Airlines

Hi there, I need to book my tickets to Marrakech for 2025. For those who’ve already flown with Royal Air Maroc, do you know if I should include the accent on my last name? I’m also unsure whether I should include my second first name (it’s not a compound first name). Before making a mistake, I’d rather ask around. Thanks in advance!

Hi,

I’d like to book a flight ticket with Virgin Australia to go to Tasmania.

At checkout, I enter my bank card details, but they keep telling me my card number "is too short." What should I do? The number is correct.

Thanks for your help

I just had to bring back another unforgettable souvenir besides my simple hotel hassle for Thanksgiving in Page, Arizona! So, I decided to head back last Wednesday on "the" flight that was going to have a problem leaving Phoenix! 😉

Just to remind you, last year I had a flight delay issue due to a Lufthansa strike.

This year, I decided to go even bigger! ... So, we board British Airways flight BA0288 out of Phoenix. Everything goes well until takeoff. The plane takes off, we're in the air for about 30 minutes, and then they announce that the plane is turning back to land in Phoenix due to an issue with one of the engines...

I’d later find out from videos that the engine in question was simply spewing flames... Terrifying! 🤪

So, back to Phoenix airport—I’ll spare you the details—flight canceled. At 3 AM, British Airways staff finally manage to find me a new flight (the same one the next day, by the way). So, after 5 endless hours of waiting, I know I’m leaving 24 hours later, on December 7th at 8:40 PM.

I ask them to book me a hotel room, since that was the condition for agreeing to leave 24 hours after my original flight.

The British Airways staff tell me all the hotels are fully booked and that basically, I’m on my own.

So, just to clarify... *All* the hotels in Phoenix. I did a quick search—about 62,000 rooms fully booked in Phoenix! Wow! 😛

Thanks, British! So, stuck on foot in an airport at 3 AM, with zero desire to drop $100 on a taxi to find a hotel, and the same the next day to get back—especially since I can’t trust them to book a room, and I doubt they’d reimburse me easily afterward... I end up more or less forced to sleep in the airport...

I’ll spare you even more details—no meal the next day, not even a drink... Just a bottle of water and a sandwich the first night (I should’ve taken more if I’d known...).

The next day, British Airways staff finally show up around 4:30 PM, fresh, well-rested, and showered... Meanwhile, I’d been struggling like a homeless person in that damn airport, sleeping on the floor, filthy...

I ask to see the manager, explain my misadventure after an emergency landing, and remind them that the least they could do was help me get a hotel room.

The manager—super cold and borderline rude... All she can say is:

"We’ve done everything we can for you. Have a good flight, sir!"

So, I wanted to give British Airways a little shout-out.

Of course, since then, British Airways hasn’t responded to messages or even tags on social media...

Now, I just have to deal with the compensation claims, which are well-deserved this time...

To be continued...

Which airline to fly to São Vicente from Praia? On the Cabo Verde Air website, no flights are scheduled for April or May...

Hi everyone,

I’m leaving this Saturday the 30th with Iberia, and they’re not responding to emails or picking up the phone 😐. So I’m trying here with my three questions:

1 - On the way there, I’d like to check a pack of water (Vittel 1.5L x6 bottles) in my hold luggage since it’s not allowed in the cabin. I’d like to know if this is allowed or if there are any restrictions in the hold as well (aside from the maximum weight of the luggage, of course)?

2 - I have a disability, and my health hasn’t been improving, so I’ve needed a cane to get around for a while now. At the airport, they’ll put me in a wheelchair with special assistance (I’m used to it). I’ve brought a folding cane for the trip—am I allowed to have it in my carry-on luggage? (It’s a basic walking cane that folds, no fancy handle that unscrews with a sword inside or anything like that). The wheelchair is great, but before the flight, I’d like to stretch my legs a bit .

(The question might seem silly, but I’ve had some weird surprises at airport security before—a glass knick-knack that confused them for a while, even though it was just a small glass rose under a dome, or another time, my empty hair spray bottle caused a lot of hesitation.)

3 - I never received an invoice for my Iberia flights (booked in February), and I’ll need it (since a small part might be reimbursed by my works council). I’ve checked my Iberia personal space, but there’s no invoice anywhere. Do you know how I can get it? (Given that they don’t respond to emails—or if they do, it’s off-topic—and they don’t answer the phone.)

Thanks so much for your help!

Good evening. I hope you're all doing well. Sorry in advance—my message will be a bit long, and sorry for any spelling mistakes.

So, here's the thing: I booked a flight ticket through an intermediary to go to Réunion from November 29th to December 16th. This evening, I was checking the dates and times of my flight, and—WHAT A NASTY SURPRISE!!

My outbound ticket is correct—no issues, the day and time match perfectly. But there’s NO flight at the time listed on my return ticket!!! I thought it must be a glitch. I refreshed the page several times, cleared my history, and even searched on other sites and in private browsing.

But it’s still the same—no flight on December 16th leaves at the time shown on my ticket. I went back to the intermediary’s site, then checked the airline’s website, and I had the idea to try December 15th for the departure—and BINGO! The return flight time, the airline, the type of plane—everything matches.

I realized then that the site that sold me the ticket made a mistake on the return date. I don’t know what to do because I can’t get anyone on the phone.

Since the error is on their end, are they obligated to change my flight to December 15th, or do I have to pay for a new ticket?

If I ask them to put me on another flight on the 16th, will I have to pay fees or not?

I’m completely lost and pretty upset, so if you have any answers to my questions, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

Booking for October 28th to Varadero, on October 22nd I was notified that it was canceled. I called and changed it to November 7th, departure at 7 AM. On November 6th, an email informed me that it was delayed until 12:30 PM. My return from Varadero on April 14th, 2025—on November 17th, another email notified me that my return flight on April 14th would no longer be direct but would make a stopover in Toronto. So, a heads-up to those thinking of booking with Air Canada...

Supposedly modification insurance = big scam, let me explain:Hello,

I’ve been an Edreams customer for decades, spending tens of thousands of euros with them. For this latest trip, we knew our departure date but weren’t sure about the exact return date. So, we booked tickets supposedly "Modifiable sans frais" (fee-free modifiable).

We left on September 3rd, and a week before the initially booked return date, we finalized our schedule. I went to my booking to make the change. And then... I found out that if you’ve already taken your outbound flight, you can no longer modify the return flight!!!!!!!

Like most people, I didn’t read the long, complicated, and tedious fine print in the terms and conditions—which I later took the time to go through. Here’s an excerpt: "Flexible Name Guarantee Our Superflex fare includes a Flexible Name Guarantee that allows customers to change the full name of one of the passengers on their flight tickets. This contractual guarantee takes effect at the time of booking and expires 24 hours before the start of the trip, determined by the date and time of departure of the first flight included in the booking."

In short, I paid an extra 500 € for this insurance (for 4 tickets) that’s absolutely useless.

In my opinion, when I book a modifiable ticket, it’s PRECISELY BECAUSE I KNEW I’D NEED TO CHANGE MY DATE ONCE I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION.

But I learned that this insurance stops 24 hours before departure.

So, if you’re thinking of changing your return dates after you’ve already taken your outbound flight, well, this insurance won’t work—and they make sure not to clearly explain that to you.

So, dear EDREAMS, thank you for being my booking portal for 15 years. I’ve traveled all over the world (74 countries visited—who can top that?), spent a fortune on your site, and I’m saying "Adios". On top of that, I’ll take care of your online reputation since it’s my job (digital marketing).

Hasta la vista

Hi,

It was just announced by the Vice President of Burma (Myanmar) that international flights might not resume until October. This is a tough situation for tourism professionals and airlines, who have already been struggling since the beginning of the year.

http://coupsdecoeurenasie.over-blog.fr/2019/02/les-news-en-birmanie.html

My request: We would like to modify our return flight booking scheduled for December 3 under reference: O__T. We’d like a flight that gets us to France no later than January 27, 2025, under the same conditions as our current ticket. Please let us know the options and any additional fees. (We paid 2,256 € for the round-trip Bordeaux/Tamatave tickets for 2 people.)

Air Austral’s response: We’ve managed to free up seats for January 22. (Same class.) The penalty and adjustment fee is 895 € per person. (That’s 1,790 € for 2.)

My response: Given the outrageous prices Air Austral is charging for a date change, we’re confirming our flight on December 3, 2024, for Tamatave/Bordeaux. Also, you can count on me to share this experience with Air Austral on various online forums. It’s absolutely shameful to offer a flight change for 1,790 € when buying new tickets would cost us 1,564 €. I think Air Austral’s pricing policy is going to interest a lot of people online, and I can assure you that you’ve just lost two customers who will give you some great publicity.

Despite a complaint, no reaction from Air Austral—they’re clearly in big trouble...

April 5, 2017 The airline Air Austral announces the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Air Madagascar!

Darn it, I’d switched from Air M**ad** to Austral to avoid any more hassles (back in 2015: stuck for 4 days at Ivato, compensation offered was 150 € to use on the next flight—I threw their letter back in their faces and vowed never to fly with them again).

Today, it’s ruined—Air Madagascar’s problems are already rubbing off on Air Austral.

April 26, 2017 Air Austral’s plane leaves Roissy nearly an hour late, even though passengers had been boarded for ages. The captain announces: technical issues with the plane that would be resolved quickly.

April 27 We arrive in Réunion over an hour late, only to learn that the plane supposed to take us to Tamatave—coming from Mauritius—had technical issues mid-flight and is now under review. They promise to update us by 11 AM, which was the original departure time. 11:30 AM, still nothing—we go ask for news, and nothing! By noon, they decide to give us a "royal sandwich" for 3 € and a soft drink. A little later, they finally tell us the flight is canceled and rescheduled for 7 AM the next day. Off to the hotels—some of us won’t eat that evening because not all hotels have restaurants.

April 28 Up at 4 AM to catch the 5 AM bus back to the airport. The same ATR that broke down the day before takes off 20 minutes late for Tamatave—a ten-minute flight over the Indian Ocean before turning right back to Réunion due to *more* technical issues. Back in the airport, no one to greet us. The hall is packed, and we have no idea where to go, so we head upstairs to squat in a private, air-conditioned lounge with leather chairs. There are about twenty of us, so they can’t kick us out and immediately notify Air Austral that we’ve taken over a service provider’s space. We stay there for about 2 hours, but no one from Air Austral dares to come in and update us. We go back downstairs to demand to see a company manager. In private, some staff tell us about Air Austral’s recurring issues—later, we’ll learn that another flight to Mauritius was also postponed until the evening.

After an hour of back-and-forth, someone finally decides to talk to us—it’s already 11 AM. They inform us that a spare part is arriving from Paris tomorrow and promise a 1:20 PM departure. We all stand together and demand a new plane because we’ve lost all trust. They respond that all options have been considered, but unfortunately, the ATRs from Air Madagascar and Air Mauritius are also grounded—how reassuring! (FYI, large planes can’t land on Tamatave’s runway.)

The manager’s only goal is to break us up because as a group, we’re a force they can’t handle. Orders must have been given because 7 or 8 Air Austral staff circle us, handing out hotel vouchers. Unfortunately, everyone’s only thinking about themselves, and they manage to split us up. So, back to the hotels for another night in Saint-Denis.

9 PM: new message—the flight is now pushed to 3 PM, and it keeps going… To be continued tomorrow!

I find Air Austral’s management behavior absolutely unacceptable and shameful! They’re playing fast and loose with their passengers’ lives.

Hi there, We traveled with Qatar Airways from Roissy to the Seychelles in business class. The flight was on time, and the only hiccup was changing planes in Doha for an Airbus A350 in the same class. The cabin crew was very attentive, and the in-flight meals were way above average. The seats were super comfortable—especially the lie-flat position—so the flight was really restful. I’d highly recommend this airline. From what I’ve seen, they mainly serve the Middle East and Asia. Speaking of which, we’re about to book a trip to Thailand and Cambodia, again with the same airline.

New direct Paris-Orlando route with Air France

Hi, my current question: which airline to pick—the cheapest one and also the one that takes the least time from TOULOUSE? Thanks for your help

Hi

What’s the fastest and most affordable way to get to Cuba?

Thanks

Booked an Air Mauritius ticket via a flight operated by Air France, but my middle name was shortened to just an initial with "Ms" attached instead of being written as Lalina Alexandra Fernandez. On the ticket, it shows as Lalina Ams Fernandez, even though I booked with the correct name. Apparently, no one can modify the ticket. Do you think this will cause problems?

Hello fellow members,

Hope you're all doing well—it’s really great to see the site up and running again! Back in 2022, I booked a round-trip flight to Cairo/Paris via eDreams. The outbound was with Saudia: Cairo > Jeddah > Paris. The return was supposed to be in September 2022 with Aegean: Paris > Athens > Cairo. At the end of July, I got an email saying my flight was canceled by the airline. I immediately requested a refund, and they told me it would take 6 months to process. And since then—nothing. I’ve followed up with eDreams multiple times, but they just redirected me to Aegean, whose contact seems impossible to reach.

Do you have any leads or a contact address to follow up with them? Have any of you had similar experiences? Were you eventually refunded?

Amina

Hi there,

I’m heading to the United States for the first time, flying from Paris to Austin with a layover in Atlanta. I arrive at 8:55 PM and leave again at 10:30 PM. Air France told me I don’t need to collect my checked bags, but I keep reading that I *do* have to pick them up after immigration and customs—and that doing all that in 1 hour 30 minutes is basically impossible. I’m traveling with my son, and our English isn’t great. It’s making me a little anxious because the flight I need to catch is the last one of the day, and if I miss it, I’ll have to wait until the next morning.

Do you think this is doable?

Thanks so much

Hi, So glad the site’s back up—I’ve always found great off-the-beaten-path tips here! This time, we’re planning a trip to Uzbekistan. Since time is a bit tight, we wanted to fly from Tashkent to Urgench, but we can’t find any direct flights between the two. Do we need to book from France, and if so, which site should we use? We’re thinking of going around mid-April. Thanks in advance for your help! Céline

Hi there,

I never thought I’d end up in the "travel horror stories" section of the forum. But here we are—it happened Sunday, June 12th, in the evening at Gatwick. Tons of flights were cancelled, including ours (EasyJet LGW-GVA at 5:05 PM), right before boarding, due to cracks on the runway (?!?).

After 3 hours of "vague promises" (around 10 PM), my girlfriend and I went back through immigration, picked up our luggage, and started the endless queue to get rebooked and accommodated. Estimated wait: a 100-meter line and 4-5 hours with no guarantee of a result.

Then we got a text from EasyJet offering to let us find our own hotel room and promising a refund. Since it smelled fishy (all EasyJet flights the next day were full), we booked a room at the Ibis and reserved a BA flight from LCY on Monday, June 13th.

Question: what are we entitled to?

1) Refund for the 2 tickets + luggage for LGW-GVA? I think that’s a given.

2) Refund for LCY-GVA? I don’t think so, since we rebooked ourselves.

3) Refund for the night at the Ibis? Since they told us to handle it ourselves and promised a refund via text.

4) Anything else?

Thanks in advance for your replies. I need to prepare the refund request.

Hi there,

What do you think about airlines and other travel industry players being on Facebook? I’m thinking of creating a free page that brings together the entire travel industry! Am I allowed to do that? Would you follow me?

Thanks!