KevinB

I've been trying to change a flight - same routing, different day, and keep getting told by the 1K desk (at least 4 different agents) that I would have to refare the ticket (which I expected), but also pay a $100 change fee....

Now, since this is a $126 ticket, that seems a little steep....

One of the agents told me that since 9/11, everyone has to pay change fees... That sounded like too easy an answer....

Does anyone know the real story? I figure I'd go to the real experts here at FlyerTalk before I waste more time trying to change this ticket...

Any 1K's been able to change tickets recently without getting hit with the $100 fee?

KevinB

bagold

That is consistent with my experience.

If you try and change your outbound flight then you have to get a new ticket issued. Since your $126 ticket is probably non-refundable, you will cancel that ticket and use the $126 towards your new ticket with your new date. UA also charges a $100 fee for applying the old ticket to a new ticket.

*HighFlyah*

I've never had to pay $100 change fee - though I've been told I had to. I simply thanked the agent for their help and called back. Always works.



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When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci

gregseattle

I paid my first(!) change fees for trvl coming up at the end of the year, which seems to be a busy time to say the least. A return date switcheroo to a flight with no inventory of my class, a different city pair routing, and an extra overnight stay. Nothing big.

I also made _lots_ of changes during the year too, no fees. My situation is unique though, ...

So I really don't mind paying once in a while... it only seems fair in this case since I completely rewrote a new ticket with the changes I wanted to make. These were gratiously granted once we agreed that a change fee was reasonable.

[This message has been edited by gregseattle (edited 12-18-2001).]

Warrenlm

As we were told by UA in the chat session, their rez agents are empowered to waive change fees. There is no set policy specially for 1Ks. However, for the last few months we've been hearing that UA management has told all its agents that they should not waive the change fees because of the current financial problems. Anyone who gets by without paying now is getting a rare exception.

UA1KIND

I've had moderate success avoiding the $100 change fee simply by asking the agent if I can pay the fee at the airport upon check in as opposed to letting them charge it on the credit card used to purchase the ticket. The gate agent either forgets to charge me or chooses not to at least 50 percent of the time.

Nevada1K

Adjusting to the $100 change fee is very difficult for those of us who reqularly flew the now discontinued Shuttle, where there were no change fees on changes (refare was applicable in most instances).

On West Coast short hauls where UA still has service, a $100 change fee just doesn't make sense when the fare may be between $80-$140... ESPECIALLY when WN and even AA (on former Reno Air routes) DO NOT CHARGE a change fee.

This is a very sore point with me and because 99% of my flying is west coast short hauls (the former Shuttle markets), along with the absence of comp 1K upgrades, it is causing me to reevaluate whether I will stay with UA for these flights.

1P Rick

This has been my experience as well, albeit, I haven't had to change a ticket since 9/11.

BL1KITW

And for those of us former Shuttle flyers in RNO, we're back to having to fly thru the fog at SFO to get to LAX on UA.



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Biggest Little 1K (in The Biggest Little City) In The World

Ocn Vw 1K

I too am mainly a West Coast 1K and think we should all speak up to UA marketing about the import of keeping 1K comp U/Gs and other perks on these short haulers as well as returning real UA metal to the West. coast routes. I just sent an email to the 1K cust. svc. desk and got a polite reply that no decision had been made yet, but a promise to forward my concerns to the marketing folks.

izzik

Just wanted to mention that this post is by a lowly Premier.. okay, bias noted!

I think the change fee is fair for everyone, regardless of status. If it's not a full-fare ticket, then what do you expect?

<peeve>Isn't it funny how, out of all the elites, 1K's do the most complaining on here when it comes to status benefits?</peeve>

richard

izzik 1Ks spend 4 X as much time on UA planes and dealing with UA than premiers do, on average, so we have 4 X as much time to think up complaints.

Col_Man

I made a change last week for a my SMF-LAX-DEN flight yesterday. 1K line said they would collect the $100 at the counter. Well, when I got to the counter yesterday the gate agent claimed that "the computer will not allow me to print your boarding passes until after you've paid the $100". Either she was just giving me BS or those folks in UA's IT department can get software updates into their system pretty quick.

1Ksuperstar

Col_man, she wasn't giving you BS -- if you make a change and RES advises you of a $100 fee and you don't pay it with them, the system instructs agents to receive payment for A/C.

One word of advice/concern to people who have this call again technique. While that may work, becareful, because when agents pick up that you are doing this... they will note your record.

A when a note gets in that record, well, you'll never get anything waived that trip.

Interestingly enough, I had an itinerary that I just completed that I changed numerous times.

LAX-ORD-ATL
ATL-ORD-IAD > Changed to BWI, no charge.
BWI-ORD-LAX > Changed to oversold nonstop to LAX from BWI, no charge.

I made the change request to BWI at 1K res, they told me I could at no charge because BWI-IAD are co-terminals.

And, I asked at BWI when I arrived if I could fly home on the LAX nonstop. She was oversold in economy, but had tons of space of front and got me up there. Last night the flight was 1/2 full in First and full in Econ (757).

Depends on who you talk to I guess.

-Adam

cesco.g

....1Ks spending AT LEAST 4x more times on UA planes (typically I averaging 150k miles/year). I know of some 1Ks flying over 200'000 miles / 200 segments per year.