US Airways Dividend Miles - Lowest price guarantee $100 rebooking fee for Preferred?

Happy Holidays DM FT'ers!

Does anyone know if the $100 rebooking fee for the Lowest Price Guarantee is waived for preferred members? I read on an old thread (yes, I always do a search first!) that the newly rebooked tickets may not be eligible for upgrades. Is this also true?

Thanks and best wishes for the New Year!

Nottooshabby

It is not waived for Preferreds.

Wow, thanks for the quick reply me4y! Hope you had a gr8 holiday!

I rebooked and got an upgrade.

Nope, sadly the change fee is not waived. I just recently did this; was shocked that my fare decreased so much that I was actually able to take advantage of the low price guarantee (you can have it, but it's gonna cost ya...ridiculous).

They send a paper voucher (not a refund) which was always a pain in the past since you actually have to go to the airport (within a day or so of making the reservation) to turn it in to use it, but from what they tell me, new policy put in effect last week dictates that's not the case any longer. Very cool.

All that having been said, even though I put myself on the upgrade list in August when I made the reservation, now I'm in the back of the line. It's as if I just made the reservation this week. Drat. Well, I rarely got upgraded when I was Chairman, so why would I believe I'd have a chance of getting upgraded as a Gold. Next year I'll have no status with USAir unfortunately.

Good luck, and happy holiday's all!

This new $100 voucher issue fee is absolutely absurd.

I made a change to resv on Jan 16th, paid $200 in chg fees (2 on itinerary). Woke up morning of the 17th, the total fare difference for idenitcal itinerary was $184.70.

I called Platinum desk to request a voucher refunding difference... I was informed that each voucher would cost me $100 and they kept using the word "change". I foolishly debated that I am not requesting another "change" to itinerary, so why am I being charged another change fee.

Cust svc replied "...that is how the policy reads. I don't agree with it..."

Yet another reason why this airline has lost my loyalty. Upper managment must be riddled with swindlers.

Does anyone know how to file a complain with DOT online?

File a DOT complaint here (http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm)

Jim

File a DOT complaint here (http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm)

Jim

I guess I need to add this back to my signature! I was trying to be more positive about airline travel in 2008! :D

File a DOT complaint here (http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm)

Jim

Thanks. I just reported this "Low Fare Guarantee" lie to the DOT.

It's a lie because if, for example, my itinerary drops $80 and I ask for my guaranteed low fare, it would cost me an extra $20 to get the "low fare."

Thank you all for your suggestions.

I had already sent an email to US Airways Customer Relations (most certainly it will fall on blind eyes) and the BBB.

I'll also file a complaint w/ DOT.

I just spoke to someone at the Executive Offices about this issue. The woman on the phone actually said this (I'm paraphrasing a bit): "Keep in mind that the Low Fare Guarantee also assures you that once you buy your ticket, US will not charge you extra if the fare increases."

My God.

When I told her that Best Buy doesn't charge a fee when you show them that another store charges less for the same item, she said that "we need to compare apples to apples; Southwest charges a lower-fare-match fee, too". When I told her that we need to compare all apples, I informed her that not all airlines charge a fee for a price match. She went on to say that "US is a low-cost business-traveler airline, so we can't compare US's policies to all airlines."

Wow.

I just spoke to someone at the Executive Offices about this issue. The woman on the phone actually said this (I'm paraphrasing a bit): "Keep in mind that the Low Fare Guarantee also assures you that once you buy your ticket, US will not charge you extra if the fare increases."

She must be a former-employee of AWA. No exec/asst of the US that I knew & grew to love would have provided such an absurd response.

And this entire low-cost carrier campaign... it just struck me... it means low corporate costs, not low consumer costs.

Gotta say that I agree with US on this one (sort of). Price guarantees, even in retail outlets (such as clothing stores, department stores, etc) are not an open-ended arrangement. For example, you can't simply walk into the Gap and purchase a pair of pants, then return for a price adjustment when they go on clearance in a couple of months. Why should I expect to be able to do the same thing with my airfare? Most retail policies allow for a one-time price adjustment within X number of days (typically 7, 14, or 30 days).

That said, airline fare structures are much different. As we all know, unlike retail, fares are very fluid and can rise and fall (even on the same day) depending on availability. IMO, this calls for a different strategy for any price guarantee offering. While I don't necessarily agree with the current US policy, I do think that they are certainly in the right with trying to limit their price guarantee. Perhaps instead of moving to a fee-based system (i.e. $100 for a change), they could simply limit the time in which you could request a price adjustment. I would suggest a short time frame (something like 7 days, perhaps?) and a one-time price adjustment model. Although I'm sure this would never come to fruition, it certainly doesn't hurt to dream...

Gotta say that I agree with US on this one (sort of). Price guarantees, e Perhaps instead of moving to a fee-based system (i.e. $100 for a change), they could simply limit the time in which you could request a price adjustment. I would suggest a short time frame (something like 7 days, perhaps?) and a one-time price adjustment model. Although I'm sure this would never come to fruition, it certainly doesn't hurt to dream...

Now that would actually make sense. But presently calling it a Low Fare Guarantee is deception.

There was less than a 12-hour difference between booked reservation and fare change.

IMHO, this is yet another example of those infamous US pricing glitches which have taken advantage of the consumer since the conversion to SHARES (Qik).

She went on to say that "US is a low-cost business-traveler airline, so we can't compare US's policies to all airlines."
Wow.

ROFL! :D Business-traveler airline my you-know-what!

FYI...

The DOT responded quite quickly.

DOT prohibits an airline from increasing a fare once itinerary is booked but does not mandate airlines to offer refunds should lower fares prevail.

I hope my filing with the Arizona BBB has some impact.

FYI...

The DOT responded quite quickly.

DOT prohibits an airline from increasing a fare once itinerary is booked but does not mandate airlines to offer refunds should lower fares prevail.


Sure, but isn't the point of the complaint that US is charging a fee in order for a customer to "save" money?

Not sure if this is a DOT issue but it might be an FTC issue as it is clearly false advertising to offer a low price guarantee and not disclose all the fees.

I haven't looked at their advertising in a while, but do they disclose the fee?

Sean

Not sure if this is a DOT issue but it might be an FTC issue as it is clearly false advertising to offer a low price guarantee and not disclose all the fees.

I haven't looked at their advertising in a while, but do they disclose the fee?

Sean

This is the policy (http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/specialneeds/ticketingpolicies/default.aspx):
Lower Fare Guarantee
When a new lower fare becomes available after a ticket has been purchased, customers are entitled to a Lower Fare Guarantee refund within the following guidelines:

* The lower fare is available for the exact itinerary previously purchased.
* No portion of the reservation has been flown.
* This policy does not apply to transatlantic or transpacific travel.
* Lower Fare Guarantee refunds are not available for online ticket exchanges. Certain promotional fares may be excluded.

We will deduct a $100 service fee and apply residual funds in the form of a US voucher. Additional rules and restrictions may apply. Call our Reservations Desk to seek a Lower Fare Guarantee.