Economy Fares changes will increase COVID risk IMO
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2022
Programs: AA, SWA, Delta
Posts: 5
Economy Fares changes will increase COVID risk IMO
Since AA has decided to end changes on economy fares, I wonder how many people with Flu or COVID symptoms will just decide to travel anyways? I mean if you are on a budget in this crappy economy and you need to get somewhere there is now incentive to fly with COVID because that person maybe feels losing the fare is too costly. I fly a minimum 100x year and have logged 200 flights in one year but now switching back to SWA. SWA is a little cheaper anyways but was willing to pay a little extra for economy fares on AA. I don't want to be paying insurance or higher fares just so I can have the ability to change flights. At that cost SWA much cheaper. I guess AA will miss out on possibly 100 fares by me this upcoming year. Even if I decided to fly AA, the risk of other passengers now with COVID is definitely increased IMO. So, guess I will get back to getting herded onto SWA.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
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#4
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 3,698
Yes, I would just stop booking travel on AA if this was true, unless all the other airlines immediately matched. But DL indicated even before the pandemic they wanted to get away from these fees, so it seems unlikely that they'd pull the trigger on bringing them back.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2022
Programs: AA, SWA, Delta
Posts: 5
x No Changes allowed.
I have a ticket and asked to change and just found out. Change happened last month. So now you cannot even change with a fee. You FORFEIT the entire fare!!!!
Is AA assuming people on a budget that bought an economy ticket are just going to forfeit the fare if they get COVID symptoms? A few maybe but a bunch will just fly anyway.
In this current economy I don't see many people forfeiting their fare if they are sick. The people that can afford to lose the fare likely booked a different fare. The one's that
really cannot afford to forfeit the fare likely booked an economy fare and you will have them coughing next to you on a flight.
I am switching back to SWA. Too bad because I really like AA otherwise but this is a deal breaker.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2022
Programs: AA, SWA, Delta
Posts: 5
I am a traveling physician and my schedule changes. I often book a lot of tickets and have to change some periodically. AA was really sneaky about it. They posted it so obscurely when you book the economy fare you might miss it like I did. I might be ok with a reasonable change fee but now they make you just forfeit the fare or fly the flight you scheduled. You can do same day standby but if filled I was told you forfeit the fare. So, definitely going back to the cattle plane SWA. I would fly AA over SWA all things being equal with change of flights. My economy fares more on AA than SWA but I was still willing to pay increased fares on AA but not now with the possible forfeiture of fare.
Flu/COVID already picking up. I assume AA will have greater numbers with this policy.
Flu/COVID already picking up. I assume AA will have greater numbers with this policy.
#10
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: AA EXP, Hertz Gold Plus, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 338
Those restrictions only apply to AA Basic Economy fares, and that's been the related AA policy for a long time--not just since September--for travel on other AA fares for flights beginning in North or South America. That's a risk with buying the cheaper Basic Economy fare.
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2022
Programs: AA, SWA, Delta
Posts: 5
True but were allowing change up until SEPT
#13
formerly DreAAmliner
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 419
I would fly AA over SWA all things being equal with change of flights. My economy fares more on AA than SWA but I was still willing to pay increased fares on AA but not now with the possible forfeiture of fare.
Flu/COVID already picking up. I assume AA will have greater numbers with this policy.
Flu/COVID already picking up. I assume AA will have greater numbers with this policy.
Even pre-Covid, I would NEVER buy a basic economy fare, as the discounted price never made up for inflexibility.
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,574
I'm not sure I understand? If you prefer AA over SWA and you are comfortable paying more for AA (which you allude to), then why not just continue with AA on NON-Basic econ fares?
Even pre-Covid, I would NEVER buy a basic economy fare, as the discounted price never made up for inflexibility.
Even pre-Covid, I would NEVER buy a basic economy fare, as the discounted price never made up for inflexibility.