At 1 a.m. I get a call from travel agency canceling my flight?!!!!?

I just got a call from orbitz saying my non stop flight in 18 hours has been cancelled and I can either move my flight up 6 hours or move it behind 12 hours. I am in shock. I was to go visit my mom on her birthday while she is in the hospital and coincidentally I actually purchased these tickets 9 months ago. neither moving up or back works for me. i really just want to fly when i had planned even if they have to change the airline. what are my options in this? I was told that I can move up or back but refund and using someone else wasn't an option.

Yes this is one problem with Orbitz, Expedia. Also keep in mind I always say get Insurance, Protects you.

I would try http://www.vacationsnbeyond.com

Obviously the agent acts on the reprotection policy from the airline you are using. Schedule change unfortunately occur in airlines all the time and as annoying as they are, airlines don't do it on purpose to annoy people but it is always due to operational reasons, ie change in airport slots, repositioning of aircrafts etc. I know it's a pain but not much you can do about it. airlines will offer you alternative flights but if nothing works for you then they always offer a full refund so if your agent says it's not the case then you have two options

1) call back the agent and ask them to get a written copy of the airline reprotection policy in full

2) call the airline directly and ask them what their reprotection policy is

Good luck and hope you can sort it. They won't put your flight back to what it was and won't offer compensation (an airline contract with the passenger is to take you from A to B which is what they are doing as far as they are concerned) but hopefully you can work out something

Thats why you don't book with Orbitz or any of those cheapy sites. Shall you booked with a travel agent or an airline, there would have been more flexibility avaliable to you and some airlines do sometimes check with other airlines for additional seats in your circumstances.

That's why I tell people every day to go via the airline website or the travel agent. The cheapy sites can get ya at any time they want!

Those SOB's

At least you got a call. And the 6-12 hour differential just doesn't seem like a deal breaker to me, especially after all the flight delay stories this year. I say suck it up and go visit yer ma.

since you purchased those tickets 9 months ago, the cost of the trip has gone up EMENCELY due to the recent upsurge in the cost of gasoline....they cannot put you on another airline because the ticket would cost THEM more that way and it would be taken as a present booking which makes it even MORE costly... (you know the closer to a flight you purchase the tickets, the more you pay)... SO, I DO understand why they couldn't put you on another flight... as for a refund, then you wouldn't be going to see your mother at all and there MIGHT have been a NO REFUND POLICY on those tickets when you purchased them.... you have to check on these things whenever you buy ANYTHING especially online.... Just move the trip to 12 hours from now rather then 18, and surprise your mom early..... better then being LATE isn't it?