How to combat Airline Change Fees?

[SpanishFry]

I just changed a flight I had booked from a Wednesday to Thursday. Same exact flight, same times, destinations, etc. New flight was actually $21 less than the original.

AA Change Fee? $150.00. Original Flight? $309.50.

The change fee is 50%. How is it possible to avoid this (besides flying Southwest everywhere) ?

Are there Credit Card benefits that help with this? Amex for instance? Does trip insurance cover these situations? I would imagine a stipulation is you have to have a covered reason.

Please share. This practice is insane.

 

[ViviTheMage]

when we changed our flights to europe last winter, because my GF had to work, it was 225 a ticket...nothing you can do.

 

[MrChad]

1. Buy refundable tickets
2. Buy Travel Protection
3. Buy from airlines that allow flight plan changes

 

[kranky]

Realistically, don't buy tickets that have a change fee.

 

[Rumpltzer]

Yeah, $150 for someone to type something into a computer. Stupid, huh? And what was it that caused it to go from $50 to $100 to $150 in the past six years??


I showed up for an international flight a few weeks ago and my bag weighed 60lbs. The limit was 70 or 75lbs at the beginning of the year, but they've changed it since then. I was told that I could repack my stuff in another bag if I wanted to (I only had one 60lb bag but they allow up to two 50lb bags). I didn't have another bag to put 10lbs of my stuff in, so I had to pay $50.

I pointed out that my one 60lb bag weighs the same as a 50lb bag and a 10lb bag and less than two 50lb bags. Logic does not work. Airlines need to screw their passengers to make money.

BTW, this was also on one of those full-fare, refundable tickets that companies buy through Amex so my company had already paid $1500 for the ticket. Did they really need my $50 for 60lbs in one bag?

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: Rumpltzer
Yeah, $150 for someone to type something into a computer. Stupid, huh? And what was it that caused it to go from $50 to $100 to $150 in the past six years??


I showed up for an international flight a few weeks ago and my bag weighed 60lbs. The limit was 70 or 75lbs at the beginning of the year, but they've changed it since then. I was told that I could repack my stuff in another bag if I wanted to (I only had one 60lb bag but they allow up to two 50lb bags). I didn't have another bag to put 10lbs of my stuff in, so I had to pay $50.

I pointed out that my one 60lb bag weighs the same as a 50lb bag and a 10lb bag and less than two 50lb bags. Logic does not work. Airlines need to screw their passengers to make money.

BTW, this was also on one of those full-fare, refundable tickets that companies buy through Amex so my company had already paid $1500 for the ticket. Did they really need my $50 for 60lbs in one bag?

Have you seen jet fuel prices?

We paid $350 each to fly to Hawaii last year. Our tickets for this year are around $550. Outrage!! I'll probably have to console myself with Mai Tai's and ogling tight-bodied surfer chicks. 🙁

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: Rumpltzer
Yeah, $150 for someone to type something into a computer. Stupid, huh?

Not that I agree with the how much they charge-- but the fee is probably meant to cover more than just the cost of typing something into a computer. For starters, the seat you held prior to the change was not able to be resold while you still held it-- meaning they now run a higher risk of flying with an empty seat-- which is money down the drain.

I'm guessing as airlines have reduced services to increase effeciency, the relative cost of an empty seat has gotten higher. They can recoup this increase by charging higher prices across the board, or by simply collecting more money from just the customers who contribute to the problem.

 

[GenHoth]

Originally posted by: dainthomas
Have you seen jet fuel prices?

We paid $350 each to fly to Hawaii last year. Our tickets for this year are around $550. Outrage!! I'll probably have to console myself with Mai Tai's and ogling tight-bodied surfer chicks. 🙁

Hate you...

 

[torpid]

Is the flight < 4 weeks from now? Usually they do not charge for changes if it's the same exact itinerary. Sometimes they also don't charge if it's a change to a different airport within the vicinity.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: SpanishFry
I just changed a flight I had booked from a Wednesday to Thursday. Same exact flight, same times, destinations, etc. New flight was actually $21 less than the original.

AA Change Fee? $150.00. Original Flight? $309.50.

The change fee is 50%. How is it possible to avoid this (besides flying Southwest everywhere) ?

Are there Credit Card benefits that help with this? Amex for instance? Does trip insurance cover these situations? I would imagine a stipulation is you have to have a covered reason.

Please share. This practice is insane.

practice is not insane...changing flights screws up bookings and planned loads.

One should make up their mind prior to the flight.

Many were taking advantage of when it was cheaper to book on a low cost day and move the flight to a premium day for a minor fee. Airlines caught on.

Hell people buy big screen TV's online then go out and buy one locally to use and return once the other comes...and if the store ends up being cheaper at the end of the wait...do a price match and refuse shipment on the online set.

It's just costing consumers that shop properly in the end.

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: Rumpltzer
Yeah, $150 for someone to type something into a computer. Stupid, huh? And what was it that caused it to go from $50 to $100 to $150 in the past six years??


I showed up for an international flight a few weeks ago and my bag weighed 60lbs. The limit was 70 or 75lbs at the beginning of the year, but they've changed it since then. I was told that I could repack my stuff in another bag if I wanted to (I only had one 60lb bag but they allow up to two 50lb bags). I didn't have another bag to put 10lbs of my stuff in, so I had to pay $50.

I pointed out that my one 60lb bag weighs the same as a 50lb bag and a 10lb bag and less than two 50lb bags. Logic does not work. Airlines need to screw their passengers to make money.

BTW, this was also on one of those full-fare, refundable tickets that companies buy through Amex so my company had already paid $1500 for the ticket. Did they really need my $50 for 60lbs in one bag?

I paid $120 to change an AA flight in 2001.

 

[SpanishFry]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: SpanishFry
I just changed a flight I had booked from a Wednesday to Thursday. Same exact flight, same times, destinations, etc. New flight was actually $21 less than the original.

AA Change Fee? $150.00. Original Flight? $309.50.

The change fee is 50%. How is it possible to avoid this (besides flying Southwest everywhere) ?

Are there Credit Card benefits that help with this? Amex for instance? Does trip insurance cover these situations? I would imagine a stipulation is you have to have a covered reason.

Please share. This practice is insane.

practice is not insane...changing flights screws up bookings and planned loads.

One should make up their mind prior to the flight.

Many were taking advantage of when it was cheaper to book on a low cost day and move the flight to a premium day for a minor fee. Airlines caught on.

Hell people buy big screen TV's online then go out and buy one locally to use and return once the other comes...and if the store ends up being cheaper at the end of the wait...do a price match and refuse shipment on the online set.

It's just costing consumers that shop properly in the end.

Things change, it's not simply a matter of making up one's mind.

Is the flight < 4 weeks from now? Usually they do not charge for changes if it's the same exact itinerary. Sometimes they also don't charge if it's a change to a different airport within the vicinity.

Yes, changed from July 9 to the 10th.

 

[TrueBlueLS]

Spirit is in the process of trying to gouge me $180 for 2 tickets. They canceled my flight that I originally booked and moved me to the later flight. Nice to see they could have given me the option considering their site shows they still have tickets for the earlier flight.

 

[Rumpltzer]

Originally posted by: Wreckem

Originally posted by: Rumpltzer
Yeah, $150 for someone to type something into a computer. Stupid, huh? And what was it that caused it to go from $50 to $100 to $150 in the past six years??


I showed up for an international flight a few weeks ago and my bag weighed 60lbs. The limit was 70 or 75lbs at the beginning of the year, but they've changed it since then. I was told that I could repack my stuff in another bag if I wanted to (I only had one 60lb bag but they allow up to two 50lb bags). I didn't have another bag to put 10lbs of my stuff in, so I had to pay $50.

I pointed out that my one 60lb bag weighs the same as a 50lb bag and a 10lb bag and less than two 50lb bags. Logic does not work. Airlines need to screw their passengers to make money.

BTW, this was also on one of those full-fare, refundable tickets that companies buy through Amex so my company had already paid $1500 for the ticket. Did they really need my $50 for 60lbs in one bag?

I paid $120 to change an AA flight in 2001.

You got screwed. I paid AA $100 in 2004.

 

[Rumpltzer]

Originally posted by: QED

Originally posted by: Rumpltzer
Yeah, $150 for someone to type something into a computer. Stupid, huh?

Not that I agree with the how much they charge-- but the fee is probably meant to cover more than just the cost of typing something into a computer. For starters, the seat you held prior to the change was not able to be resold while you still held it-- meaning they now run a higher risk of flying with an empty seat-- which is money down the drain.

I'm guessing as airlines have reduced services to increase effeciency, the relative cost of an empty seat has gotten higher. They can recoup this increase by charging higher prices across the board, or by simply collecting more money from just the customers who contribute to the problem.

My ass. The seat he abandoned is no longer filled, but there had to have been a seat on the flight that he took away. It's a wash.

I guess I'm also jaded because I've been flying out of AA and UA out of LAX for the past nine years, and they're coming over the intercom begging people to take the $250 to $400 airline vouchers to give up their seats on about 30% of the flights I take.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Rumpltzer

Originally posted by: QED

Originally posted by: Rumpltzer
Yeah, $150 for someone to type something into a computer. Stupid, huh?

Not that I agree with the how much they charge-- but the fee is probably meant to cover more than just the cost of typing something into a computer. For starters, the seat you held prior to the change was not able to be resold while you still held it-- meaning they now run a higher risk of flying with an empty seat-- which is money down the drain.

I'm guessing as airlines have reduced services to increase effeciency, the relative cost of an empty seat has gotten higher. They can recoup this increase by charging higher prices across the board, or by simply collecting more money from just the customers who contribute to the problem.

My ass. The seat he abandoned is no longer filled, but there had to have been a seat on the flight that he took away. It's a wash.

I guess I'm also jaded because I've been flying out of AA and UA out of LAX for the past nine years, and they're coming over the intercom begging people to take the $250 to $400 airline vouchers to give up their seats on about 30% of the flights I take.

no, it's not a wash. some flights are more desirable than others, and some routes regbularly fly full and some empty. There is a value to that seat that changes if it's empty or full.