COSPILOT

OK, I will have a glass and calm down.

coldfoot

I still have a major issue with the change fees for award travel. Given the difficulty in obtaining multi-segment award travel, we typically have to take what we can get.

example... recent award travel from SFO to IST outbound was SFO-ORD-DUS-IST on three carriers with some horrendous layovers. It was all we could get, so we took it and booked 1st class even though 2 of the segments were only available in coach.

Since then, a routing open with 1st all the way SFO-FRA-IST, 2 carriers and 14hrs less travel.

To pay a change fee (we are no longer 1k) for what we originally desired but was unavailable due to inventory control seems excessive.

If this was a one-off situation, I wouldn't bring it up - but it's becoming the norm.

end rant/

rankourabu

Good of them to send out an email based on status.
Really CANNOT complain about this, these are actually very good changes for 1Ps

Below are the key changes that apply to Premier Executive members effective June 15, 2011:

Close-in award booking fee USD 0 -> USD 25
Change to your routing USD 150 -> USD 25-75*
Cancelling your trip and recrediting the miles USD 150 -> USD 100

*Depending on when the ticket was issued.

Importantly, please note there is still no charge for changing the date or time of your award ticket as long as your routing does not change.

chicaloca453

Actually, if I remember correctly, UA did it first and then DL. AA does not have close in fees for any elites but does for non-elites. AA does not charge for changes either including changes to routing except if your origin or destination is changed.

I don't like this one bit. I will not make 1k so AA is looking better and better. While I hate the flying experience at AA, at least I won't pay for pleasure trips when I need to change.

BTW, I have always hated UA's policy about routing not being considered a simple change. Why does it matter if I connect in DEN or ORD as long as I am coming from and going to the same place. I was especially annoyed once when an agent switched me without my approval to a connection in DEN instead of ORD. It took months to finally use the ticket because there was only one flight in and out of DEN from my destination. I wanted the change to stay through ORD and I did not get charged for the change. But after that, I ended up with a PITA situation. Plenty of inventory through ORD but zero through DEN. That is the most ridiculous rule IMHO!

TheBagman

As a fellow 1P behind me in line once said in reference to paying $50 to standby for an earlier flight: "1K or don't care"

coolbeans202

I believe UA was actually first out of the gate with this (hard to believe, I know).

In terms of the changes themselves, put me in the positive camp. Sure, the return of the close-in fee sucks, but it's only $25 dollars (for me). This is MORE than made up for with the drastic reduction in award change fees.

Certainly people are entitled to complain, but I think this could've been a whole lot worse.

chicaloca453

With UA that was always the case. And agreed -- ridiculous!

UA Fan

I'm hating this merger with each passing day.

nnn

This 1P finds these changes to be fantastic.

A $25 close-in fee is very tolerable, especially considering that the potential cost savings involved with a last minute award ticket far exceeds $25.

Cheap award tinkering, on the other hand, gets a huge ^ from me. My biggest peeve of the old system was the $150 award change fee. I am very glad to see it go.

bmr12

Like others, the change to the close-in booking fee stinks, and just like other co-pays on "awards" it means that more and more my miles must be accompanied by dollars for my "rewards". And, while I'm presently 1P and likely on track for 1K, I don't intend to be one forever.

And like others, I'm waiting for a change that I'll like. So far I can't point to any

channa

I would like to thank UA Insider for the straight-up approach used in his post. He said where the fees go up, where they go down, and for what types of members they'd help or hurt, with simple examples and explanations, without any spin or buzzwords. ^

bocastephen

It's not really to encourage better consumer behavior - airlines want this behavior to generate fees because they're making their money from fees, not from tickets (except from frequent fliers who fly a variety of fares, hence the Elite discounts).

If they sell a $129 ticket and you don't buy anything on board, don't watch TV, don't check a bag, don't change your ticket and don't buy an upgrade, you've basically cost them money.

If you buy that same $129 ticket and buy lunch on board, watch TV, and check a bag, you've given them a "free" $50 fare increase. That's why unbundling is so great for airlines and a horror for consumers - it drives incremental revenue, forcibly if you need to check a bag or change a ticket. Need to book a ticket and can't get to the Internet - another $30.

No wonder Congress is looking into the proliferation of airline fees and figuring out ways to slow or stop the practice. Look at the Mephistopheles of the airline industry Ben Baldanza and what he did at Spirit (and what he did previously at US - the man is a psycho menace). I think we need one or two other airlines to implement carry-on bag fees and Congress will slam their foot down on the fee scheme in its entirety.

If Congress bans the collection of fees for anything other than ticketing changes (the way it used to be), the airlines will be forced as a collective group to raise airfares to a sustainable level where money can be made and services can be delivered....you know...like a normal business.

However, we should appreciate that we have a voice from Continental who is here to help us and deliver information straight-up, honestly and without marketing hype or spin...even if the news isn't always good.

boat9781

Well, just so you know, on the CO side anyone can change routing between O/D for free--just so long as it is 21 days before departure. I expect this to be incorporated into the 'new' Mileage Plus.

MarkXS

Horrible news with the reinstatement of the close-in booking fee. Old UA was a leader in getting rid of it.

As somebody who was a 1K for a couple of years, mostly 1P and more recently 2P, this reinforces my belief that UCH only cares about its top-level elites, and SMI/J is a vision-less beancounter.

My personal/professional circumstances are such that 25-50K/year tops across all airlines is the most I can do these days. Don't think much of that is going to be on UA/CO or *A, at least not credited to a UCH FF program.

Glad I switched primary loyalty to AS and its partners.

schilffarth

As a Silver OnePass member, if I use miles to upgrade a one way trip from AUS through IAH to a cross continent destination then I'm spending 15k miles (7,500 per leg). If the upgrade for the cross continent leg doesn't go through then I'm still out 7,500 miles for the flight from AUS to IAH. Today I can call up and cancel the upgrade and get all of my miles back (no reason to waste 7,500 miles for a 30 minute flight), but after 6/15/11 I get charged a fee?

Am I interpreting the redeposit fee properly?

Thanks