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Experience with Expedia and SAS

This is not a complaint, just the relaying of an experience that had moments of frustration. I booked flights last fall for a week in spring in the South of France. I initially found the fares on Expedia, but checked Scandinavian Airlines’ website for a potentially direct purchase from the airline. The price was essentially the same, but Expedia had better terms on the trip for reasons I don’t recall now. Tickets were purchased.

Maybe 6 or 8 weeks after we bought the tickets, Expedia contacted me about a schedule change. I refused the initial rebooking but was able to speak with a human within minutes when I called Expedia to discuss other options. We easily came up with a flight that maintained the length of the trip and actually landed earlier than originally scheduled.

Tonight when I tried to check in 24 hours before our flight on the SAS app, I struck out repeatedly. For a very intense, nearly 10 minutes, I tried to get boarding passes issued but, I finally had to abandon the task for work. A couple of hours later, during a lull, I decided to try to access the boarding passes on my Expedia app, not the SAS app. Ding! Ding! Ding!

Within 3 minutes and 6 screens, I had my boarding passes. I was able to email them to myself and then I reopened the SAS app to see that my Expedia check-in had carried over and my boarding passes were now available within the app.

I’m sharing this experience in case it might be helpful to anyone. Safe travels!

Posted by
16986 posts

I'm glad you were able to get things done.

Most of us still prefer to book directly with the airline. If there are problems, you can deal with the airline. Your way, you have to deal with Expedia.

For many of us, it's just an unneccessary third party.

But to each his own.

Posted by
81 posts

I certainly couldn’t presume to be part of this “us” you speak of, but I have been traveling to Europe for the better part of 40 years and somehow have managed to get there more than 30 times. Expedia hasn’t ever screwed me, at least not like Booking.com has. To each their own.

Posted by
99 posts

No need to scold Frank for reminding others reading this post that booking direct with the airline is usually in the best interest of the traveler.

So glad you found a workaround for getting checked in to your flights. I know how frustrating this can be.

Posted by
2560 posts

"Us" includes myself and while I have used various travel search engines for researching routes, airlines and related fares, tickets are purchased directly from the airlines flying to the destinations. When things go sideways en route, as such has happened at times given my many years of experiences, I don't attempt contacting a third party vendor while at an airport.

Posted by
81 posts

At no point did I suggest, must less state, that booking on Expedia, or any other third party, was preferred. I stated a situation in the hopes that other people who may, in fact, break away from the proverbial “us,” would have a potential reference point for resolving a complication. Being scolded was not something I found to be particularly welcome. Perhaps you should address Frank’s tone as well.

There’s just something about this site with its curt, judgmental contributors, that is really unwelcoming.

Posted by
8250 posts

Thanks for your post. I get a little tense during that 24-hr period when I’m checking in on-line, and the ITA or Transavia - partners of Delta’s airline group, won’t let me have my boarding passes right away.

Posted by
10960 posts

Your problem solving was 100% right. Bravo. I hope others take note to immediately handle a problem.

OP, it wasn’t scolding, just unnecessarily judgmental. To each his own judgement .

How in the world this digressed into a discussion about online 3rd party vendors is beyond me.

Posted by
2560 posts

Given required layovers when flying from home to Europe, I book directly with the airlines. And when a connection is missed (weather, mechanical, crew), I just walk up to the airline's customer service counter and resolve the matter. Perhaps I am misunderstanding the role third party firms play when things go awry with at least one leg to remaining to fly. If so, I sincerely, apologize. Is it true that the sole method to resolve any problem (before, during after) with tickets from third parties is solely with the third parties? Hopefully, forum readers not familiar with the nuances between buying tickets directly from airlines versus third parties will be better informed through this thread.

Posted by
441 posts

Redheadlibrarian, thanks for sharing your experience! Things really ought to be seamlessly interoperable in this day and age!

I'm assuming everyone had the best intentions on this thread and that we all agree that politeness is part of the secret sauce of this forum! With that said, I did enjoy that movie with Brad Pitt and Ed Norton about that underground fight club so... yeah... not a good digression for this forum I guess. Never mind....

Happy travels!

Posted by
1 posts

Thank you for the post. I am also planning a trip to south of France and looked at SAS as a way to the continent. I have had a great experience with SAS in the past. Do you have any recommendations for connections to your destination in France once you have reached your Scandinavian destination?

Posted by
21978 posts

Book SAS all the way to your destination. Not 2 tickets.