Buying Tickets through Kiss and Fly

Sometime after the Jones Fire and the apocalyptic smoke last year, I decided the only way I could be in  California another year was to be gone for a chunk of fire season. And as long as we were planning on being gone, we may as well go somewhere interesting like, say, Italy! 

No matter what it is, as soon as I deviate from the daily routine, a whole new world of learning and possibility opens up. 

For me, it started with buying the tickets. 

Kiss and Fly - Austrian Online Booking Agency

We purchased one-way tickets for Rome through Kiss and Fly. They were the least expensive option for flights operated by United Airlines to Rome. After I purchased, I did my homework (backward, I know) and learned Kiss and Fly had terrible reviews. Not just bad, terrible. Generally, one star with a high of a two-star review on Facebook.

This brings me to Little Life Lesson #1:

• Do your homework first. 

We did get to our destination with Kiss and Fly; safely, smoothly, and on time. It did take some effort to follow through on the reservation though. 

What I received from Kiss and Fly almost immediately were the:

1. Travel itinerary and
2. Tickets including ticket number, confirmation number, and all the flight information

What I did not receive from Kiss and Fly was:

• Everything else, ie 
• option to purchase seats
• option to purchase checked bags
• information or guidance on how to follow through
• a boarding pass
• online check-in
• reminders

United Airlines - Responsive & Reliable

The best advice I received was to go directly to the airlines. In my case, those were United Airlines and Alitalia.

This brings me to Little Life Lesson #2.

• United Airlines is the big cheese. The Mozzarella di Bufala. the Pecorino Romano. Among airlines. 

I am a newly converted fan of United. My conversion started a bit ago with United's commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050. 

Anyway, I called them and got through quickly. Rapidly. Fast.

They were kind and answered all of my many questions. I  was able to follow through with the details I couldn't complete through Kiss and Fly. I purchased seats, bought checked luggage, and was able to check-in online.

The original Kiss and Fly reservation indicated the entire flight was operated through United Airlines. This was not the case. While United saw the Alitalia flight, they could not see our reservation.

For that, I had to deal directly with Alitalia.

Alitalia - Not Your Average Airline

This brings me to Little Life Lesson #3.

• Alitalia marches to their own beat.

I called Alitalia multiple times and waited on the phone interminably. The phone message said if your flight was not immediate, to call back later.  

I was not optimistic that their capacity to answer my call would grow with my need. 

So I went to the airport. I thought maybe I could intercept them at the Alitalia counter. I was wrong. 

The counter was dark and empty. One airline representative nodded knowingly at my concern. Another said she hadn't seen them in months. 

I went to the United counter hoping for some help. They obliged. They were able to confirm we were on the Alitalia flight, but they could not manage the details. 

I received advice, all of which proved useful. They advised us to:

• log on to Alitalia to manage our flight
• check our bags all the way through to Rome and 
• go to the Alitalia counter when we arrived in Paris to get our boarding passes and seats

The day before we left, I tried to check in with Alitalia online but received a message saying we were not eligible to do so.

The Last Leg

When we arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Devin and I set off to find the Alitalia ticket counter.  No luck. 

We asked people, and they pointed vaguely here and there. 

There was an ever so slight air of impatience. It seemed no one knew exactly where Alitalia was or when they'd show up. Their best guess was two or three hours before the flight.

We eventually found a shuttered window that said Alitalia. We planted ourselves there three hours before the flight.

A small crowd of hopeful Alitalia passengers grew.

Thirty minutes later, a remarkable thing happened.

A crew of about five Alitalia representatives showed up. Not at the shuttered window, but at a counter 50 yards away. As if to keep us guessing.

They were completely calm, unaffected, and seemingly oblivious to or perhaps unconcerned by their passengers' anxiety about when or whether they would show up. 

Once there, they were courteous, efficient, and took care of all the details on the spot.

As far as Kiss and Fly goes, we ultimately arrived at Rome Fiumicino Airport safely, on time, and with all of our bags accounted for and intact -- including Devin's skateboard, his carry-on bag on both flights. 

Still, it took a fair amount of time and effort to follow through on the details. 

Whether the money saved is worth the time it takes depends on the gap in prices, the airlines involved, good luck, and your own personal circumstances.