UA Permanently Eliminates Change Fees - Will AA Follow?
Aug 30, 2020, 2:08 pm
#1
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UA Permanently Eliminates Change Fees - Will AA Follow?
Effectively immediately, change fees will no longer apply on all standard economy and premium-cabin tickets for travel within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This change is permanent — even once the pandemic is behind us, change fees won’t apply to these tickets. With that, United will join Southwest as the only big U.S. carriers that allow flyers to make changes without paying a fee.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...term=editorial
https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...term=editorial
Last edited by controller1; Aug 30, 2020 at 2:21 pm
Aug 30, 2020, 2:37 pm
#2
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Well, we all know that “permanent” really means “permanent until it’s not.” Still, it’s a brilliant move by UA from a publicity perspective, and I have to imagine that AA will have to follow suit. It’s also a big revenue loss, but that revenue is gone for the time being in any event, and if and when demand returns, they can choose to reimplement the fee or find some way to replace it, with higher fares or otherwise.
Aug 30, 2020, 2:43 pm
#3
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Effectively immediately, change fees will no longer apply on all standard economy and premium-cabin tickets for travel within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This change is permanent — even once the pandemic is behind us, change fees won’t apply to these tickets. With that, United will join Southwest as the only big U.S. carriers that allow flyers to make changes without paying a fee.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...term=editorial
https://thepointsguy.com/news/united...term=editorial
Aug 30, 2020, 2:55 pm
#4
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One of the interesting aspects is you don't get a refund/voucher/etc for changing to a lower fare flight.
Aug 30, 2020, 3:05 pm
#5
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right. while a vast majority will not leave significant amounts of money on the table from a change ($100 lost for a cheaper fare being changed to for example...) i know i have recently "not cared" about losing $10 here or there for a handful of flight changes and while i have the vouchers available, im not going to remember that i have $7 here, $12 there etc etc...and imagine they know there are many more like me who either dont care or dont know they would be able to use that value.
Aug 30, 2020, 3:29 pm
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Aug 30, 2020, 3:40 pm
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Aug 30, 2020, 3:46 pm
#8
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I doubt any AA pricing analysts/managers are both A) working today when UA presumably filed fare rules changes to eliminate change fees and B) posting here.
And an AA match today doesn't mean it will stick. Any more than UA's "permanent" action won't be rescinded in whole or in part, quickly or slowly... Strong chance UA doesn't even follow itself!
Last edited by Herb687; Aug 30, 2020 at 3:48 pm Reason: add content
Aug 30, 2020, 3:57 pm
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Aug 30, 2020, 4:08 pm
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Yeah, this is nothing more than a measure to stop having to constantly extend the no change fee waivers.
But marketing did it's job to spin it up into being some huge customer service gesture.
But marketing did it's job to spin it up into being some huge customer service gesture.
Aug 30, 2020, 4:21 pm
#11
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I'm sorry that you feel the thread is completely pointless. I wasn't opining on the message when I posted the thread. It was for informational purposes.
Aug 30, 2020, 4:32 pm
#12
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Since most of this forum seems to appreciate uninformed speculation threads, let me throw this out there to invite further guesses:
"If AA follows, what's the over/under on when that elimination of change fees will be rescinded?"
Titling it "Will AA Follow?" makes it seem like it was for speculative purposes!
Last edited by Herb687; Aug 30, 2020 at 4:34 pm Reason: multi-quote
Aug 30, 2020, 4:42 pm
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Aug 30, 2020, 4:48 pm
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So sure, it may not be permanent, who knows. But it's smart marketing by UA and sets a normally forgettable airline apart.
Aug 30, 2020, 5:21 pm
#15
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I wonder if the difference between basic economy and economy will be greater now. On some routes it was very close.