When there are delays or itinerary changes, the ability to confer with a single alliance official helps solve problems even when travelers are arriving or departing on different carriers.
The lesson: For the sort of last-minute itinerary changes that characterize business travel, it can pay to do some quick comparison shopping on the online travel sites.
One major benefit: no penalty for cancellations or itinerary changes within the specified time, usually 48 hours before arrival.
The clash of dates between the IPL and India's national elections has caused the ministry of home affairs to request further itinerary changes after representatives of several Indian states insisted that they could not satisfy security requirements.
But with most major airlines offering refunds or fee-free itinerary changes for flights through August 30, the question is raised: will these airports be open by Monday or Tuesday?
Queen Mary 2 continued to operate at a reduced service speed and several itinerary changes were necessary until repairs had been completed after the ship returned to Europe in June, where Queen Mary 2 paid a visit to dry dock and the damaged propeller pod was unseated.
Singapore Airlines is allowing free itinerary changes worldwide.
Some customers, he said, are interested in higher fares that carry fewer restrictions or penalties for itinerary changes.
Travelers benefit as the major airlines feel pressed to emulate their new competitors' ways of doing business, like offering more realistic business walk-up fares and being more flexible about itinerary changes on nonrefundable tickets.
Cancellations or itinerary changes are common and selling more seats than are actually available on a plane is a good way to eke out some additional profit.
