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Waiver for Tickets Purchased Through 12/31/2020

Old Mar 11, 2020, 10:41 pm
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Last edit by: hur88
Alaska Airlines is waiving change fees both for flights ticketed on or before Feb 26 (for original travel dates until May 31) and for flights ticketed after Feb 26 (for original travel dates until Feb 28, 2021).

Excerpted from the associated FAQ:

What if I used miles? If you used miles to purchase your ticket, for travel in March, well re-deposit the miles in your Mileage Plan account.

What if I used a companion fare? If you cancel your reservations entirely, and if it included a companion certificate, we will reinstate your certificate with original expiration date or June 30, 2020, whichever comes later. Please call Reservations for assistance with canceling tickets using companion certificates

What do I do if Ive already paid the change fee? If you traveled or are traveling between February 27, 2020 and May 31, 2020 and you were charged an out of pocket change fee, please contact Reservations. Well take care of the change fee to your original form of payment.




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Waiver for Tickets Purchased Through 12/31/2020

Old Feb 28, 2020, 6:04 pm
  #16  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
Originally Posted by ab2013
Thanks! (No change fee but fare diff applies?)
That's my understanding, yes. So if more expensive flight, you'd pay more. If less expensive than your original flight, you'd get the remaining back as My Wallet credit, with expiration by end of calendar year.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 12:26 pm
  #17  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,350
I just had to cancel a weekend trip to SoCal, woke up with 2 kids with fevers and the other two of us with clear signs of illness. I pushed the flights out by paying for same day change to see if we could get to the doctors in the morning and potentially salvage. Three ear infections diagnosed. I eventually got our same day change fee refunded, but no flexibility at all on the underlying tickets, we just had to kiss them goodbye. I would love to have seen the situation if we showed up in our current condition on the plane, I have to guess that would have made our fellow passengers uncomfortable. I told the agents I was speaking with that I was not taking the flight this afternoon as much for public safety as for our own preferences. Since I booked 2 one ways, I will check in for the return and at least inflict a bit annoyance on them at the gate on Monday morning when they have to deal with us not boarding, and at least prevent them from reselling those seats over the weekend.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 12:58 pm
  #18  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
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Posts: 7,817
Originally Posted by stephem
I just had to cancel a weekend trip to SoCal, woke up with 2 kids with fevers and the other two of us with clear signs of illness. I pushed the flights out by paying for same day change to see if we could get to the doctors in the morning and potentially salvage. Three ear infections diagnosed. I eventually got our same day change fee refunded, but no flexibility at all on the underlying tickets, we just had to kiss them goodbye. I would love to have seen the situation if we showed up in our current condition on the plane, I have to guess that would have made our fellow passengers uncomfortable. I told the agents I was speaking with that I was not taking the flight this afternoon as much for public safety as for our own preferences. Since I booked 2 one ways, I will check in for the return and at least inflict a bit annoyance on them at the gate on Monday morning when they have to deal with us not boarding, and at least prevent them from reselling those seats over the weekend.
Why do you want to inflict pain on AS for adhering to the rules of the ticket you bought and now don’t want to fly because your kids have ear infections? How is that any different than anyone else wanting to not fly because they have a cold or sprained an ankle or a sick dog or whatever? If you need the flexibility, buy flexible tickets. But if you buy non refundable tickets and then want to cancel, why blame the airline and try to inflict pain on them for that? Own your (correct) decision not to fly and don’t be so petty as to blame AS for not letting you cancel for free when you bought non-ref tickets and then try to punish them and other flyers who may want to buy those seats. I just don’t get that. That’s what travel insurance is for. If you had non-transferrable concert tickets, do you think you’d get a refund from them because your kid is sick?
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 1:15 pm
  #19  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,350
In normal times we would have gone, we really were trying to be respectful of people around us. And as far as putting the screws to the airline, give me a reason i should cancel and let them resell the tickets? There are a few threads on the Delta forum about this. They are our seats, why should the carrier be allowed to resell them?
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 1:18 pm
  #20  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
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Originally Posted by stephem
In normal times we would have gone, we really were trying to be respectful of people around us. And as far as putting the screws to the airline, give me a reason i should cancel and let them resell the tickets? There are a few threads on the Delta forum about this. They are our seats, why should the carrier be allowed to resell them?
Because those are the rules you agreed to when you bought the tickets. You would seriously have flown with three kids with ear infections even if this happened last year? Regardless, that’s your choice. But why blame the airline and try to hurt them because you bought inflexible tickets and no insurance and then wanted the flexibility? Overbooking and reselling for no-shows or non refundable cancellations is what keeps prices down for all of us. Just own the decisions you made and move on. Don’t be petty and try to ‘punish’ the airline when they did nothing wrong.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 1:52 pm
  #21  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
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Originally Posted by Finkface
Because those are the rules you agreed to when you bought the tickets. You would seriously have flown with three kids with ear infections even if this happened last year? Regardless, thats your choice. But why blame the airline and try to hurt them because you bought inflexible tickets and no insurance and then wanted the flexibility? Overbooking and reselling for no-shows or non refundable cancellations is what keeps prices down for all of us. Just own the decisions you made and move on. Dont be petty and try to punish the airline when they did nothing wrong.
Thats your opinion, my opinion is if more people do what I dothen the airlines will find some incentive to figure out how to get us to tell them far in advance that we are Not going to use the tickets and they will be able to resell them. I know the rules are the rules, but Im a smart consumer and I have the right do use the tickets as I see them and maybe if enough people do this the airlines will find someway to meet us halfway. Having a uniform cancellation fee for all tickets including these relatively short West Coast routes makes no sense, Im just doing my part to show Alaska and Delta that is the case. And Im not alone, as I said theres a few threads over on the Delta forum about other people who teach us this.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 1:53 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by stephem
Thats your opinion, my opinion is if more people do what I dothen the airlines will find some incentive to figure out how to get us to tell them far in advance that we are Not going to use the tickets and they will be able to resell them. I know the rules are the rules, but Im a smart consumer and I have the right do use the tickets as I see them and maybe if enough people do this the airlines will find someway to meet us halfway. Having a uniform cancellation fee for all tickets including these relatively short West Coast routes makes no sense, Im just doing my part to show Alaska and Delta that is the case. And Im not alone, as I said theres a few threads over on the Delta forum about other people who teach us this.
This is why we cant have nice things.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 2:10 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
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Originally Posted by Finkface
This is why we cant have nice things.
I think people not questioning the airlines practice is why we cant have nice things. If enough pressure were put to bear on the airlines, they would see the ability to resell our seats at the last minute rates, probably $350 each in this case, would justify lowering change fees or giving a token $50 credit. And on these short west coast routes that would make lots of sense for them.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 5:13 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SEA, NW/DL 1.6Million Miler
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Posts: 4,262
With first CoViD19 death in Washington and more awaiting positive confirmation, wouldnt surprise me if Seattle based Alaska to extending this waiver. DL can easily and quickly curtail flights in/out of seattle with minimal impact but AS is too invested in Seattle flying.

Jiburi
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 5:15 pm
  #25  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
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Originally Posted by stephem
I think people not questioning the airlines practice is why we cant have nice things. If enough pressure were put to bear on the airlines, they would see the ability to resell our seats at the last minute rates, probably $350 each in this case, would justify lowering change fees or giving a token $50 credit. And on these short west coast routes that would make lots of sense for them.
I think you are being incredulous. You knowingly purchased a non-refundable ticket, declined the option to insure your purchase and are now upset with AS because you chose not to fly. Didn't you say AS refunded your SDC fees? How anti-customer service is that? Isn't a SDC just a lower change fee for same day travel?

As far as not allowing AS to resell "your" seats on the return, AS will just fill them last minute with standby passengers when you no show and resell their later day seats. Now that is really "showing" them, isn't it?

James
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 7:25 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
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Originally Posted by Flying for Fun
I think you are being incredulous. You knowingly purchased a non-refundable ticket, declined the option to insure your purchase and are now upset with AS because you chose not to fly. Didn't you say AS refunded your SDC fees? How anti-customer service is that? Isn't a SDC just a lower change fee for same day travel?

As far as not allowing AS to resell "your" seats on the return, AS will just fill them last minute with standby passengers when you no show and resell their later day seats. Now that is really "showing" them, isn't it?

James
That's not how it works on the west coast routes. Yes, people from standby will get on, but economy seats on these routes 2-3 days out are $450 each way. They arent getting to resell my 4 seats at $450 each, that's for sure. I have watched AS's flights carefully, there isnt much day of departure selling at all and these flights are routinely booked solid, so they would love to have the inventory back to resell a few days in advance.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 7:36 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by stephem
That's not how it works on the west coast routes. Yes, people from standby will get on, but economy seats on these routes 2-3 days out are $450 each way. They arent getting to resell my 4 seats at $450 each, that's for sure. I have watched AS's flights carefully, there isnt much day of departure selling at all and these flights are routinely booked solid, so they would love to have the inventory back to resell a few days in advance.
Just show up at the airport and get yourself declared unfit to fly. It can't be that hard. With everyone on edge about coronavirus, a couple of good coughs should do it.

Also, why are you having to kiss $450 tickets goodbye? They are not basic economy (you said you SDCed). Can't you cancel, pay $125/ticket, and get $325/ticket in your AS wallet?
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 8:17 pm
  #28  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
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Posts: 7,817
Originally Posted by VegasGambler
Just show up at the airport and get yourself declared unfit to fly. It can't be that hard. With everyone on edge about coronavirus, a couple of good coughs should do it.
Seriously? This is what some members of this forum have stooped to? Advising people to fake an illness that has the world on edge (rightly or wrongly) in hopes of terrifying enough people that they can scam a refund they aren’t entitled to? Whatever happened to integrity and personal responsibility? His kids have ear infections, not Covid19. Sadly, that is what this site has sunk to with members suggesting this type of crap. Unbelievable.
Also, why are you having to kiss $450 tickets goodbye? They are not basic economy (you said you SDCed). Can't you cancel, pay $125/ticket, and get $325/ticket in your AS wallet?
Oh but then poor snowflake would be out $125 rather than scamming it for free.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 8:22 pm
  #29  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
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Posts: 3,284
Originally Posted by stephem
I just had to cancel a weekend trip to SoCal, woke up with 2 kids with fevers and the other two of us with clear signs of illness. I pushed the flights out by paying for same day change to see if we could get to the doctors in the morning and potentially salvage. Three ear infections diagnosed. I eventually got our same day change fee refunded, but no flexibility at all on the underlying tickets, we just had to kiss them goodbye. I would love to have seen the situation if we showed up in our current condition on the plane, I have to guess that would have made our fellow passengers uncomfortable. I told the agents I was speaking with that I was not taking the flight this afternoon as much for public safety as for our own preferences. Since I booked 2 one ways, I will check in for the return and at least inflict a bit annoyance on them at the gate on Monday morning when they have to deal with us not boarding, and at least prevent them from reselling those seats over the weekend.
Originally Posted by VegasGambler
Just show up at the airport and get yourself declared unfit to fly. It can't be that hard. With everyone on edge about coronavirus, a couple of good coughs should do it.

Also, why are you having to kiss $450 tickets goodbye? They are not basic economy (you said you SDCed). Can't you cancel, pay $125/ticket, and get $325/ticket in your AS wallet?
4 pax from SEA-SoCal on one-way non-refundable tickets. The change fee is going to eat the value.

And your advice is insane. As is the poster's actions. But his post history shows he does it on DL, and seems to enjoy it.

Sometimes I really hate this world.
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Old Feb 29, 2020, 8:45 pm
  #30  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
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Originally Posted by stephem
That's not how it works on the west coast routes. Yes, people from standby will get on, but economy seats on these routes 2-3 days out are $450 each way. They arent getting to resell my 4 seats at $450 each, that's for sure. I have watched AS's flights carefully, there isnt much day of departure selling at all and these flights are routinely booked solid, so they would love to have the inventory back to resell a few days in advance.
Have you ever heard of overselling Y and underselling F? AS already sells "your" seat twice; the second time most likely at a higher fare. Educate yourself & start with the contractual obligations you signed off on. Consider earning Status with AS, they do treat Elites very well, until then, you can wait for that jar full of $50 bills at the gate you can exchange your ticket for. I am sure the shareholders would be more than happy with that.

James
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