May 1, 2013, 12:08 pm
Last edit by: Spiff
American Airlines has now matched UA, and then US, in establishing a $200 change fee for many domestic fares.
"Voluntary change to ticket made prior to day of travel
. . . . ● $75-$200 for domestic ticket
. . . . ● $150-$750 for international ticket
Charges apply when making a change to any ticket before the day of travel. Amount varies depending upon the type of ticket purchased."
Choice fares now state "CHANGES CHARGE USD 200.00 FOR REISSUE"
May 01, 2013
"Voluntary change to ticket made prior to day of travel
. . . . ● $75-$200 for domestic ticket
. . . . ● $150-$750 for international ticket
Charges apply when making a change to any ticket before the day of travel. Amount varies depending upon the type of ticket purchased."
Choice fares now state "CHANGES CHARGE USD 200.00 FOR REISSUE"
May 01, 2013
CONFIRMED: AA matches UA and US change fee ($200 for domestic) 1 May 2013
Apr 24, 2013, 2:15 pm
#1
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CONFIRMED: AA matches UA and US change fee ($200 for domestic) 1 May 2013
With US upping their change fee for domestic changes to $200 (following UAs lead), I guess this means that AA will just "inherit" this as part of the merger.
Apr 24, 2013, 2:21 pm
#2
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This post is premature, and is speculative only, and is certainly misleading and forward-looking. As the merger hasn't closed, AA is still a stand-alone airline, and its change fee remains $150.
Apr 24, 2013, 2:33 pm
#3
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What a terrible thread. 
Apr 24, 2013, 2:39 pm
#4
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Agreed. Please don't post something as fact when, it isn't.
Apr 24, 2013, 2:39 pm
#5
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If AA increases the change fee it would be for competitive reasons. Until the merger is approved Parker can't determine AA policy.
Apr 24, 2013, 2:50 pm
#6
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If it did come to pass, though, it would be one more reason to buy those discount, change fee-free F fares, though.
Apr 24, 2013, 2:52 pm
#7
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Since when is anything posted here (or on any forum on the Internet) taken blindly as fact?!?
I just thought it would make for interesting discussion. Now maybe AA can stay out of the fray for a few months, and distinguish itself with still "only" charging $150.
I just thought it would make for interesting discussion. Now maybe AA can stay out of the fray for a few months, and distinguish itself with still "only" charging $150.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:27 pm
#8
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Just so it isn't taken factually by mistake, we've changed the thread title. /Moderators
Originally Posted by TOS
Create Descriptive Titles - link to this guideline
Make thread titles as specific and descriptive as possible. Sometimes posters will start a thread with a very general title such as, "Guess what?" or "Strange airline policy". Be as helpful as possible in your thread titles, and if you want to improve or change your thread's title after you create it, ask a moderator in that forum for help.
Make thread titles as specific and descriptive as possible. Sometimes posters will start a thread with a very general title such as, "Guess what?" or "Strange airline policy". Be as helpful as possible in your thread titles, and if you want to improve or change your thread's title after you create it, ask a moderator in that forum for help.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:44 pm
#9
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I'd guess that if most of the competition, including the airline that is headed by AA's future CEO is doing this, then it's a matter of time before AA does it.
Apr 24, 2013, 3:53 pm
#10
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Apr 24, 2013, 4:11 pm
#11
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I'm sure they will match: after all, American Airlines is the network carrier that introduced the most hated of the fees, the one for baggage (and as a result of which everyone has to endure chaotic boarding and higher taxpayer-funded TSA carry-on screening costs).
Change fees are poorly disclosed during the purchase process, and as a result the vast majority of the purchasing public doesn't take them into consideration when making a purchase (other than with Southwest). If they don't match, AA would be leaving $$$$ on the table. And we all know that customer satisfaction is (at least up to bankruptcy) not important to AA.
To put it into perspective, the change fee has quadrupled from $50 in <20 years, and is getting to a level where it's higher than a lot of the nonrefundable fares, certainly the return portion of the average a round trip ticket. In other words, an increasing portion of tickets sold are fully non-changeable.
Thankfully, within the majors, domestic change fees on Southwest are ZERO, while they are $100 on AS ($75 if it does not involve AS reservations), B6, VX and F9.
Incidentally, UA's new fee (sneaked in without communications) is discussed at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...200-300-a.html. Par for the course for airlines, UA odiously lied and said that they are "an adjustment to better compensate for the costs incurred when a traveler elects not to fly in a reserved seat", which they are obviously not. Using that logic fuel surcharges would be refunded to customers not flying since they "represent cost savings generated when a traveler elects not to fly in a reserved seat", but they are not.
Change fees are poorly disclosed during the purchase process, and as a result the vast majority of the purchasing public doesn't take them into consideration when making a purchase (other than with Southwest). If they don't match, AA would be leaving $$$$ on the table. And we all know that customer satisfaction is (at least up to bankruptcy) not important to AA.
To put it into perspective, the change fee has quadrupled from $50 in <20 years, and is getting to a level where it's higher than a lot of the nonrefundable fares, certainly the return portion of the average a round trip ticket. In other words, an increasing portion of tickets sold are fully non-changeable.
Thankfully, within the majors, domestic change fees on Southwest are ZERO, while they are $100 on AS ($75 if it does not involve AS reservations), B6, VX and F9.
Incidentally, UA's new fee (sneaked in without communications) is discussed at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...200-300-a.html. Par for the course for airlines, UA odiously lied and said that they are "an adjustment to better compensate for the costs incurred when a traveler elects not to fly in a reserved seat", which they are obviously not. Using that logic fuel surcharges would be refunded to customers not flying since they "represent cost savings generated when a traveler elects not to fly in a reserved seat", but they are not.
Last edited by hillrider; Apr 24, 2013 at 4:20 pm
Apr 24, 2013, 9:33 pm
#12
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My experience is that it works a bit different in practice. It seems if you are on a a discounted fare and change the return they ALWAYS make you buy up to the Y or B fare due to lack of 7 day or 21 day availability - even on a Tuesday in the middle of January from Podunk to city in the middle of nowhere and the flight is half empty. I have always suspected they play games with inventory buckets so any changes to the return flights still garner them additional revenue.
Apr 24, 2013, 10:21 pm
#13
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Why don't they all just send more customers to Southwest. It kills me to say this but their business model just makes so much more sense at this point if you don't need coast to coast or international for business. I just got the Mrs a 50k bonus Southwest card and am working on a second companion pass. That is one of the few great frequent flyer deals still out there.
Apr 24, 2013, 10:31 pm
#14
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Apr 24, 2013, 10:44 pm
#15
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