I originally purchased two roundtrip tickets to LGA from CHS for July 1st to July 4th. These tickets were purchased months in advance for a total of $440. My husband was flying with me along with my 12 month old daughter (in lap). We were going to a family wedding. On June 21st, my Father-In-Law passed suddenly and unexpectedly. He was living in Florida and since he died alone, the body was held. Funeral services were scheduled for July 1st. This was the day of my departure to NY. Although there was great sadness in our lives, my husband wanted my daughter and I to go ahead and go to NY for the wedding so my daughter could meet her great grandparents for the first time.
I first checked online to see what the cost would be to change just my departure flight to a different day and from a different airport (TPA). The cost was to be around $900! When I looked at rebooking a new one-way flight from TPA to LGA it was less than $200. I called customer service at Orbitz to find out if I was doing this right, if they could help me, and if there was a lesser price. After telling the operator many times that I wanted to keep my return flight and only change my departure he said it would be around $900. He asked if I wanted to cancel my flight and I said no. I also said no to canceling my husband’s flight. Since the penalties were so much, it would basically be a wash for our tickets. The operator advised that it was cheaper to rebook a new one way flight out of TPA. Again, I spoke very clearly that I wanted to keep my return flight and did not want to cancel my tickets.
I flew out of TPA on July 2nd alone with my daughter in my lap. I felt secure that I would have a return flight home since I was getting updated reports on my phone from Orbitz. When I got to LGA to leave on July 4th, I was told I did not have a ticket and my flight was cancelled because I did not go on my original departure flight. At no point did the Orbitz representative tell me that my return flight would be cancelled if I did not go on the original departure flight. After a long weekend of traveling alone with my 12 month old and the emotional stress of a funeral of my Father in Law and then a wedding, I started to cry. I did not have a seat to get home. Of course Delta would sell me a seat back but I would be charged $150 for penalties and then a last minute ticket. They charged me $603 to get home; minus the $150 charge because I repeatedly told them that I did not know this would happen. The representative at Orbitz didn’t tell me this. If he did, I would have cancelled everything and not go to the weeding or rebook a new roundtrip flight at a lower price.
This trip cost me $1200 total for 2 days. I’m so stressed and upset by this. This shouldn’t have happen. There was horrible communication on Orbitz side and Delta did not care. I’m not sure when I can fly again because my husband just started his job after he was laid off for a month and this trip took all of our savings. A very sad day indeed. I will never use Orbitz again. Ever.
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