USA3000 Airlines - Warning

[Jerryg]

Took one charter flight to Vegas and it was my last. Felt like I was stuffed into a sardine can. As far as the weight goes. I've been able to get all my gear and clothes into one bag that just hits the 50 lb mark. You really don't need a lot of clothes. Underwear, shorts, bathing suits, and t shirts that's about all. If you run a little short of clothes there is always the local laundry. Prioritize gear first and clothing last.

 

[redacted]

DFW to COZ through Funjet charter: ~$200.00

IAH to COZ on Continental: ~$600.00

Your actual mileage may vary but the difference is on the order of your week of diving costs!

But it only works if you want to do 3, 4, or 7 nights. If you want to stay 10 nights you may have to buy a 3 and a 7 night booking.

 

[diverlady]

chrpai once bubbled...


I can't speak to the legal, contractual status of charter flights in Canada. I'm sorry that I only had an American audience in mind.

Well it's still pertinent info as many Canadians probably end up having to make a US connection possibly onto a US charter.

Diverlady

 

[chrpai]

awap once bubbled...
DFW to COZ through Funjet charter: ~$200.00

IAH to COZ on Continental: ~$600.00

Your actual mileage may vary but the difference is on the order of your week of diving costs!

But it only works if you want to do 3, 4, or 7 nights. If you want to stay 10 nights you may have to buy a 3 and a 7 night booking.

While airfare is a market and changes day to day, the savings is not that drastic. Right now I just went to Travelocity and I found a fare sale for $320 round trip IAH to CZM with travel dates available of every tuesday and wednesday for Decemeber, January and February.

So assuming that you can get your Funjet charter for $200.00 thats only $120 reasons to fly a charter. And remember charter prices can go up 10% without you being able to do anything about it ( $220 so now thats 100 reasons ) and be delayed up to 48 hours without you being able to do anything about it.

Being delayed even 1 day will cause you to lose your $100 savings in lost time at the hotel and diving.

 

[teamheatwave]

This has gone in many different directions so I will start with an easy topic. Why charter? Well, I have flown Continental the past 15 or 20 times and I watch the airfare on the websites at least once a week. However, Continental was still in the $674 p/p range. They have become very greedy. For a hundred dollars less I not only got the flight, but all taxes, hotel, transfers and brunch every day. So the money left over paid for a LOT of diving.

And yup, I had everything in writing. The printout of the website showing what the restrictions the day I made the booking, the emails to and from my email to USA 3000 and the travel agent addressing the issue and the response in writing from the travel agents.

Actually I use the travel agent frequently. Not just for myself but I send a lot of friends his way too. I am not too concerned about him screwing me. But I did have to make things unpleasant for him to get anything accomplished.

Hmmm... lets see, vacation...don't need underwear, maybe a couple t shirts and a couple pair of shorts, sandals and SCUBA gear. Carry on all the heavy stuff (regs, lights, log book, camera, etc). A challenge but dooable.

" First, that the travel agency I booked my package with sets the weight restrictions because it is a charter. "

Hard to believe, probably a lie. In the future I suggest avoiding charter flights all together. I flew with a charter company once (GWV). I think my fingerprints are still embedded in the seat...scaaaaary flight. First it was an old plane (some major airline had retired & sold). As we boarded we were handed a plastic bag with our "meal" inside. Before we even took off we were delayed as they had trouble closing cargo doors. The whole plane shook as we could hear them repeatedly slamming the door til it stayed shut. In flight: the attendant opened the curtain in the front of the cabin and it fell to the floor (frame and all), when my girlfriend went to use the rest room, the door handle came off in her hand. The seats are comfortable and spacious (if your legs have been amputated). The plane rattled and shook more than the 78 chevy chevette than I drove during college years.

I don't wear a kilt so your not wearing underwear is not an option. Besides, if the boat engine died we can rig the underwear as a sail!

As for how it turned out, they were weighing bags but our names were highlighted on a clipboard when we arrived at the airport to check in.

On the way home, the scales at Continental were on and they were checking weight but USA 3000 scales were off. They had no idea of what the weight was nor did they seem to care.

Like the fuel surcharge and 9/11 fees, this is yet another moneymaking ploy. Keep the face value of the ticket down but lets get some blood out of them in other ways. The big problem is these 6 and 7 figure ceo's and executives salaries. Get rid of a few of those worthless greedy SOB's and watch the ticket costs drop! Sorry - needed to vent.

Another loophole you can try and I have used it in the past is wearing a vest like photographers or fishing vests. There are no regulations on what you carry on your person.

 

[donacheson]

chrpai once bubbled...
Anyone considering a charter must read

http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/charters.htm

>>>

FWIW, I flew USA3000 round-trip between BWI and Cancun last week. Not only was the flight the only non-stop I could find, it was about $140 less than the regularly scheduled airlines when I purchased.

The flight left and returned on schedule, meals were served in both directions, and I had no hassles about baggage - USA3000 allowed me aboard in both directions with a shoulder bag and 21-inch wheelie, totalling about 45 pounds in weight. (Yes, that included all my dive gear.)

Note, however, that my flights were scheduled, not charters, in spite of the fact that most folks aboard were Apple Vacations-ers. Apparently USA3000 is trying to break into the scheduled flight market.

 

[chrpai]

donacheson once bubbled...


FWIW, I flew USA3000 round-trip between BWI and Cancun last week. Not only was the flight the only non-stop I could find, it was about $140 less than the regularly scheduled airlines when I purchased.

The flight left and returned on schedule, meals were served in both directions, and I had no hassles about baggage - USA3000 allowed me aboard in both directions with a shoulder bag and 21-inch wheelie, totalling about 45 pounds in weight. (Yes, that included all my dive gear.)

Note, however, that my flights were scheduled, not charters, in spite of the fact that most folks aboard were Apple Vacations-ers. Apparently USA3000 is trying to break into the scheduled flight market.

My comments were only in regards to chartered flights. Your flight was clearly not chartered. But your original statement shouldn't say it was $140 less then regularly scheduled flights, it should say it was $140 less then other regularly scheduled flights because in this market USA3000 is more comparable to a Southwest Airlines type business model.

 

[donacheson]

chrpai once bubbled...


... But your original statement shouldn't say it was $140 less then regularly scheduled flights, it should say it was $140 less then other regularly scheduled flights

I stand corrected. <G>

 

[rakjar]

is USA3000 an east coast airline?

 

[donacheson]

rakjar once bubbled...
is USA3000 an east coast airline?

A discount airline operating in the eastern US - as far west as Chicago and Milwaukee, north to Newark, and south to Florida (plus Cancun and Punta Cana). It has been a charter carrier for Apple Vacations; its scheduled service is fairly new and growing.