<p>I went to the website you posted about ITAsoft and it does not seem to have anything to do with airlines…not sure what my mistake is, or just what.</p>
<p>Susan, the front page is indeed misleading. Click on the “Looking for Airfares” thingy towards the right margin about two inches down from the top of the page.</p>
<p>TheDad, I think Susan and I are bringing up an unrelated website - for a company called Irwin Tepper Associates. Can you click the link you posted and see what you get? “No Looking for Airfares” that I could see…</p>
<p>I was curious; it looks like it is here. I was able to check for flights I need in a week or so and it is great!!! Thanks…<a href=“http://www.itasoftware.com/[/url]”>http://www.itasoftware.com/</a></p>
<p>Have people done their Thanksgiving and Christmas bookings yet? I checked several “cheap” websites, and actually Continental gave me the best fares, and choices.</p>
<p>Feel so sad doing this :(</p>
<p>Whups, my bad. That’s what I get from relying on porus memory, especially for something as finicky as website names. Yes, Overseas has the correct one. </p>
<p>Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I need to go check in with brainsoft.com for a corrective regimen.</p>
<p>Chocoholic, I don’t know that D will come home for T-day this year. My inclination, given cost/time/distance, is probably not. We need to discuss. </p>
<p>Christmas…hooom. I guess we <em>should</em> be thinking about it. Last year we didnt’ until September.</p>
<p>Yes, <a href=“http://www.itasoftware.com/[/url]”>http://www.itasoftware.com/</a> is a great site. I generally don’t like the online travel sites but I think I will like this one.</p>
<p>Choc, we did book S’s winter break flight only because his round trip will be to school in August and back again in December. As he doesn’t have to be back until late January, I haven’t felt too much pressuire to book that one. I’m hoping a roommate or other school friend who lives in the vicinity will take him in for Thanksgiving as it is just too expensive and too far for such a short break, when winter break is just a few weeks later…</p>
<p>TheDad: This is a handy letter to have when flying with an instrument. We fly frequently with instruments (violin and french horn). If this link doesn’t work for some reason, Google American Federation of Musicians and TSA, and you’ll get other sites that will let you download the form.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.folkalliance.net/cms/index.php?pid=126[/url]”>http://www.folkalliance.net/cms/index.php?pid=126</a></p>
<p>
I know. I just booked our family trip to move daughter into college.
The feelings I had reserving a one-way flight for her will rank up there as one of my tougher moments.</p>
<p>I have a flight related question…
Is there any way I can use my AA flyer miles to book my d’s flight without having to pay the $150 transfer fee? I have accumulated a lot of miles, but she needs them, not me! </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Binx, thanks. We have that letter and, believe me, D has used it. Problem is, some smaller planes simply don’t have room, period, to stow an instrument. D has been snarked at by gate agents a couple of times but flight crew makes final decisions and they’ve been quite accommodating.</p>
<p>TaraMom, I sympathize, but having gone through this just last year, the turning and walking away after the last kiss/hug is no bowl of cherries. I was a combination of maudlin and morose that night, having a gently sloped recovery period for the next couple of weeks. It helped that I knew in advance that this is how it would be. It also helped to get those chattering phone calls from D that, oddly enough, tailed off from daily to once every few days over the first few weeks. I knew a milestone had been reached when D said, “Well, I’d like to talk more but I’ve got a lot of work to get done.” By the time of Family Weekend, she was as much at home as the squirrels that scamper across campus (and to similar effect!) and while she was very happy to see us, there was also a “gosh, work is piling up while I’m with you guys” syndrome.</p>
<p>Lexas
You can certainly use your miles to get a free ticket for your daughter. Our whole family takes vacations on my husband’s miles. Never paid a transfer fee.</p>
<p>TaraMom
I am just trying not to think about it. We are driving the 900 miles, so at least I don’t have the scary one-way ticket purchase. I will definitely be comforting myself with chocolate when we return sans D.</p>
<p>Hows this for a freudian slip: I kust realized that I booked round trip for the whole family-- including D! By accident! :eek:</p>
<p>Thanks for the TSA letter. Son did not have a problem last July during vacation but his trumpet was all he carried. I am going to put copies in all his cases for a just in case. </p>
<p>Just got around to developing the roll with pictures on drop off day-just looking at them brought back the sad feelings. It does get better the first time you hear them tell you everything they are doing.</p>
<p>Fwiw, trumpets and violins generally fare fairly well, since they <em>can</em> fit in an overhead in-cabin luggage compartment. Horns, unless they’re a cut-bell model, don’t…and have to be stowed at the bottom of the little closet for garment bags. </p>
<p>LAMom, right you are…it’s hearing the excitement and/or happiness in their voices as the talk about things that does it.</p>
<p>A couple more notes about flying with instruments: Some domestic airlines count the instrument as the carry-on and don’t allow an additional. Their in-house policy on this point supercedes the letter. </p>
<p>And this letter is only good for US carriers. We have had to sweet talk (or maybe not so sweet) other airlines when flying internationally. We tend to look for Delta flights when possible, because they have never given us any problem. But when Delta uses other carriers, those carriers sometimes balk. Since we are not willing to check the instruments, we have been prepared to NOT go until it is resolved. Last August, Delta used an Air France carrier who gave S a hard time. S just asked them to call Delta and kept repeating that the horn was not to be checked under any circumstances. Since they spoke in French, he doesn’t know what was said. They sent him through to the gate, and told him a decision would be made there. We hung around the airport for a few hours in case there was a problem, but no one ever spoke to him again at all and he came through without problems.</p>
<p>We also try to avoid the Frankfurt airport for departures or connections because they measure carryons, and are particular about the size (which is smaller than US dimensions!) The lesson learned is research airline and airport in advance.</p>
<p>S has a cut bell, and a “carry on” sized case. It has been a worthwhile purchase. He is flying next month on a tiny plane, and we are a bit concerned about what they will do…</p>
<p>Binx, I can’t tell you how reassuring it is to have someone understand why a French horn can’t be checked. Btw, I’ll make sure to avoid Frankfurt if it ever comes up…the hs orchestra flew through Munich last year.</p>
<p>On that occasion, the horns <em>were</em> checked. And wrapped in a metric ton of bubble-wrap each. With more bubble-wrap squeezed into the interior of the case. The double-basses…we rented double-basses. The cellos…aiyee, the cellos. Even more fragile than a French horn, imo.</p>
<p>booked for T-giving on Song airlines a few weeks ago. Not a great deal (although it is now more expensive now than when I booked), but we got the flight times we wanted, and was able to get nonstop. Am going to hold off on the return home from winter exams, although am thinking about booking the one way return flight back to school for January - guess it would be for the day before school starts in Jan.?
Flight prices seem to be going up due to the fuel situation.</p>
<p>Just from experience with D…you might want to not rush to book the flight home for the winter break. Even though you may be able to look up the dates of last exam,D has always wanted to stay past that date to finish up projects, papers,etc. There’s usually a date of dorm closing on the residential life website and you might be able to use the latest date on that as a guide. And really, whose to say now ,so far in advance, whether airfares won’t be more reasonable by next winter!</p>
<p>TheDad: Every cellist we know buys an extra seat for their “baby.” Can’t say as I blame them! (But I’m glad none of my kids plays cello.) :)</p>
<p>We also frequently fly with guitars, but check them (in hard cases) and aren’t as worried about them – since they cost a tenth or less of what the others did!</p>