the airline's policy is on having a minor sit in a seat solo without a family member next to them, in case moving seats around at the gate does not work out. They may not let you board.

 

[smithfamilyof7]

Really? Maybe I am the rare selfish person, although I fly regularly for business and I do not see people willingly giving up their seats often, but if I paid to choose my aisle or window seat and someone asked me to change because some poor family booked through a third party discounter and cannot sit together, I would not give up my seat without significant compensation...especially if I was getting moved to a center seat or to the back of the plane, or worse...both, especially on a long haul flight.

If it is important to the OP to be seated together, purchasing tickets together should be a priority right now. If the flight is overbooked, there will be people just thankful to have a seat, let alone be willing to give up a seat or seats so that a family can sit together. I would not gamble on kind people or the airline moving people around at the gate. That rarely happens (unless business and first class are empty and they bump people to first creating open seats in coach...then there will be room to move people to aisles, windows, etc and may create some pockets for the kids to not be seated alone). Additionally, I would find out what the airline's policy is on having a minor sit in a seat solo without a family member next to them, in case moving seats around at the gate does not work out. They may not let you board.

Maybe you didn't read my actual post, but I DID book the tickets together and I paid for my seats just like any other person did. I did not book my tickets for a discount by choosing single seats not together and then "gambled" that people would be nice enough to give up their seats. I chose my seats when I paid full price for them, specifically putting an adult with each group of kids. But thanks for your input.

 

[MG3G]

Kay don't panic!
Get to the airport early tomorrow and explain at the check in counter what happened. IF for some reason that doesn't work then get to the gate early and tell them. IF for some reason that doesn't work board the flight right away and tell the FA. Often when we've flow the last row or two are empty and usually you can be popped back there. Do NOT worry about being at the back we actually LOVE sitting there!

 

[bumbershoot]

I think once you get on the plane and the person next to your child sees they will be babysitting for next few hours unless they switch thanks to the airlines it might do wonders to change their minds.

Please please please do NOT go into it with that attitude. That attitude will seriously anger people.

My brother and sis in law are kind, loving people. They are kind, loving people that put on their noise cancelling headphones the moment they get on the plane (they don't turn them on until it's "legal" to do so but they are on) and ignore everyone. They wouldn't give a rat's patootie what your 3 year old was doing, and wouldn't lift a finger for her. Not because they are evil, but because they are not responsible for her. Getting on a plane didn't make them so. They travel a lot for work, they are focused on their lives, the lives of their family members, their work, and their chosen charities, and a stranger's life isn't part of their life experience. My brother hasn't liked kids younger than him since he was a kid; if a kid came to the door he would hide. He was shocked how much he liked my kiddo (as was I), and he's had some terrific advice for me about DS, but he won't do anything. He will come tell me if DS is doing something wrong, and I will deal with it. Visiting him doesn't make him responsible for MY child.


If someone got on board, nervous and smiling and with drink vouchers and kindness and no expectations whatsoever, they, and people like them, will be a WHOLE lot more amenable than getting onboard with "once you see my kid you'll want to move".


We traveled with miles; 3 flights to get to SNA from SEA. Two of the flights didn't have seats assigned, which we knew, and we were getting there early to deal with. Walked into madness, because weather on the east coast had messed up travel on the west coast. Huge long lines for United. We got in the line, finally got to the front, one of our flights had been cancelled, etc etc, it was a mess that got messier.

One flight simply could NOT get us seated together. DS was 8, he has traveled before, and the instant I booked and saw we had no seats I started talking to him about it. So we got onboard and got our stuff situated (we were in the back and this flight boarded from the back), and as people got to our area I smiled and ASKED and never assumed and simply hoped. We got within one row of each other. He saw in the window seat next to two kindly grandmother types (not together) who delighted in him. I was in the window seat next to an older couple. Halfway through the flight they let me know that if they could have, they would have separated for us, but the wife has a huge fear of flying and she simply could not be away from her husband. You just never know what's going on with people.

And you know what? The kiddo was fine. He felt so independent and grown, and excited about being a whole row away from me. So there's hope for 8 year olds, at least.

Maybe you didn't read my actual post, but I DID book the tickets together and I paid for my seats just like any other person did. I did not book my tickets for a discount by choosing single seats not together and then "gambled" that people would be nice enough to give up their seats. I chose my seats when I paid full price for them, specifically putting an adult with each group of kids. But thanks for your input.

But you did book through a third party discounter. And that's the source of the problem.

And the sad thing is that in all likelihood the fare you got probably was no different than the fare JB had. That happens ALL the time with Orbitz and Expedia, etc. We found ONE flight, one time, to and from Korea that had some combo through the online TA that worked out better than going directly, but that's it. There are countless threads about how the online TAs almost never have anything better than the actual airline, especially domestically.

This junk happens with the online TAs. The TA will not help you if a storm goes through and messes the flights up even more. And the airline will have you at the bottom of the heap to help. As you're kind of noticing.

Unless you're booking through the airline, you're not choosing your seats; you're telling the TA what seats you want and hoping it all works out. That's the problem. And the reason people on the Transportation forum never suggest to go through an online TA for flights.


I'm sure it'll all work out. Get there EARLY. Hope for no travel issues on another coast that will strand airplanes in other places and cause issues across the country. Heck, get there earlier than you think early should be. Ask for help at the luggage dropoff counter, hope it can happen. Talk to the older kids. Make kits for them, just in case. Ask ask ask. If it's not resolved before you get to the gate, get there early. Ask ask ask. Be kind, be sweet, don't expect, don't assume. The airline isn't the problem here, the online TA is. The airline personnel are the people that have the ability to help. So ask ask ask.

Best of luck.

 

[MunFam]

Maybe you didn't read my actual post, but I DID book the tickets together and I paid for my seats just like any other person did. I did not book my tickets for a discount by choosing single seats not together and then "gambled" that people would be nice enough to give up their seats. I chose my seats when I paid full price for them, specifically putting an adult with each group of kids. But thanks for your input.

Oh, I apologize. I was under the impression that you booked through a third party wholesaler and not direct with the airline. If the airline made the mistake, they will definitely fix it for you. Just call them.

 

[TheChapman6]

Please please please do NOT go into it with that attitude. That attitude will seriously anger people. My brother and sis in law are kind, loving people. They are kind, loving people that put on their noise cancelling headphones the moment they get on the plane (they don't turn them on until it's "legal" to do so but they are on) and ignore everyone. They wouldn't give a rat's patootie what your 3 year old was doing, and wouldn't lift a finger for her. Not because they are evil, but because they are not responsible for her. Getting on a plane didn't make them so. They travel a lot for work, they are focused on their lives, the lives of their family members, their work, and their chosen charities, and a stranger's life isn't part of their life experience. My brother hasn't liked kids younger than him since he was a kid; if a kid came to the door he would hide. He was shocked how much he liked my kiddo (as was I), and he's had some terrific advice for me about DS, but he won't do anything. He will come tell me if DS is doing something wrong, and I will deal with it. Visiting him doesn't make him responsible for MY child. If someone got on board, nervous and smiling and with drink vouchers and kindness and no expectations whatsoever, they, and people like them, will be a WHOLE lot more amenable than getting onboard with "once you see my kid you'll want to move". We traveled with miles; 3 flights to get to SNA from SEA. Two of the flights didn't have seats assigned, which we knew, and we were getting there early to deal with. Walked into madness, because weather on the east coast had messed up travel on the west coast. Huge long lines for United. We got in the line, finally got to the front, one of our flights had been cancelled, etc etc, it was a mess that got messier. One flight simply could NOT get us seated together. DS was 8, he has traveled before, and the instant I booked and saw we had no seats I started talking to him about it. So we got onboard and got our stuff situated (we were in the back and this flight boarded from the back), and as people got to our area I smiled and ASKED and never assumed and simply hoped. We got within one row of each other. He saw in the window seat next to two kindly grandmother types (not together) who delighted in him. I was in the window seat next to an older couple. Halfway through the flight they let me know that if they could have, they would have separated for us, but the wife has a huge fear of flying and she simply could not be away from her husband. You just never know what's going on with people. And you know what? The kiddo was fine. He felt so independent and grown, and excited about being a whole row away from me. So there's hope for 8 year olds, at least. But you did book through a third party discounter. And that's the source of the problem. And the sad thing is that in all likelihood the fare you got probably was no different than the fare JB had. That happens ALL the time with Orbitz and Expedia, etc. We found ONE flight, one time, to and from Korea that had some combo through the online TA that worked out better than going directly, but that's it. There are countless threads about how the online TAs almost never have anything better than the actual airline, especially domestically. This junk happens with the online TAs. The TA will not help you if a storm goes through and messes the flights up even more. And the airline will have you at the bottom of the heap to help. As you're kind of noticing. Unless you're booking through the airline, you're not choosing your seats; you're telling the TA what seats you want and hoping it all works out. That's the problem. And the reason people on the Transportation forum never suggest to go through an online TA for flights. I'm sure it'll all work out. Get there EARLY. Hope for no travel issues on another coast that will strand airplanes in other places and cause issues across the country. Heck, get there earlier than you think early should be. Ask for help at the luggage dropoff counter, hope it can happen. Talk to the older kids. Make kits for them, just in case. Ask ask ask. If it's not resolved before you get to the gate, get there early. Ask ask ask. Be kind, be sweet, don't expect, don't assume. The airline isn't the problem here, the online TA is. The airline personnel are the people that have the ability to help. So ask ask ask. Best of luck.

While this makes sense she's talking about a 3 year old there is no way in heck I would let my 3 year sit by a stranger.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

OP, this is a good example as to why you should book tickets directly with your airline and not through a third party site. Keep checking. You should at least be able to seat an adult with the three year old. Don't depend on people switching seats to accommodate you, especially people who have paid for their seat selection.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

...... Additionally, I would find out what the airline's policy is on having a minor sit in a seat solo without a family member next to them, in case moving seats around at the gate does not work out. They may not let you board.

No US airline has a policy requiring that a minor be seated next to a family member.

 

[starshine514]

Prep the older kids to sit alone. My eldest two have sat separate from me and DH, with each other, when they were 5 and 7. So, the older two should be fine, just get them prepared for it. The big concern is the three year old. I'm guessing nobody will want to sit by an unaccompanied 3 year old. So, a single traveller might be willing to trade... But, the counter staff will do their best to help with that as well. The big thing is to prepare the older kids and have them ready to handle it solo.

 

[laeeyore]

Please please please do NOT go into it with that attitude. That attitude will seriously anger people.

My brother and sis in law are kind, loving people. They are kind, loving people that put on their noise cancelling headphones the moment they get on the plane (they don't turn them on until it's "legal" to do so but they are on) and ignore everyone. They wouldn't give a rat's patootie what your 3 year old was doing, and wouldn't lift a finger for her. Not because they are evil, but because they are not responsible for her. Getting on a plane didn't make them so. They travel a lot for work, they are focused on their lives, the lives of their family members, their work, and their chosen charities, and a stranger's life isn't part of their life experience. My brother hasn't liked kids younger than him since he was a kid; if a kid came to the door he would hide. He was shocked how much he liked my kiddo (as was I), and he's had some terrific advice for me about DS, but he won't do anything. He will come tell me if DS is doing something wrong, and I will deal with it. Visiting him doesn't make him responsible for MY child.


If someone got on board, nervous and smiling and with drink vouchers and kindness and no expectations whatsoever, they, and people like them, will be a WHOLE lot more amenable than getting onboard with "once you see my kid you'll want to move".


We traveled with miles; 3 flights to get to SNA from SEA. Two of the flights didn't have seats assigned, which we knew, and we were getting there early to deal with. Walked into madness, because weather on the east coast had messed up travel on the west coast. Huge long lines for United. We got in the line, finally got to the front, one of our flights had been cancelled, etc etc, it was a mess that got messier.

One flight simply could NOT get us seated together. DS was 8, he has traveled before, and the instant I booked and saw we had no seats I started talking to him about it. So we got onboard and got our stuff situated (we were in the back and this flight boarded from the back), and as people got to our area I smiled and ASKED and never assumed and simply hoped. We got within one row of each other. He saw in the window seat next to two kindly grandmother types (not together) who delighted in him. I was in the window seat next to an older couple. Halfway through the flight they let me know that if they could have, they would have separated for us, but the wife has a huge fear of flying and she simply could not be away from her husband. You just never know what's going on with people.

And you know what? The kiddo was fine. He felt so independent and grown, and excited about being a whole row away from me. So there's hope for 8 year olds, at least.




But you did book through a third party discounter. And that's the source of the problem.

And the sad thing is that in all likelihood the fare you got probably was no different than the fare JB had. That happens ALL the time with Orbitz and Expedia, etc. We found ONE flight, one time, to and from Korea that had some combo through the online TA that worked out better than going directly, but that's it. There are countless threads about how the online TAs almost never have anything better than the actual airline, especially domestically.

This junk happens with the online TAs. The TA will not help you if a storm goes through and messes the flights up even more. And the airline will have you at the bottom of the heap to help. As you're kind of noticing.

Unless you're booking through the airline, you're not choosing your seats; you're telling the TA what seats you want and hoping it all works out. That's the problem. And the reason people on the Transportation forum never suggest to go through an online TA for flights.


I'm sure it'll all work out. Get there EARLY. Hope for no travel issues on another coast that will strand airplanes in other places and cause issues across the country. Heck, get there earlier than you think early should be. Ask for help at the luggage dropoff counter, hope it can happen. Talk to the older kids. Make kits for them, just in case. Ask ask ask. If it's not resolved before you get to the gate, get there early. Ask ask ask. Be kind, be sweet, don't expect, don't assume. The airline isn't the problem here, the online TA is. The airline personnel are the people that have the ability to help. So ask ask ask.

Best of luck.

I think you misunderstood what I meant. I don't mean go on and advertise how awful your child is hoping to scare them into moving but what exactly will happen when a 3 yr old has to sit alone? They wont sit quietly for 3 or 4 hours simply b/c mom and dad are not near they don't want to bother the people next to them. My 3 yr old could not have gotten her snacks out, put a DVD in or gotten to the bathroom. Who is going to do that so they will be occupied on the plane. I know it should be me but since I am now 5 rows back that cant happen. Unless you have an extremely self sufficient 3 year old what will happen. Eventually they are going to get disruptive and no amount of noise cancelling headphones are going to help. Maybe an 8 year old could have done alright but a small child,2 or 3 would be a issue and an unaccompanied 2 or 3 year old is a problem for everyone on board.
Also I truly think this is a safety issue as well. What if the O2 masks deploy or there is an emergency landing and we have t get off in smoke or dark conditions? Who is going to make sure my child has a mask on or is able to get off, what about making sure she keeps her seal belt on during turbulence? A stranger who as you said doesn't really care about my child? This will then require me to get up during these dangerous conditions and attending to my child, creating a bigger problem. This just seems so unsafe. The airlines don't allow unaccompanied minors under a certain age on board so they should not allow those children to sit alone on the plane either.
I don't think this is your or anyone else's problem but if it comes up everyone is going to have to deal with it. The airlines could really do a lot of alleviate the problem by simply switching the seats at the podium.

 

[smithfamilyof7]

I have definitely learned my lesson. Will only book directly through the airline from now on!! JetBlue was able to arrange it enough that we are all in the same general area and still holding out hope that we can swap seats at the gate so we don't have stragglers. The older kids are prepped to sit alone and luckily we have the 3 year old covered.

The return flight is still a mess but we'll deal with that when we get to it.

 

[Butterfly123]

Thank you for sharing your experience with this board. I've always been wary of the third party deals. Who would have thought your seats wouldn't be reserved? Your problems were a real eye opener for me!

 

[junmatno]

I have definitely learned my lesson. Will only book directly through the airline from now on!! JetBlue was able to arrange it enough that we are all in the same general area and still holding out hope that we can swap seats at the gate so we don't have stragglers. The older kids are prepped to sit alone and luckily we have the 3 year old covered. The return flight is still a mess but we'll deal with that when we get to it.

Yes thanks for sharing! When I've been booking flights I've found NO difference in prices whether it's through 3rd party or airline themselves. So ice always used airline and now this helps me for fitted to continue to do so