litth

Sorry, I see that some of this has already been discussed in the MoveUp thread, but this seems to be the first official notification (a link in monthly statement). Moderator please feel free to move to that thread.


http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...ds/MoveUp.html

1. MoveUp fee for non-preferred changed from $50 to $75

2. Can only MoveUp to flight within 6 hours of scheduled flight

3. No change to origin, destination, or number of flight segments (i.e. no changes from connection to direct or vice-versa)

thomwithanh

Damn, no more co-terminal changes, have the changes gone into effect yet?

PaceLaw2012

I can live w/ #1, and I can live with the no change to o/d, as that somewhat makes sense. You purchase a ticket from a specific airport to a specific destination, I get it, fine.

However, the 6 hour limit + static segments sucks. I have saved alot of money + time by using move-up to fly out on earlier flights that cost more than the 9pm flights I had to book b/c of extreme fare differentials, and let me have alot of flexibility in my travel.

I hope this isn't another way of tightening the books to make the AAssimilation (I propose using this as the new merger term) easier.

sts603

Hardly. AA allows for changes +/- 12 hours as long as its on the same day. Most importantly, they allow you to call in the change. That said, AA has never waived the fee for elites, even EXPs. Its $75 now.

Chris at PHL

I agree, it stinks, but I assume the restriction on changing the # of segments is meant to catch those of us that want to load up on segments to make status--or, more likely--those of us that will book flights like BOS-LGA-PHL and then try to change it to a direct BOS-PHL through MoveUp to save a few hundred bucks. Connecting on that route, and I'd assume on a lot of others as well, is often cheaper than paying the monopoly prices for the nonstop.

CPRich

Ouch, the same stops requirements hurts. There have been several times that I have moved up from a 1-stop to a non-stop. I don't see the logic here, if there is space available. Heck, you're freeing up two segments you can resell and I'm only consuming one.

alanh

It's probably an "opportunity cost" issue. They may be observing that too many people are booking cheaper connecting flights then moving up to a nonstop.

jghassell

Less flexibility for more money. Great times we live in.

beofotch

You can still "move-up" to a flight less than 6 hours before yours. Once confirmed on that flight "move-up" again to one 6 hours before that one. You can still do it, it is just US Airways makes it more inconvenient to do so.

NESkier

Boo. Delta's same-day confirmed policy for elites (gold and higher) was already better, even before this change.

harry1

Sometimes I see changes as solutions in search of a problem, but not in this case. While I am not thrilled with the new rules, I see them as a reasonable adjustment to what was a very flexible process. I do stand by occasionally, more likely if I see the potential of bad weather affecting a connection.

I often look at the cheap fares on the redeye flights, but the savings are not worth the potential hastle of getting stuck at the airport all day if seats don't materialize.

burlax

That's what the club membership is for - chill out in peace and quiet and maybe even do some work.

TINPA

I was worried about a flight 6.5 hours early today, but upon checking in it auto offered the earlier flight. I hope that will continue on even earlier flights; after all if there are enough seats still open then it benefits US to have potential to fill the later flights. And I like the double-move-up workaround if needed, thanks for that suggestion!

MichaelEl2

Well they continue to keep pace in the race to the bottom.

McFlyPHL

Had a pretty negative experience with this on Tuesday during a day trip up to BDL from DCA.

My morning DCA-BDL non-stop was delayed ~2 hours due to a mechanical. I asked in the club if they could reaccomodate me on a connection via PHL rather than waiting for at least 2 hours. The agent referenced this policy as the reason they could not make that change - even in case of a mechanical delay.

On my return, originally scheduled as BDL-PHL-DCA, the BDL-DCA non-stop that I would have missed wound up delayed. Again, denied the change.

Compounding this? Due to the delay, a passenger traveling BDL-DCA-xxx was going to get stranded in DC over night. The BDL-PHL flight that would have connected to their final destination was full. (but not oversold). The solution is obvious - put me on the nonstop BDL-DCA and the other traveler in the seat that was freed up BDL-PHL (the PHL-xxx was wide open). Instead, in this race to the bottom US wound up pissing of a CP and GP, and stranded the GP in DC to boot.

Even the BDL club people were complaining about backlash and the idiocy of this change. It's truly unbelievable - as if they have a whole team of people in PHX who spend their days coming up with ways to make customers angry.

(and that's to say nothing of the PHL GA who was too lazy to process my CP upgrade on PHL-DCA, which went out with an empty F seat, right in front of me...)