Air Travel

Question:

This post apparently references Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Delta’s commuter partner out of ATL and DFW.  They are, I believe, 20% owned by Delta, so Delta should not be able to avoid responsibility for their affiliate’s incompetence (especially since ASA operates as "Delta Connection." Notwithstanding this, ASA is not a "third world" or "third level" carrier. They are regulated by the same safety standards as the majors. Jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> You need to be careful with the third-world airlines in the USA with > this.  You can pay the extra fare and still run into trouble.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Here in Japan, it’s usually easy to figure out how things work. Just take > the way it would be > done in the West, and reverse it. Air travel is not entirely dissimilar. > A friend of mine is moving back to America with her husband and her 4 > month old baby. > A one way ticket is cheaper than a return, > and the agency wants to charge her the equivalent of about $400 dollars > for the baby to > sit on her lap. No seat. No meal. No luggage allowance. This is on Delta > BTW. The fare for her and her hubby is about $500. > The agency claims that this is a standard with all airlines. Not!  Well no > airline I know of. > Have things with  American carriers changed recently or what? > If they’re going to gouge her for the $400, she may as well spend the > extra $100 and get an extra seat and > the luggage allowance that comes with it.

You need to be careful with the third-world airlines in the USA with this.  You can pay the extra fare and still run into trouble. Back in 1995, I had a run-in with the thrid-world (level?) ‘partner’ to  one of the USA’s biggest carriers down in Augusta, GA regarding a child safety seat.  I had booked the 50% fare for my daughter (then 13 months of age) so she could use her safety seat.  No problems at all boarding at Dulles (another third-level carrier) or the ‘real’ airline in either Cincinatti or Atlanta. However, boarding the ATR-42 at AGS was another matter!  When I attempted to board, a groundcrew employee tried to grab the safety seat from me, saying "You can’t take that on board!  It’s illegal!"  I told him that the seat was FAA approved, and he responded "Not unless you’ve paid full fare!"  This was after I was cleared to board with the safety seat by the ramp agent of the ‘major’ carrier! At this point, a flight attendant intervened and asked what was going on.  I showed her the ticket, and she permitted me to board with the safety seat. I complained to third-world’ers office, and to the major ‘partner’.  No response from the third-world, and the major airline responded with "… regret the situation, but — Airlines is an independent company… not our responsibility."  Shortly after I complained to the FAA they issued a reminder to all carriers about the regulations concerning child safety seats. Needless to say, when I fly nowadays, I ask if all flights involved use the major carrier.  If not, I re-schedule!  The major carriers apparently take the time and expense to train their employees regarding this safety issue.  And, if they do that with this comparatively minor issue, what about the bigger safety concerns?  Also, this incident proves that the ‘third-world’ airline ‘partners’ do not provide the seemless service with the majors that they claim. OK, perhaps I’m generalizing about the thrid-level airlines.  Granted that they provide commercial service to places which would otherwise not see an airline.  Yes, they provide lots of jobs to guys & gals training for the ‘majors’.  And, perhaps I had a run-in with an inexperienced employee at a small stop.  But, from now on, it’s a major airline for all of my travel… If not, I’ll go Amtrak! JFP

Response:

appear as if it was written: >A friend of mine is moving back to America with her husband and her 4 >month old baby. >A one way ticket is cheaper than a return, >and the agency wants to charge her the equivalent of about $400 dollars >for the baby to >sit on her lap. No seat. No meal. No luggage allowance. This is on Delta >BTW. The fare for her and her hubby is about $500. >The agency claims that this is a standard with all airlines. Not!  Well no >airline I know of. >Have things with  American carriers changed recently or what?

Yes.  For the better (at least on AA).  For 50% of the adult fare (i.e. $250) the infant gets a seat all to itself (for a safety seat). Malc.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Here in Japan, it’s usually easy to figure out how things work. Just take >the way it would be >done in the West, and reverse it. Air travel is not entirely dissimilar. >A friend of mine is moving back to America with her husband and her 4 >month old baby. >A one way ticket is cheaper than a return, >and the agency wants to charge her the equivalent of about $400 dollars >for the baby to >sit on her lap. No seat. No meal. No luggage allowance. This is on Delta >BTW. The fare for her and her hubby is about $500. >The agency claims that this is a standard with all airlines. Not!  Well no >airline I know of. >Have things with  American carriers changed recently or what?

It sounds like this agency might be trying to rip your friend off. Call Delta directly (I’m sure they have offices in Japan) and ask them. Dan __ "If life is going to exist in a Universe of this size, then the one thing it cannot afford to have is a sense of proportion." ANTI-SPAM!  Remove the ? fom ?dmc.gt.ed.net to send me mail

Response:

Here in Japan, it’s usually easy to figure out how things work. Just take the way it would be done in the West, and reverse it. Air travel is not entirely dissimilar. A friend of mine is moving back to America with her husband and her 4 month old baby. A one way ticket is cheaper than a return, and the agency wants to charge her the equivalent of about $400 dollars for the baby to sit on her lap. No seat. No meal. No luggage allowance. This is on Delta BTW. The fare for her and her hubby is about $500. The agency claims that this is a standard with all airlines. Not!  Well no airline I know of. Have things with  American carriers changed recently or what? If they’re going to gouge her for the $400, she may as well spend the extra $100 and get an extra seat and the luggage allowance that comes with it.

Response:

The agent/Airline is correct, Infants must pay 10 pct of the published adult fare.  If the parents are getting some consolidator or unpublished fare then they are getting a break, but I guess the infant isn’t. The Regular one way fare from Tokyo to Los Angeles is approx USD1500.00 so the infant should pay about USD150.00. Sam – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Here in Japan, it’s usually easy to figure out how things work. Just take >the way it would be >done in the West, and reverse it. Air travel is not entirely dissimilar. >A friend of mine is moving back to America with her husband and her 4 >month old baby. >A one way ticket is cheaper than a return, >and the agency wants to charge her the equivalent of about $400 dollars >for the baby to >sit on her lap. No seat. No meal. No luggage allowance. This is on Delta >BTW. The fare for her and her hubby is about $500. >The agency claims that this is a standard with all airlines. Not!  Well no >airline I know of. >Have things with  American carriers changed recently or what? >If they’re going to gouge her for the $400, she may as well spend the >extra $100 and get an extra seat and >the luggage allowance that comes with it.

Response: