Yes, I know there are plenty of other threads on this topic but I have to rant to a sympathetic crowd.

I am scheduled to fly to Germany in a few hours but I seem to have picked up my dad's flu. I call the Elite line, asking them if it would be possible for me to change my ticket because I am sick (and "yes, I can provide a doctors note if needed").

The first answer the agent gave me was "of course! As long as you make a new reservation and apply the balance before you fly. No change fees." Well that sounded like a great option and I hung up without making any changes.

I called back the next day and, ironically, spoke to the exact same Elite phone agent. This time I had my new itinerary in mind. I casually mentioned "I've gotten conflicting answers from different agents & CTO people about use-it-or-lose-it", so the Elite agent promptly puts me on hold for about 20 minutes before I have a chance to say anything else. She comes back and passes the judgement: "yes, you DO have to pay a $200 change fee and any new ticket you get has to be equal or above the original fare paid".

Well $#$@$@$@# them! Not only would I have to pay $200 in cash, but the next highest fare above the one $20 less than my original fare paid is over $100 more (so all in all a hit of at least $300). It looks highly likely I will be flying sick after all (this depends on whether the girlfriend has also caught the same flu bug that I have).

All the major airlines have colluded to make this rotten change, where they can extort even more money out of customers, even ones that are too sick (or distressed, or whatever) to fly. Where are the lawyers and the class action suits for this one? I want to sign right up.