SCHEDULE CHANGES

What is a schedule change?

The definition of a schedule change is any modification to your flight schedule prior to the date you will be departing. Changes are made to flight schedules often, so the airlines can accommodate their own day-to-day operations. These changes could mean your flight is delayed by one minute or it could be canceled. A list of possible flight changes include a change in the flight number, a change in the time of departure, routing changes (your connecting flight to D.C. may now go through Charlotte, for example), date changes, or cancellations. The airlines do have the right to make these changes, even if they inconvenience you as a traveler.

You can find out more about your rights as a passenger by reading the `contract of carriage`. You will see that, other than isolated cases covered by national or worldwide agreements, all of your rights are determined by the airlines, and that areas detailing schedule changes may not be so detailed at all. In many cases, you will learn that the schedule is not part of the airline contract, therefore the airline will not be liable for `failure to operate`. You may view the schedule as a core part of your journey, but in legalese, the airlines disagree.

What to Know

There may be numerous changes to your schedule if it was booked months in advance. In the time between your booking and your departure, TripMasters will notify you of changes, but only if they are major and require action from you. Examples of major changes include drastic changes in schedule, routing changes, or other similar modifications. In these situations, we will contact you by e-mail. If we need to discuss flight alternatives with you, we will notify you via telephone.

If there is only a minor schedule change, we will notify you a few weeks before departure. You will also find that any schedule changes will be reflected in your voucher, which you can see by going to www.tripmasters.com and clicking on `Manage Bookings`. Print out your travel documents approximately a week before departure, so all the final papers, such as the itinerary, will be up to date. Any schedule changes that occur in the ten days before departure will be sent to you via e-mail (specifically, the address provided at the time of booking). Finally, check in online with your airline 24 hours before departure so you are completely up-to-date.

How to Resolve a Schedule Change While in Transit

Deal with the airline directly. If the change was last-minute, you will get the best results by talking to the airline representatives at the airport. They will have the most up-to-date information about your flight, and they will be working to assist your fellow travelers too. You can always call TripMasters and we will work with the airline to resolve all of your changes in a manner that is agreeable to you. We will help provide solutions so you can get to your destination in a stress-free manner. After all, we are your advocate!

The airlines are obligated to provide various forms of assistance, typically, when the schedule change is the fault of the airline. These forms of assistance can mean vouchers for meals, accommodations, and more. You have a cut-and-dried choice if your flight is delayed by `acts of God`, inclement weather, or similar factors: a flight or a refund (cash or voucher).

What happens if I cannot be given a satisfactory option to get me to my destination?

At this point, TripMasters will try their best to get the airlines in question to `re-protect` you, the customer. In the end, the response of the airline is key: if they are unable to `re-protect` you, we will ask for a refund on your behalf.

We sympathize with regard to schedule changes. Nobody likes them, and we know you may very well have scheduled plans at your destination that are very important. We will do whatever is in our power to make the entire traveling process as comfortable and easy as possible.