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Even though this flight is a killer deal, I think I just need to pony up the extra cash and get the non-stop from DFW. I've never had a non-stop flight abroad, so I think it may be worth it.
On another note, could anyone guess why almost all other airports in the US have cheaper non-stop flights to Paris (compared to DFW)? For the same dates, non-stop, I found these prices to Paris and back:
While an admittedly rushed read, I just checked out AA (my frequent flier airline) Conditions of Carriage page and could find no such stipulations. And, based on my experiences with them, such behavior wouldn't make much sense. I would think that the airline, particularly a second, separate airline, would just treat your B to C as "its" A to B that you would have missed and rebook you. When I've missed my A to B, I've been rebooked for free; true, the airline doesn't have to get you from A to B at a specified time, but they've always worked to get me there ASAP. Even if you booked two separate flights on the same airline, the folks at the rebooking desk aren't checking your purchase history (I've searched with them many times when they were trying to rebook my flight due to my late arrival at airport). No, they are merely looking up the next available flights. Even if the airline isn't obligated to do this, in my experience (and in the experience of everyone else I know), this is the norm/standard practice. Sure, you still take a "risk" under this approach, but the dreaded scenarios of necessarily having to pay full fare to rebook simply haven't been true in my experience. Ever. Now, if you want to get to your destination by a specified time/date, then of course you'll have to pay for that, but that's a different conversation.
What you don't seem to understand is that you have been lucky. No airline is obligated to rebook your flight for free just because you arrived late at the airport and missed your plane.
What you don't seem to understand is that you have been lucky. No airline is obligated to rebook your flight for free just because you arrived late at the airport and missed your plane.
I was late one time to a flight (there was a major wreck on the A1 in Paris). I knew I was going to be late, so I called and got a later flight. They charged me $75 over the phone (because I called less than 24hr before the flight). They might not have been as nice in person at the airport, after the plane left.
What you don't seem to understand is that you have been lucky. No airline is obligated to rebook your flight for free just because you arrived late at the airport and missed your plane.
Why don't you seem to understand that this isn't just me and that this appears to be the norm? No, airlines may not be obligated to rebook your flight for free, but, as one poster mentioned, most do have such an informal policy via the "flat tire" rule. Here's more information on it: Flat Tire Rule Varies for Delta, American, Other Airlines | Club Traveler.
Note, when I've tried to rebook a flight (after I missed a flight due to being late) over the phone, the airline stated that they would charge me and told me to go talk to the folks at the rebooking counter in the airport to rebook at no charge, so my advice is only for such activity at the airport!
Additional note: the flat tire rule seems to apply only if you get to the airport within 2 hrs (from what I'm reading, it used to be within 4 hrs) after your flight was scheduled to depart (that's a legitimate risk/fear of booking two separate tickets)--although Southwest appears to have a more generous policy--but let's stop acting like I've merely been "lucky." True, there still remains a legitimate fear/risk of having to pay if your connecting flight is more than 2 hrs late on the major carriers, but some don't even want to admit that such a policy exists in the first place.
I was late one time to a flight (there was a major wreck on the A1 in Paris). I knew I was going to be late, so I called and got a later flight. They charged me $75 over the phone (because I called less than 24hr before the flight). They might not have been as nice in person at the airport, after the plane left.
I've had this happen to me as well. If I'm calling in advance to try to rebook for whatever reason, I've always been charged to do so. But never when I've missed a flight.
On another note, could anyone guess why almost all other airports in the US have cheaper non-stop flights to Paris (compared to DFW)?.
Most of the cities you listed that are offering cheaper airfare have more potential for winter weather problems. I suspect that allows the DFW flight to go for a premium price. I know that if I was flying to Paris over the winter months, I'd prefer to connect in DFW rather than Chicago (which is my other major option).
Why don't you seem to understand that this isn't just me and that this appears to be the norm? No, airlines may not be obligated to rebook your flight for free, but, as one poster mentioned, most do have such an informal policy via the "flat tire" rule. Here's more information on it: “Flat Tire Rule†Varies for Delta, American, Other Airlines | Club Traveler.
You clearly missed flyonpa's post:
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyonpa
Airline have "Stopped doing" or Cut Back to almost zero the "Flat Tire" rule (use to be a rule in the 1970's), Where if you get to check-in within ~60 of when the flight left, or called them, they would rebook you for free on the next flight. It's mostly the discretion of the Gate/Airline shift manager now there is no legal rule for that anymore.
Increasingly, airlines are disregarding the "flat tire rule," and they can get away with that because planes are flying full these days. They no longer have much incentive to do favors for the average one-or-two-flights/year leisure traveler, who will probably be flying on a different airline on their next trip anyway. (Folks who fly enough to have status with an airline are a different matter, but they make up a small minority of travelers.)
Given the price of a last-minute international ticket, it's not a risk worth taking.
Most of the cities you listed that are offering cheaper airfare have more potential for winter weather problems. I suspect that allows the DFW flight to go for a premium price. I know that if I was flying to Paris over the winter months, I'd prefer to connect in DFW rather than Chicago (which is my other major option).
Here's also another question. If this flight from MSP is so cheap, why won't American Airlines offer me the flight from DFW with the layover in MSP? They offer layovers in MIA, PHL, and ORD, but MSP is not an option.
MSP to AA is just a city they fly to, they don't do connections there, Most AA flights from MSP are going to/from the Hub cities, and maybe to a few other Major Cities but its O&D traffic AA is doing to/from MSP.
American operates out of ten hubs located in Dallas, Charlotte, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, New York-JFK, and New York-LaGuardia
AA will connect to Itself, or its Partner airlines.
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