The real problem, $150 reward change fee, not the 500 minimum
Sep 27, 2008, 10:49 am
#61
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: CO Gold; SPG Gold***; AvisFirst;
Posts: 3,970
How about a small compromise... as the issue (for me, anyway) is lining up 4 tickets on the same flight and same class at the same time... what if the fee were waived if you are cleared onto alternate waitlisted itineraries where the waitlist is made at the time the original flights were booked, or 330 days from the return flight.
Some areas where the fee just doesn't work:
1. Grab outbound at the 330 mark, but return isn't bookable yet.
2. Book multiple travelers, but no single flight has 4 award seats at the time of booking.
3. Book coach, waitlist for business... split PNR's as this must usually be one at a time.
I understand the arguments about holding a seat that could have been sold... but given the way seats are doled out, it just doesn't work.
Some areas where the fee just doesn't work:
1. Grab outbound at the 330 mark, but return isn't bookable yet.
2. Book multiple travelers, but no single flight has 4 award seats at the time of booking.
3. Book coach, waitlist for business... split PNR's as this must usually be one at a time.
I understand the arguments about holding a seat that could have been sold... but given the way seats are doled out, it just doesn't work.
Sep 27, 2008, 5:31 pm
#62
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: CO Plat, Starwood Plat, Hyatt Plat, Hilton Diamond, CO Pres. Plus, Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 1,213
This puts CO at such a level of gouging the very people who fly with them on a regular basis that it's tantamount to saying, "Go elsewhere." Which is exactly what they want, or for people to give up on using their miles for CO rewards.
If I weren't Plat, I'd either live with whatever reward flights I managed to get, or I'd just give up using them for CO flights, and I'd transfer them out to a hotel group or the like.
This move, along with the 25% bonus reduction are just wrong.
If I weren't Plat, I'd either live with whatever reward flights I managed to get, or I'd just give up using them for CO flights, and I'd transfer them out to a hotel group or the like.
This move, along with the 25% bonus reduction are just wrong.
Sep 27, 2008, 6:13 pm
#63
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: MIA
Programs: AA-Plat, SAS Gold, Marriott-Gold, Hilton-DIA,SPG-Gold
Posts: 160
well i agrre with the others you never get the perfect award ticket the 1st time
you gotta fine tune it. And speaking of changing things that work, what happened to the courtesy hold? this was a major reason i loved co
you gotta fine tune it. And speaking of changing things that work, what happened to the courtesy hold? this was a major reason i loved co
Sep 28, 2008, 5:11 pm
#64
Join Date: May 2004
Location: US
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 973
During the time you "had" the seat..it nonetheless prevented someone else from having it..The fee is not only fair in my opinion..I think it might be worth considering for you loose all the miles on a ticket unless you had used the standard reward..Maybe they could consider that in the future,that way they could have more of a handle on things.
It would be great if CO availability is good or if they release their seats 6 months in advance. But it is impossible to predict when they will release the seats - it could be 3 months before or 4 weeks prior to the flight.
I would be willing to live with $50 for Gold and $75 for Silver for the change/redeposit fees.
Sep 30, 2008, 1:07 pm
#65
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: In the air or in a hotel
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 94
It does not appear that you ever changed flights or redeposited the award. Perhaps your plan are firm.
It would be great if CO availability is good or if they release their seats 6 months in advance. But it is impossible to predict when they will release the seats - it could be 3 months before or 4 weeks prior to the flight.
I would be willing to live with $50 for Gold and $75 for Silver for the change/redeposit fees.
It would be great if CO availability is good or if they release their seats 6 months in advance. But it is impossible to predict when they will release the seats - it could be 3 months before or 4 weeks prior to the flight.
I would be willing to live with $50 for Gold and $75 for Silver for the change/redeposit fees.
No. It actually appears that CAL PHL FLYER is an expert troll trying to stir things up with over the top comments.
Sep 30, 2008, 5:30 pm
#66
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,866
It does not appear that you ever changed flights or redeposited the award. Perhaps your plan are firm.
It would be great if CO availability is good or if they release their seats 6 months in advance. But it is impossible to predict when they will release the seats - it could be 3 months before or 4 weeks prior to the flight.
I would be willing to live with $50 for Gold and $75 for Silver for the change/redeposit fees.
It would be great if CO availability is good or if they release their seats 6 months in advance. But it is impossible to predict when they will release the seats - it could be 3 months before or 4 weeks prior to the flight.
I would be willing to live with $50 for Gold and $75 for Silver for the change/redeposit fees.
Oct 2, 2008, 12:14 pm
#67
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: EWR, ORD, IAH, LGA
Programs: UA GS, AA CK, DL PLT, HH DIA, MARRIOTT PLT, FAIRMONT LT PLT, HYATT DIA, SIXT PLT, AVIS PC
Posts: 506
I agree with the OP 500 Minimum is nothing compared to $150 reward change fee. How many times have you booked a flight with the time or date that you did not really want waiting for the perfect time to open up. Reward tickets are hard enough to come by this fee makes it impossible for anyone who is not Platinum to use their miles unless the moon is in the right alignment. Seriously this is a massive devaluation of points and at least if Continental would allow the change of date and routing as long the original Departure and Arrival city stayed the same it would be somewhat fair.
Oct 2, 2008, 1:12 pm
#68
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,716
"It does not appear that you ever changed flights or redeposited the award. Perhaps your plan are firm. "
Nobody's plans are that firm. You're one accident/illness away from missing travel plans. I just booked an award ticket today and am stunned by this change/redeposit fee. It's pure gouging by CO. That they don't offer any discount to a gold or silver member is an INSULT. Pure and simple. No doubt COInsider is staying far away from this thread.
It's funny that people rave on here about the new cookies in the President's Club and lifetime status which really has no benefit, but when it comes to things like they they are mum.
This is CO straight up screwing its members. They've done it before with reduced EQM for those who can't book on their site and now they're doing it again. COInsider can feel free to step in and try to defend this. October just hit, so I'm pretty sure my plan of attack is going to Alaska's plan. I'll miss out on upgrades when I fly NW, but given that I rarely fly on actual CO metal because of their 50% EQM policy, I don't think it's a big price to pay.
I guess this is what CO members can expect as CO moves towards being bed buddies with United. UA has always screwed its domestic frequent flyers. It seems like CO is starting to do the same.
Nobody's plans are that firm. You're one accident/illness away from missing travel plans. I just booked an award ticket today and am stunned by this change/redeposit fee. It's pure gouging by CO. That they don't offer any discount to a gold or silver member is an INSULT. Pure and simple. No doubt COInsider is staying far away from this thread.
It's funny that people rave on here about the new cookies in the President's Club and lifetime status which really has no benefit, but when it comes to things like they they are mum.
This is CO straight up screwing its members. They've done it before with reduced EQM for those who can't book on their site and now they're doing it again. COInsider can feel free to step in and try to defend this. October just hit, so I'm pretty sure my plan of attack is going to Alaska's plan. I'll miss out on upgrades when I fly NW, but given that I rarely fly on actual CO metal because of their 50% EQM policy, I don't think it's a big price to pay.
I guess this is what CO members can expect as CO moves towards being bed buddies with United. UA has always screwed its domestic frequent flyers. It seems like CO is starting to do the same.
Oct 2, 2008, 5:41 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
Does CO allow a hold on awards?
Oct 2, 2008, 5:47 pm
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Francisco/Tel Aviv/YYZ
Programs: CO 1K-MM
Posts: 10,762
no, they don't (anymore)
Oct 3, 2008, 6:05 am
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
An agent just said that CO allows a 3 day hold if there isn't sufficient miles in the account.
Oct 3, 2008, 6:09 am
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
I hope Co allows a hold once they join *.
Oct 3, 2008, 7:23 am
#73
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York NY
Programs: UA Gold, CO Plat, CO Million Miler
Posts: 2,617
CO.COM is still showing actual mileage earning for flights under 500 miles vs. 500 miles under "One Pass Changes for 2009."
I agree that the charges are really onerous especially in the case of "fine tuning" a flight to a non-stop or a more convenient time of day when the departure and arrival cities are the same. I recently booked BF to CDG in February. CO has three flights a day. One is a 777 and had BF seats available. The other flights are 757s which were not available for upgrade/reward travel probably due to their more limited seating. However, I wouldn't be suprised to see availability become available a few days before the flight and I would have like to change. I won't. All this does is tick me off. CO doesn't earn any money, even a token fee (say $35), I fly on a less convenient flight, and I have a bad taste in my mouth. So who's the winner? Nobody.
I agree that the charges are really onerous especially in the case of "fine tuning" a flight to a non-stop or a more convenient time of day when the departure and arrival cities are the same. I recently booked BF to CDG in February. CO has three flights a day. One is a 777 and had BF seats available. The other flights are 757s which were not available for upgrade/reward travel probably due to their more limited seating. However, I wouldn't be suprised to see availability become available a few days before the flight and I would have like to change. I won't. All this does is tick me off. CO doesn't earn any money, even a token fee (say $35), I fly on a less convenient flight, and I have a bad taste in my mouth. So who's the winner? Nobody.
Oct 3, 2008, 8:06 am
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL Diamond, B6 Mosaic, AS MPV Gold, UA Gold MM, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 16,679
Oct 3, 2008, 8:24 pm
#75
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 152
Yes, I have to totally agree with the OP on this. As a plat I'm not impacted right now, but there is almost no way to book a decent reward unless it is at the last minute.
I only use miles for international standard BF rewards. This is the only place where there is any 'value for miles' left in the system. But at any time in advance it is almost impossible to get the route/dates that you are after, but you can't book hotels and make other arrangements unless you have something.
Therefore, like most other people, I go ahead and book something close. Maybe the outbound is right, but the return is not. Or maybe there is a connection instead of the direct. Then closer to the time, if the optimum route opens up, you snag it.
I can see the need for a fee, if only to cover the call center costs. But $50 has to do that and make a profit. $150 is just spiteful.
Perhaps a fair policy would be $50 for the call center for elites, free for changes done on the web-site that dont tie up an agent. Re-deposits due to cancellation should always be possible on the web-site, so no fee for this.
I only use miles for international standard BF rewards. This is the only place where there is any 'value for miles' left in the system. But at any time in advance it is almost impossible to get the route/dates that you are after, but you can't book hotels and make other arrangements unless you have something.
Therefore, like most other people, I go ahead and book something close. Maybe the outbound is right, but the return is not. Or maybe there is a connection instead of the direct. Then closer to the time, if the optimum route opens up, you snag it.
I can see the need for a fee, if only to cover the call center costs. But $50 has to do that and make a profit. $150 is just spiteful.
Perhaps a fair policy would be $50 for the call center for elites, free for changes done on the web-site that dont tie up an agent. Re-deposits due to cancellation should always be possible on the web-site, so no fee for this.