Is this an oxy-moron?

These days, many of the airlines offer something called "same day confirm". Delta's rule (or it was the last time I checked -these things change daily sometimes) was that a passenger could confirm a change to a reservation for 25.00 within 3 hours prior to the new flight they're requesting, provided there is space available on the flight. Same booking code was not required. Here is lawyer friendly stuff we travel agents need to endure and try to decipher. Isn't this fun *big grin* *chuckle* Welcome to my world :-) Sure would be easier to read too if they didn't type all in caps. Bla, bla, bla, bla, bla. Dang, you have to be a lawyer to read these darn things!! Now, if I was making a lawyer's salary, I wouldn't have anything to complain about, that's for sure. Now mind you, I don't expect you to read this gobbledy gook, because you'll just get a headache anyway, but I thought I would share it because many of you have heard me mumbling through the rules when it comes time to change your tickets. Rules, rules, rules!!

>$V18/ALL
18 AUSWAS 21APR06 AA USD 649.00 H26Z STAY---/-- BK-H
0. APPLICATION AND OTHER CONDITIONS
RULE - 011/2100
UNLESS OTHERWISE
SPECIFIED
NORMAL FARES
APPLICATION
CLASS OF SERVICE
THESE FARES
APPLY FOR FIRST/BUSINESS/ECONOMY CLASS
SERVICE.
CAPACITY LIMITATIONS
SEATS ARE LIMITED
4. FLIGHT APPLICATION
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED
THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL FROM/TO/VIA DAL
AIRPORT.
5. ADVANCE RES/TICKETING
FOR H- TYPE FARES
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
FOR ALL SECTORS.
WAITLIST NOT PERMITTED.
NOTE -
1.STANDBY -
PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED
RESERVATIONS AND TICKETS MAY STANDBY FOR
EARLIER/LATER SAME DAY AA NONSTOP AND/OR
CONNECTING FLIGHTS BETWEEN THE
SAME ORIGIN AND
DESTINATION AIRPORTS WITHOUT CHARGE PROVIDED THE
ROUTING
IS APPLICABLE FOR THE FARE CHARGED.
---
A.WHEN TICKETED TO/FROM
CHI/HOU/NYC/WAS --
CHECK FLIGHT APPLICATION FOR ANY AIRPORT
RESTRICTION.
///---///---///---///---///---///---///---///---//
2.SAME DAY -
CONFIRMED FLIGHT CHANGE/CFC/ -
PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS AND
TICKETS IN INVENTORIES K/M/L/W/V/G/S/N/Q/O MAY
CONFIRM TRAVEL ON AN
ALTERNATE FLIGHT FOR A
NONREFUNDABLE 25.00USD FEE WITHIN 3 HOURS OF
THE ALTERNATE FLIGHT/S DEPARTURE TIME BASED ON
THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS
---
A.THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE ORIGIN/DESTINATION
OR STOPOVER POINTS.
B.NEW FLIGHT/S/ AND ROUTING ARE PERMITTED PER
THE TICKETED FARE RULE.
C.ALL TRAVEL IS ON AMERICAN AIRLINES/ AMERICAN
EAGLE AND AMERICAN
CONNECTION.
D.REQUESTS ARE MADE VIA AIRPORT SELF-SERVICE
CHECK-IN/
TICKET COUNTERS /INCLUDING ADMIRALS
CLUBS AND PREMIUM SERVICES/ OR BY
CALLING AA
RESERVATIONS.
E.CHANGES PERMITTED TO OUTBOUND OR CONTINUING/
RETURN FLIGHTS.
F.CONFIRMATION IS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY.
///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///
PASSENGERS TICKETED IN
Y/B/H INVENTORIES MAY
CONFIRM TRAVEL WITHIN 3 HOURS OF THE ALTERNATE
FLIGHT/S DEPARTURE TIME FREE OF CHARGE FOLLOWING
THE ABOVE CONDITIONS.
///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///
REQUESTS MADE MORE THAN
3 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE
ALTERNATE FLIGHT/S DEPARTURE TIME WILL BE
PROCESSED FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES FOR RESERVATION
CHANGES/ WHICH
INCLUDE COLLECTION OF APPLICABLE
CHANGE FEES PLUS DIFFERENCE IN FARE. SEE
PENALTIES
///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///
3. OPEN
RETURN NOT PERMITTED.
8. STOPOVERS
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED NOTE -
RULE 0180 IN DGR
APPLIES
10. PERMITTED COMBINATIONS
FOR ONE WAY
FARES
ADD-ONS NOT PERMITTED.
END-ON-END PERMITTED. VALIDATE ALL FARE
COMPONENTS.
TRAVEL MUST BE VIA POINT OF COMBINATION.
OPEN
JAWS/2-COMPONENT CIRCLE TRIPS/MULTI-COMPONENT CIRCLE
TRIPS
FARES MAY BE
COMBINED ON A HALF ROUND TRIP BASIS
-TO FORM SINGLE OR DOUBLE OPEN
JAWS/2-COMPONENT CIRCLE
TRIPS/MULTI-COMPONENT CIRCLE TRIPS.
OPEN
JAWS/ROUND TRIPS/CIRCLE TRIPS NOTE -
WHEN COMBINED WITH HALF ROUND TRIP
FARES TO FORM
ROUND/CIRCLE/OPEN JAW TRIPS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE
CONDITIONS APPLY. THESE INCLUDE MINIMUM/MAXIMUM
STAY
/RESERVATION/TICKETING REQUIREMENTS/ STOPOVER
PROVISIONS AND
CANCELLATION/CHANGE PENALTIES/
SERVICE CHARGES OR COMBINATION PROVISIONS.
PROVIDED -
COMBINATIONS ARE WITH ANY FARE FOR ANY CARRIER IN RULE
5999/7999 IN TARIFF
AACBR - BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES-CANADA
OR RULE
5999/7000/7920/7930/7940/7998/7999 IN TARIFF
AA85R - WITHIN THE UNITED
STATES
OR ANY RULE IN TARIFF
CPR - BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES-CANADA
DFR - WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
IPRW - BETWEEN THE USA/CANADA-AREA 1
VPCR - BETWEEN PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS-CANADA
VPDR - BETWEEN PUERTO
RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS-THE USA.
NOTE - THE CITY PAIRS BELOW ARE CONSIDERED THE
SAME POINT-
BWI-WAS FLL-MIA OAK-SFO OAK-SJC SFO-SJC NYC-EWR
NYC-ISP
NYC-HPN EWR-ISP EWR-HPN HPN-ISP LAX-ONT
LAX-BUR LAX-SNA ONT-BUR ONT-SNA
BUR-SNA LGB-ONT
LGB-SNA LGB-LAX LGB-BUR
12. SURCHARGES
NONE FOR -Z
TYPE FARES
15. SALES RESTRICTIONS
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED
TICKETS
MAY BE ISSUED BY MAIL/PTA/MECHANICAL MEANS.
TICKETS MAY NOT BE ISSUED BY
SELF TICKETS/WRITE-YOUR-OWN
TICKETS. PTA CONSTITUTES TICKETING.
NOTE -
TICKETS MAY NOT BE ISSUED WITH SELF TICKETS/WRITE
YOUR OWN TICKETS.
16. PENALTIES
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED
NOTE -
I.CHANGES ARE
PERMITTED PROVIDED APPLICABLE
INVENTORY IS AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE/ TICKET MUST
BE EXCHANGED FOR ANOTHER FARE. FULL REFUND WILL
BE MADE FOR WHOLLY
UNUSED TICKETS.
FOR PARTIALLY USED TICKETS/ THE REFUND WILL BE
THE
AMOUNT PAID MINUS THE NORMAL ONE WAY FARE
APPLICABLE TO THE TRANSPORTATION
USED.
---
II. STANDBY - PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED
RESERVATIONS
AND TKTS MAY STANDBY FOR EARLIER/
LATER SAME DAY AA NONSTOP AND/OR
CONNECTING FLTS
BETWEEN THE SAME ORIGIN AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS.
THERE
IS NO ADDITIONAL COST PROVIDED THE NEW
FLIGHT/S AND ROUTING ARE APPLICABLE
FOR THE FARE
CHARGED. IF THE CHANGE IS NOT APPLICABLE FOR THE
FARE
CHARGED E.G. INVALID ROUTING/ AIRPORT/
ADVANCE RES/TKT/ ETC/ THE PASSENGER
MUST PAY THE DIFFERENCE IN FARES. UNLESS
RESTRICTED BY THE FARE CHARGED/
WHEN TICKETED
FROM/TO/ CHI/HOU/NYC/WAS THE PSGR MAY CHECK-IN
AND STANDBY
FROM/TO ONE OF THE AIRPORTS LISTED
CITY AIRPORTS
CHI MDW/ORD
HOU
HOU/IAH
NYC EWR/JFK/LGA
WAS DCA/IAD
III.SAME DAY - CONFIRMED FLIGHT
CHANGE/CFC/-
PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS AND
TICKETS IN
INVENTORIES K/M/L/W/V/G/S/N/Q/O MAY
CONFIRM TRAVEL ON AN ALTERNATE FLIGHT
FOR A
NONREFUNDABLE 25.00USD FEE WITHIN 3 HOURS OF
THE ALTERNATE
FLIGHT/S DEPARTURE TIME BASED ON
THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
---
A.THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE ORIGIN/DESTINATION
OR STOPOVER POINTS.
---
B.NEW FLIGHT/S/ AND ROUTING ARE PERMITTED PER
THE TICKETED FARE
RULE.
---
C.ALL TRAVEL IS ON AMERICAN AIRLINES/ AMERICAN
EAGLE AND
AMERICAN CONNECTION.
---
D.REQUESTS ARE MADE VIA AIRPORT SELF-SERVICE
CHECK-IN/TICKET COUNTERS /INCLUDING ADMIRALS
CLUBS AND PREMIUM SERVICES/
OR BY CALLING AA
RESERVATIONS.
---
E.CHANGES PERMITTED TO OUTBOUND
OR CONTINUING/
RETURN FLIGHTS.
---
F.CONFIRMATION IS SUBJECT TO
AVAILABILITY.
///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///
PASSENGERS TICKETED IN Y/B/H INVENTORIES MAY
CONFIRM TRAVEL WITHIN 3
HOURS OF THE ALTERNATE
FLIGHT/S DEPARTURE TIME FREE OF CHARGE FOLLOWING
THE ABOVE CONDITIONS.
///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///--///
THE PROVISIONS FOR CHANGES OUTLINED IN SECTION
I ABOVE APPLIES TO
REQUESTS MADE MORE THAN
3 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE ALTERNATE FLIGHT/S
DEPARTURE TIME.
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED
CANCELLATIONS
PER
TICKET CHARGE USD 100.00 FOR LOST TICKET.
NOTE -
AA WILL IMPOSE A
SERVICE CHARGE PER TICKET FOR
HANDLING SUCH REQUEST FOR REFUND OF A LOST
TICKET.
19. CHILDREN DISCOUNTS
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED
INFANT
UNDER 2 WITHOUT A SEAT - NO CHARGE
MUST BE ACCOMPANIED ON ALL FLIGHTS IN
SAME COMPARTMENT
BY ADULT 15 OR OLDER
OR - 1ST THROUGH 2ND INFANT UNDER
2 WITH A SEAT - CHARGE
50 PERCENT OF THE FARE.
TICKET DESIGNATOR -
INF50.
MUST BE ACCOMPANIED ON ALL FLIGHTS IN SAME
COMPARTMENT BY ADULT
15 OR OLDER.
22. ALL OTHER DISCOUNTS
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED
NOTE
-
RULE 6020 DFR3 PASSENGER OCCUPYING TWO SEATS
APPLIES.
31.
VOLUNTARY CHANGES
FOR ONE WAY FARES
REFER TO PENALTIES CATEGORY
OR -
REFER TO PENALTIES CATEGORY
OR - REFER TO PENALTIES CATEGORY
OR - REFER
TO PENALTIES CATEGORY

OH!!! There is a GOD!!!

This is one of the best pieces of news I have received in a very long time.  I have complained about this topic, and not necessarily in regard to our travel agency help desk, but in respect to the airlines in general and I for one couldn't be happier.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to Galileo for bringing the jobs back to good ole Atlanta.  In fact, I told a gal at Geico today, that their agents should not encourage their customers to do things online because she'll basically walk herself out of a job.  I think I made her really think about it.  This is wonderful news.  This letter should speak volumes to all US companies who have outsourced their consumer phone calls to other companies outside the U.S.  I would love to hear that the same thing will be happening with the airlines.  We can only hope anyway.  It appears as though they will retain some of that staff in India, but only time will tell if they truly are keeping the more qualified representatives for the job or not.

Here is the letter we received today. 

Back home again:
The return of Atlanta staff to the NAHD

Dear Valued Client:

When I joined Galileo in February, I told you that the only voice we need to listen to is yours. Since we transitioned the Galileo North American Help Desk (NAHD) to India at the end of 2005, you've told us that you are not receiving the level of experienced support you need on your core business issues.

We've heard you and we're making changes. Galileo is in the process of rehiring members of our original Atlanta team and re-establishing an Atlanta-based Help Desk to support our U.S. and Canadian customers. Already working remotely to bridge the support gap, these Apollo subject matter experts bring you:

• 12 years of experience each, on average
• The ability to grasp your concerns and readily address them
• Support in processing the air, car, hotel, cruise, and any other Apollo® bookings that directly affect your profitability
• Advanced support for GlobalWare^SM

This re-establishment of experienced support has resulted in improved service levels and call handling quality - as I'm sure you're well aware if you've called the NAHD during the past few months.

The balance of our support staff will remain at our site in India and continue to address your hardware, software, network, Agency Account Table, basic Apollo and GlobalWare, and airline space support needs. The NAHD toll-free number remains the same: 1-800-762-3490. Your call will be routed to either the Atlanta- or India-based team best skilled to support your needs. We are confident that, together, these two teams can provide the full scope of support and customer service you expect from Galileo.

As always, thank you for your honest feedback. All of us at Galileo look forward to continuing to serve you through our multiple avenues of support.

Sincerely,

Dave Falter
President, Galileo Americas
Travel Distribution Services Division

New Airline Industry

Sometimes I wonder if this isn't what flying is really coming to. I'm sure you've heard that the airlines are now charging people 15.00 to have an exit row seat pre-assigned. That would be Northwest Airlines, "coach choice" and yes, this is truly happening. Just google it and you'll get lots of hits.

This email has been passed around among travel agents and frequent flyers and basically folks disgruntled by being nickel and dimed to death, oh wait, not nickels and dimes anymore, that went out with the 10cent pay phone when I was still just a kid. Now they're extorting the green stuff now at every turn. I for one won't be surprised to see this happen. Greed and the almighty dollar. My mom keeps telling me, there will no longer be a middle class as far as our society goes. I have to think she's on to something there. And you thought that red and green were simply Christmas colors. This may sound ridiculous, but how far from the truth do you really see this being?

Attendant: Welcome aboard Ala Carte Air, sir. May I see your ticket?
Passenger: Sure.
Attendant: You're in seat 12B. That will be $5, please!
Passenger: What for?
Attendant: For telling you where to sit.
Passenger: But I already knew where to sit.
Attendant: Nevertheless, we are now charging a seat-locator fee of $5. It's the airline's new policy.
Passenger: That's the craziest thing I ever heard. I won't pay it.
Attendant: Sir, do you want a seat on this flight, or not?
Passenger: Yes, yes. All right, I'll pay. But the airline is going to hear about this.
Attendant: Thank you. My goodness, your carry-on bag looks heavy. Would you like me to
stow it in the overhead compartment for you?
Passenger: That would be swell, thanks.
Attendant: No problem (grunts). Up we go, and done! That will be $10, please.
Passenger: What?
Attendant: The airline now charges a $10 carry-on assistance fee.
Passenger: This is extortion. I won't stand for it.
Attendant: Actually, you're right -- you can't stand. You need to sit, and fasten your seat belt. We're about to push back from the gate. But first I need that $10.
Passenger: No way.
Attendant: Sir, if you don't comply, I will be forced to call the air marshal. And you really don't want me to do that.
Passenger: Why not? Is he going to shoot me?
Attendant: No, but there's a $50 air-marshal hailing fee.
Passenger: Oh, all right, here -- take the $10. I can't believe this.
Attendant: Thank you for your cooperation, sir. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Passenger: Yes. It's stuffy in here, and my overhead fan doesn't seem to work. Can you fix it?
Attendant: Your overhead fan is not broken, sir. Just insert two quarters into the overhead coin slot for the first five minutes.
Passenger: The airline is charging me for cabin air?
Attendant: Of course not, sir. Stagnant cabin air is provided free of charge. It's the circulating air that costs 50 cents.
Passenger: I don't have any quarters. Can you make change for a dollar?
Attendant: Certainly, sir! Here you go!
Passenger: But you've given me only three quarters for my dollar.
Attendant: Yes, there's a change-making fee of 25 cents
Passenger: For cryin' out loud. All I have left is a lousy quarter? Whatever will I do with it?
Attendant: Hang onto it. You'll need it later for the lavatory.

And then people wonder why I stay home!!!

I must have missed that Memo

I was totally shocked when I heard this morning that US Airways no longer offers bereavement fare discounts on domestic flights. Fortunately, I don't receive those calls much, even though I do a wonderful job for families when they do need my help, but it's unfortunate that in many markets, the last minute airfares are still not very affordable for many people.

Bereavement fares are not offered due to Getaway Savers being the lowest around for last-minute travel. source: US Airways