to actually change or cancel an award?

All these "how much" threads got me to thinking... when I change an award, it is invariably a 1-3 minute transaction. Changing the date or time only comes in at the low end of that 1-3 minute, changing the itinerary towards the other end.

So how does such a minute transaction value out at a cost of $25/minute? Given that most award tickets are e-tickets, and that the majority of expense involves an employee doing some key-punching, where does that money go?

If they said were losing lots of money and we have to start making some, somewhere, I'd most likely have little problem with it. But they've now explicity stated that it is a cost recover move. So if that's the case -- that they incur $75 of expense to change an award reservation -- then they're already in way too deep, and there is no hope of recovery.

Of course, I just presume this is another example of being less than honest with customers.

Assuming the wage of the agents are around $15-$20/hour, I think we get the right to keep them on the phone for 1.5 hours if they are charging us $25 per change.

I agree with Empress. Perhaps I could chat with the agent over my lunch if I am bored one day.

I wish I could answer the actual $ figure, but I wouldn't have a clue as to how it is calculated. Oh, and Fisch, as much as I would love to chat with you, please remember your lunch hour chat idea next time you call in and do not get a live voice on the line as quickly as you should. Sadly, there are a lot of "chatters" out there who seem to call for no purpose at all except that. And now with the cold weather just around the corner, well, don't ask me how many people call and say they want to go "somewhere hot" [b]right away.[b] This seems to be an extrememly popular thing to do as soon as Christmas vacation or spring break is upon us.

Figure:

1) Agent salary
2) Rent on the premises
3) Computer equipment
4) Utilities (heat, light, power) for the call centre. And the MIS centre)
5) CPU time on the mainframe (every microsecond counts)
6) Directly attributable overheads, including employee benefits, financing costs on the MIS,

etc. etc. etc.

Don't worry CPYVR... I am very direct and to the point with AP agents. I usually know exactly which flight I want, and its just a matter of booking and often instant KKing the flights. Then I'm done!

Well, I got my "money's worth" last week then - I had the agent on the phone for a hour (long distance at my expense!) booking a reward ticket ex-WAS. Not as simple as it sounds, as all flight have to route over Montreal, in spite of a lack of inventory in the system for DCA, which means IAD out and BWI in unless you really work the system and OVERNIGHT each way in Montreal, as I had to do. Grrrrrrrr.

My four day trip wound up being 30 hours at my destination, counting touch down on the runway and take off the next day.