On flight arrangements

Adding to readers’ comments about making flight arrangements for tours (Dec. ’08, pg. 41 & June ’09, pg. 41), my wife and I usually make our flight arrangements independently from the cruise or tour company we are traveling with. We do this because of the following:

• We like to arrive at least one day early and sometimes stay a day or two after the end of the cruise or tour, something that often is not allowed by the company unless you purchase an optional extension or an expensive hotel package.

• Flight itineraries bought through companies are designed for the benefit of the companies themselves and often have much longer travel times than necessary, layovers that are too short or too long, and nonstop flights only rarely.

• Flight itineraries from companies often do not allow for use of frequent-flyer miles to purchase tickets or upgrades and may not even permit purchase of premium coach seats offered by some airlines.

However, we will get our flight arrangements through the companies under some circumstances:

• When the flights are included in the price of the cruise or tour and the company will not discount that price if we waive the flights (unusual, but it did happen some years ago on a smarTours trip to China).

• When the cost of getting the flights ourselves is much greater than if the company does it. (For a cruise with Discovery Cruises a couple of years ago, it would have cost us $800 more per person to fly independently.)

• When the arriving airport is a VERY great distance from the ship or first hotel and transfers are not included (even at extra cost) unless flights are booked through the company.

HARVEY LAMPERT

North Bethesda, MD