When to buy an airline ticket

[danielboldea]

Daniel--I understand the Euro predicament and using a credit/debit card. Makes sense, in your case, to use third party sites. At least you're smart enough to understand the terms and conditions and fees. You probably know the rules inside and out! So many people aren't capable and when they have delays, etc, they can't cope. It makes more sense when flying US carriers to use their sites for local phone / CS on refunds, changes etc. We don't have the EU laws either, so we need to work with a US carrier directly with weather delays and such here.

EU air transportation laws and consumer laws are great - always toward the protection and benefit of the traveler and very costly for the airlines.

[ryanlb]

Sometimes you can snag a deal by waiting until the last moments, but there's obviously risks that come with that strategy; you may well wait too long and find yourself flightless.

[kyshel]

EU air transportation laws and consumer laws are great - always toward the protection and benefit of the traveler and very costly for the airlines.

Great point to note. One of the reasons we don't institute those laws in the States [yet]. Those will not be borne by the airlines; they will be passed to consumers, dollar for dollar. Pax here can barely tolerate the a la carte menu used by US carriers, even tho that is the way to do business by mainline carriers. BTW--I don't rank WN as a mainline, but a regional carrier, despite their longevity, as well as number/frequency of flights--they do not serve the entire country, by any stretch of the imagination.