A BEHIND-THE-SCENES Q&A WITH THE HEAD OF FLIGHTS BY CELEBRITY
Hear directly from Michelle Johnson, who runs our air travel program, about new enhancements to Flights by Celebrity and what they mean for you.
Q: Tell us about your background and your role, here, at Celebrity.
A. I joined the Celebrity family in September of 2017 as the Director of Air Strategy. I am responsible for developing Flights by Celebrity program enhancements to improve our guest’s vacation planning experience. Prior to Celebrity, I spent 5 years at Delta Air Lines. I now reside in Davie, Florida, with my 8-year-old son, Hayden, our two dogs, Mattie and Lucky, along with Jack the Cat.
Q. Flights by Celebrity is really built with the guests’ best interests in mind. In your opinion, what really makes it such a valuable tool to our guests?
A. Our four Ps do a great job highlighting the benefits of our program: Points, Price, Protection, and Pay Later. You can still earn points with your favorite airline, rest assured you’re getting the best fare available; have the peace of mind knowing you’re protected in the event of flight delays or cancelations; and you can now delay all air payments until cruise final payment when you select a refundable fare.
Q. Book Now, Pay Later is a really great new feature. How can guests leverage it to get the most out of it?
A. We’ve worked really hard to negotiate the best possible rates and contract terms with the airlines. With these great rates, enhanced flexibility, and recent operational and technical changes across our teams and systems, we’re now able to offer this benefit to our guests to improve the vacation planning process. We want vacation planning to be just as much fun as the vacation itself, and we believe this is a big step in the right direction. With this new feature, guests can now book any refundable flights through Flights by Celebrity, and pay NOTHING until the cruise final payment date. This way, our guests can quickly lock in their flights without worrying about possible emergencies, cancellation fees or changes in plans.
Q. Can you explain, briefly, the updated process for “paying later” on our website?
A. When searching for flights on our website, select a refundable fare, and proceed to booking. You will be given the option to “pay later” or “pay now”. If you choose to pay later, no credit card details are required. It’s really that simple!
Q. In your own opinion, what makes Flights by Celebrity unique in the air/sea industry?
A. Guest empowerment— with our program, the guest can choose their airline, and every other detail of their flight including nonstop vs. connection, connecting city, layover time, departure and arrival times. Additionally, we refuse to charge booking fees. The prices of our flights are always competitive with our best fare guarantee. And now, with Pay Later, Flights by Celebrity also offers ultimate flexibility by allowing guests to defer payment until cruise final payment when selecting a refundable fare.
Q. Is there anything you can share with us about the program’s future?
A. Enhancements are coming. We’re working hard this year to ensure we provide the best flight booking experience possible. By the end of the year, the Celebrity website will have a fully revitalized air shopping experience using the best technology to improve search results, provide optimal flight recommendations for your preferred cruise, and simplify the overall experience.
