pinniped

I almost wonder if the travel industry will adapt to new norms around flexibility even after the pandemic ends.

For many trips/routes, there were two choice pre-pandemic: a very inflexible ticket, either not changeable at all or with a draconian penalty that often rendered the ticket useless if changed - or - a fully refundable ticket at an extremely high price, one so high that most corporate travelers don't even buy it.

There wasn't much in between, at least not on the major global alliance carriers. Regional players like Southwest and others have some better options.

I wonder if we'll just go right back to that later this year, or if some sort of new model will emerge.

It's probably going to be a full year or more before I'm willing to commit to a major booking that involves cash out of pocket that doesn't have good protections. (And no, I don't think airlines trying to push third-party travel insurance is the answer except perhaps in markets where travel insurance is very well regulated and trusted.)