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-   United Airlines | MileagePlus (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus-681/)
-   -   Change Fees "Gone For Good"(WW ex-USA,non-BE), credit for lower fare!, Intl&BE waiver (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/2024230-change-fees-gone-good-ww-ex-usa-non-credit-lower-fare-intl-waiver.html)

jmastron Aug 30, 2020 7:10 pm


Originally Posted by J.Edward (Post 32640994)
The way I read that is when a customer is within the 24hr check in window SDC, or whatever it evolves into, allows one to confirm the change as long as the underlying booking class is open, ignoring any fare difference. I am not familiar with WN’s policy, but I don’t think (?) WN offers the same flexibility within the 24hr check in window. In other words even on WN, if you change a flight within 24hrs of the flight taking off, and even if the corresponding fare class is open, you are still liable/eligible for the fare due/fare refunded.

Right -- changing a flight time within the same day (SDC) is something UA and the legacies actually had better options for than WN -- on WN there isn't really an SDC concept -- you have to upfare to the currently available fare (which almost always is going to be the more expensive Anytime fare, never a Wanna Get Away fare).

I was talking about when you book today for a flight in 3 months, and later this week the fare drops. On WN, it's easy and online to rebook and get the residual as a credit, so there's less of a feeling of losing out if the fare drops.

Or when you are rebooking a flight to another date farther out (e.g. the day before the December trip changing it to March) -- on WN if the March flights are cheaper you get that back, on UA you don't. And if you then have to change March to more expensive June, you'll have to fork over new money to UA even if cheaper than the original December.

Don't get me wrong, I think this is a step in the right direction -- if nothing else, having a $200 penalty for a sick person to move their trip is really a $200 incentive to just board anyway, which seems not ideal in a pandemic. But I think it's important to be aware of the nuances that are different (better and worse) between the airlines policies.

cfischer Aug 30, 2020 7:12 pm

unimpressed unless they cover all flights with this new policy. This will take care of 10% of any change fees that I pay; 90% are international and often $400 a piece.

HNLbasedFlyer Aug 30, 2020 7:17 pm


Originally Posted by cfischer (Post 32641160)
unimpressed unless they cover all flights with this new policy. This will take care of 10% of any change fees that I pay; 90% are international and often $400 a piece.

Does anyone offer no change fees for international flights?

At the end of the day it doesn't really help me either - it helps my employers and my customers since they pay the change fees - but I still think it is a good change

Sherab Sherab Aug 30, 2020 7:24 pm

still a major rip off! 50,000 for domestic one way coach that cost aorund $150 in cash or and 200,000 miles for asia one way coach award that cost$800 in cash most of the time is still a major rip off. so called saver awards almost NEVER exist. so this doesnt help on awards.

ExplorerWannabe Aug 30, 2020 7:26 pm

I am utterly amazed at the number of people who seem to insist on finding some negative slant to take on any news from United (yet seem to stay with the airline as elite MP members). I didn't worry about change fees when I was traveling for the government because GSA fares were GSA fares but I have had to stick with original flight schedules even though I've wanted to leave earlier or later on a comparable flight simply because of the change fees involved. I had one case where I did make the change to a cheaper flight but after the change fees I netted $10 back (I would have made the change anyway since the new flight was more convenient and loaded more lightly).

Of course United isn't going to introduce changes that aren't in their best interest but we should be happy that the airline's interest and customer interests intersect this time.

Howard Aug 30, 2020 7:27 pm

I am delighted by this news! Although I am not currently traveling, whenever I feel it is safe to resume, most of my travel will be domestic, as it was pre-Covid. Especially since UA received a taxpayer bailout, I am very happy with this consumer-friendly decision! I can't wait to return to the friendly skies!

COSPILOT Aug 30, 2020 7:30 pm


Originally Posted by ExplorerWannabe (Post 32641177)
I am utterly amazed at the number of people who seem to insist on finding some negative slant to take on any news from United (yet seem to stay with the airline as elite MP members). I didn't worry about change fees when I was traveling for the government because GSA fares were GSA fares but I have had to stick with original flight schedules even though I've wanted to leave earlier or later on a comparable flight simply because of the change fees involved. I had one case where I did make the change to a cheaper flight but after the change fees I netted $10 back (I would have made the change anyway since the new flight was more convenient and loaded more lightly).

Of course United isn't going to introduce changes that aren't in their best interest but we should be happy that the airline's interest and customer interests intersect this time.

United could cure cancer today and still be the enemy. I appreciate the change though. Not likely to travel much but still a nice change.

jsloan Aug 30, 2020 7:40 pm


Originally Posted by ExplorerWannabe (Post 32641177)
Of course United isn't going to introduce changes that aren't in their best interest but we should be happy that the airline's interest and customer interests intersect this time.

I just don't think that they do.

I haven't gone out of my way to try to find a negative aspect. It's just that this inability to retain residual value is a very big deal for me, and I promise that it's going to be a very big deal for a lot fo other people also, because they're not going to understand it and they're going to get caught off-guard. (There was a post along those lines within the last week, actually).

Furthermore, it feels unfair in a way that the old policy didn't. And keep in mind, there were all sorts of ways to get change fees waived -- from weather waivers to illnesses to schedule changes, etc., and that's not even counting the "one-time exception" that many people seemed to get. So, the $200 saved wasn't always $200 -- sometimes it was $0.

jhayes_1780 Aug 30, 2020 7:51 pm

Wow, looks like the pendulum just swung pretty far the other way.

What's next? Change back to BIS EQM with no $ thresholds?

threeoh Aug 30, 2020 7:56 pm


Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer (Post 32641166)
Does anyone offer no change fees for international flights?

Southwest

IAH-OIL-TRASH Aug 30, 2020 8:03 pm


Originally Posted by cfischer (Post 32641160)
unimpressed unless they cover all flights with this new policy. This will take care of 10% of any change fees that I pay; 90% are international and often $400 a piece.

UA's taking the lead on doing away with change fees to better compete w/ WN. I think UA won't do anything internationally in this respect unless one of their long-haul competitors does something.

JHake10 Aug 30, 2020 8:04 pm


Originally Posted by jsloan (Post 32641198)
I just don't think that they do.

I haven't gone out of my way to try to find a negative aspect. It's just that this inability to retain residual value is a very big deal for me, and I promise that it's going to be a very big deal for a lot fo other people also, because they're not going to understand it and they're going to get caught off-guard. (There was a post along those lines within the last week, actually).

Furthermore, it feels unfair in a way that the old policy didn't. And keep in mind, there were all sorts of ways to get change fees waived -- from weather waivers to illnesses to schedule changes, etc., and that's not even counting the "one-time exception" that many people seemed to get. So, the $200 saved wasn't always $200 -- sometimes it was $0.

I don’t get this either. Most people on FT will know this and work around it (buying one ways). However, some once a year traveler may get hit with this and learn the hard way. You’d think United would just give you “United Bucks” that expire in a year. This way they have a chance at breakage and they get you to come back to United to spend that credit.

cfischer Aug 30, 2020 8:05 pm


Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer (Post 32641166)
Does anyone offer no change fees for international flights?

Beats me. 90% of my flying is intl. so if UA offered this then I would sure enough buy UA exclusively. I understand this is a nice chance for domestic flyers and I wish UA would stop advertising this new policy incorrectly. I am close to filing a DOT complaint for deceptive advertising. 'Change fees are gone, we are getting rid of change fees for good' ... no disclaimer, no nothing. You click through and you just get to their booking engine where you can book intl. flights without any warning that the bait and switch you just clicked through comes with tons of strings attached. Unsurprising and typical UA. :td:

blug Aug 30, 2020 8:29 pm


Originally Posted by jsloan (Post 32641042)
I think people are really, really underestimating this no-residual-value thing.

IMO the no-residual-value thing is fair game. UA collects so much change fee, that I don't think they can just eliminate it forever, with no strings attached (maybe during the pandemic, but definitely not forever). If they did allow residue value, then I'd certainly expect some other major bad news, either soon or once the pandemic is over.

Even with no residual value, it's still a great deal for me: (1) I rarely change a domestic ticket with the new fare being $200 or more cheaper; (2) I often book well in advance, and then want to change the dates of my trips for various reasons. This would save me a lot of money.

If they do the same for international trips, then that might be an issue for me - I do sometimes change expensive international trips to much cheaper domestic ones.

gary_nj Aug 30, 2020 8:31 pm


Originally Posted by ezefllying (Post 32641095)
The way the statement is worded, I was wondering if they were going to the AA/DL model of only allowing SDC within the same calendar day. The +/-24 hour UA SDC policy is vastly more convenient and a reason I've maintained my status. But it may just be that explaining the (admittedly confusing) SDC system in a general press release is a bad idea.

This was my first thought after reading the release. I think the elimination of domestic change fees is tremendous, but if I look at a feature that I continually use ALL THE TIME, it is the current 24-hour SDC option. My big reason for choosing UA over AA is the UA implementation of "same day" changes. I hope that this doesn't change to a literally "same calendar day" option.


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