Confirming Flights

[brie9877]

I'm planning a trip for next year and wanted to get some insight into confirming flight for return trip, since i had no idea i should do that.

Last year when we were leaving AOA i went to check in at their airport desk and was told there was an issue and couldn't check my bag there, i would have to do that at the airport.
well i get to the airport and check in and when i get to the gate i find they over-booked and we were bumped along with one other family.
the husband made a HUGE fit, i didnt really mind things happen.

My concern for next time is how to avoid this? should i check in online through the airline directly the day before?

[Itchy]

I have never had that happen to me. What airline did you fly with?

I almost always fly Southwest and I pay extra to have them check me in early before everyone else. I would check in at the 24 hr window that most of the airlines provide. That may help.

I would hope that the airline made it up to you since they bumped you off.

[faline]

Did you leave contact information with the airline? I've left my e-mail address and have gotten notices that my flight times have changed and things like that. I usually check the airline flight schedule before going to the airport to check to see if my flight is on time but this certainly wouldn't help in the situation you describe. If the airline only had your home phone number, that might not have helped either.

[brie9877]

i booked air tran through expedia.

they gave me tickets good through nov of this year but like i said i understand things happend but i just want to avoid that in the future.

i was also thinking of booking through SW and paying for early check in for the return trip

[MargaretMessler]

If you have a smartphone, check in at the earliest time available on the airline's app if they have one (I use SW almost exclusively), we just had to print out boarding passes and check in our bags when we got to MCO.

[BigB]

We have never had an issue with hotel airline check-in. But if I was in a similar situation I would have asked for a computer to use and checked in online right then.

Does Expedia let you reserve a seat? When we flew AirTran we booked directly with them and paid the extra money to reserve our seats.