I hate change fees!

[pumpkinboy]

OK, here's the situation:
DS are flying back MCO-BOS at the end of February break on a Delta one-way non-refundable fare with a plane change at Washington National (DCA), which we got at a pretty reasonable fare. But changing planes is tough with my DS bcs he has some pretty severe physical disabilities meaning that he uses a wheechair exclusively. So when getting on a plane, I lift all 62 lbs of him and carry him to his seat and the airline stows his wheechair underneath, and upon landing we do the reverse: all in all, a pretty arduous process. So we're looking to change to a non-stop.

So, I bought the initial fare back in August and now non-stop options are coming down on price, as I have been tracking them on YAPTA.com. Delta has a non-stop for a much better departure time for about $120 more per ticket; BUT, Delta wants $150 per ticket change fee (so $270 each, total). JetBlue on the other hand, has non-stops for OK times (better than the current but not as good as the Delta non-stop) for $217.

So I can actually buy another flight on a competitor for less than I can change my current flight! That does not strike me as a reasonable business model. I must say, I resent the heck out of change fees, and with SouthWest flying out of Boston now, Delta is gonna have trouble retaining my business (plus JetBlue has waived change fees whenever I have asked).

I called Delta, and presented the situation, asking of they would consider waiving the change fee to build some goodwill. I mentioned that I am also starting a new job which will require business travel on a fairly regular basis. I proposed that they waive the change fee completely, which would allow them to re-sell my current seats (for a lot more than I paid) and fill a pretty open flight. Once I got to a supervisor, Delta offered to waive one of the two change fees, which drops the price down to less than the JetBlue itinerary.

Well I don't know about you, but I seriously resent having to pay Delta for the privilege of making them more money (by reselling our current seats). I am inclined to ask one more time, and if they do not relent on the change fee, buy the JetBlue fare and just not show up for the current itinerary. Sure, it'll cost me a bit more, but I will have the satisfaction of not letting them re-sell my current seats (I may even check in for it so they definately can't); yeah, it's spitefull, but I really hate those change fees.

What do you all think? Buy JetBlue and punish Delta for a bit more money? or take the better price and schedule and just stay with Delta (provided they waive at least one of the two change fees?
Edited to add: Please see post #26 with me apologizing for whining in my original post. You all are right: I should have no expectations that they should give me a fee waiver just bcs I want it. I bought the flights that worked for our budget at the time and simply need to suck it up and deal with that. pkb

 

[MistressMerryweather]

We *always* fly Southwest for that very reason. No change fees. You can even change your flight to the same flight and get the lower price if/when it drops. I see you are in Newton, MA. I worked and lived their for years. Southwest flies out of Boston and Manchester, NH. Sometimes, I buy the Southwest ticket even though it may be $20+ more than another airline because I know I can change it easily and 99% of the time, the prices go down and I get my money back. I changed my ticket for February 5 times. LOL Once to add a day to our trip and then a few times because the price kept dropping. We are up $60 now from our original ticket. Love it!

At this point, I would switch to the Jetblue nonstop if it's cheaper than the Delta switch.

 

[disneychic2]

I'm with you on the change fees. We have the same deal with USAir. $150 bucks to change! Of course they can change anything they want any time they want! Okay, vent over.

I would stick with the Delta. You're not going to hurt them at all by not allowing them to sell the tickets, but you may hurt someone trying desperately to get on that flight. Take the one waiver and run with it. Why pay more just fo spite? You can always slash their tires.

 

[NancyIL]

I hate change fees, too, but I know that there will be change fees when I choose to book with American or Delta. I think you were lucky to get a supervisor to offer to waive one of the change fees!

I would either go with Delta (and hope they don't change your good flight time), or book the Jet Blue flight, and hope that Delta changes your flight times enough that you can cancel down the road and get a refund.

 

[Lewisc]

Did your DS develop his severe physical disabilities after you booked your ticket? If so make a case for getting the fee waived.

Otherwise I think your 100% wrong and rude for even asking. What is the point of using Yapta if you're not willing to pay change fees? What's the purpose of booking a connecting flight when it's such an arduous process.

I hate passengers who agree to accept change fees as a condition to booking lower fares but for some reason don't think the fee should apply to them. Passengers can always pay full fare, find and airline with lower (or no) change fees or wait until they find a fare they can live with.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Wow. You bought a non-refundable ticket for an itinerary you knew would be difficult for your child and you're mad at Delta for charging you the change fee you agreed to pay when you bought your ticket? You must be kidding...

OK, here's the situation:
DS are flying back MCO-BOS at the end of February break on a Delta one-way non-refundable fare with a plane change at Washington National (DCA), which we got at a pretty reasonable fare. But changing planes is tough with my DS bcs he has some pretty severe physical disabilities meaning that he uses a wheechair exclusively. So when getting on a plane, I lift all 62 lbs of him and carry him to his seat and the airline stows his wheechair underneath, and upon landing we do the reverse: all in all, a pretty arduous process. So we're looking to change to a non-stop.

So, I bought the initial fare back in August and now non-stop options are coming down on price, as I have been tracking them on YAPTA.com. Delta has a non-stop for a much better departure time for about $120 more per ticket; BUT, Delta wants $150 per ticket change fee (so $270 each, total). JetBlue on the other hand, has non-stops for OK times (better than the current but not as good as the Delta non-stop) for $217.

So I can actually buy another flight on a competitor for less than I can change my current flight! That does not strike me as a reasonable business model. I must say, I resent the heck out of change fees, and with SouthWest flying out of Boston now, Delta is gonna have trouble retaining my business (plus JetBlue has waived change fees whenever I have asked).

I called Delta, and presented the situation, asking of they would consider waiving the change fee to build some goodwill. I mentioned that I am also starting a new job which will require business travel on a fairly regular basis. I proposed that they waive the change fee completely, which would allow them to re-sell my current seats (for a lot more than I paid) and fill a pretty open flight. Once I got to a supervisor, Delta offered to waive one of the two change fees, which drops the price down to less than the JetBlue itinerary.

Well I don't know about you, but I seriously resent having to pay Delta for the privilege of making them more money (by reselling our current seats). I am inclined to ask one more time, and if they do not relent on the change fee, buy the JetBlue fare and just not show up for the current itinerary. Sure, it'll cost me a bit more, but I will have the satisfaction of not letting them re-sell my current seats (I may even check in for it so they definately can't); yeah, it's spitefull, but I really hate those change fees.

What do you all think? Buy JetBlue and punish Delta for a bit more money? or take the better price and schedule and just stay with Delta (provided they waive at least one of the two change fees?

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

oh... by all means punish Delta by checking in and not showing up for your flight. They will resell your seat to standby passengers at the gate.

 

[DebbieB]

Has there been any time changes with your flight? I fly Delta alot and found they will switch you to a different flight if there are time changes. I flew them the last 2 times I went to WDW and both times ended up with better flights for no change fee.

 

[robinb]

I totally agree with you on Delta's change fees. They are a PITB and the highest in the industry. Last month we had the opportunity to go to the Rose Bowl after we already had our Florida trip booked back in May. I wanted to change my return flight from TPA to MSN to go to LAX instead and then book another flight home from LAX. My flights were a combination of miles and cash and I was told that we would not only lose our miles but they would also institute a $150 change fee. I was very frustrated because if I had booked 100% with miles I could have canceled at the last minute with no penalty. Live and Learn. We ended up throwing away our return flight and booking an open jaw TPA-LAX-LAX-MSN. with American on miles. We did call Delta to let them know we were not using our return trip.

In any case, Delta makes the rules and we agree to them when we book a flight with them. If you don't want change fees, then book with an airline that doesn't change change fees. Live and Learn.

 

[LilyWDW]

To be blunt... don't buy non refundable tickets if the idea of a change fee bothers you. The information is available for anyone to look at before they enter a contract with the air line. So, it should not be a shock that there was a change fee that would be applied to this type of ticket if you attempted to make a change to them.

Plus, why would you buy tickets (non refundable ones at that) if you KNEW ahead of time the itinerary would be an issue?

 

[kaytieeldr]

If you truly want to inconvenience Delta - by checking in online and then not showing up for their flight - AND literally throw away money by not using your Delta tickets, feel free. It seems wasteful to me, simply to prove a point about which they won't care, but it's not my money.

You had an option. You could have purchased refundable fares. You chose instead to buy nonrefundable tickets on an inconvenient flight. You had another option not offered to most passengers in your situation - escalating to a supervisor was about to save you $150. You turned that down - on principle? To teach Delta a lesson? The only thing that'd 'teach' me, as a business owner, is customers aren't willing to compromise even when I try.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Did your DS develop his severe physical disabilities after you booked your ticket? If so make a case for getting the fee waived.

Otherwise I think your 100% wrong and rude for even asking. What is the point of using Yapta if you're not willing to pay change fees? What's the purpose of booking a connecting flight when it's such an arduous process.

I hate passengers who agree to accept change fees as a condition to booking lower fares but for some reason don't think the fee should apply to them. Passengers can always pay full fare, find and airline with lower (or no) change fees or wait until they find a fare they can live with.

LewisB, you are quite right: they can Legally charge this fee, and I am not arguing with their right to charge it. I am arguing that it would be better business for them to have some flexibility to waive it. I am certainly being pushy asking for the waiver, but I am asking in a very polite and businesslike manner (so I hope not rude). I don't do anything like this regularly and I think I've presented a pretty good case in my favor. I realize I am lucky that the supervisor offered to cut the change fee in half.

When I booked, the non-stops were well-above price levels I am willing to pay for leisure travel. As I start a new job where I will be travelling much more frequently, I thought it might behoove Delta to show some flexibility to create some goodwill. Over the years I have racked-up some 100,000 miles on Delta, but now they are no longer without competitors in the markets where I travel. So a little waiver on their part could engender some brand-loyalty on my part, much as JetBlue has earned my loyalty with just such flexibility.

Change fees are cetainly legal, and disclosed, so the legacy carriers are well within their rights to have these sorts of "Gotcha" fees. I just think it would be good business to waive these fees when presented with a chance to retain and create goodwill with a possibly lucrative customer. I think that customers are going to wise-up to these fees and vote with their feet and leave these carriers where possible. Hey, the big banks used to have a lot of Gotcha fees too, and they got the Dodd-Frank bill in response. These fees are going to hurt the legacy carriers with their customers, especially with the recent SouthWest ad on this subject.

If prices remain where they are, I think I am gonna call back in a couple of days, and ask again in the most courteous and friendly manner possible. The only way I am paying $300 in change fees will be if I cancel the itinerary outright after I book a JetBlue itinerary. This would be about the same net cost as rebooking with Delta with half of the change fee waived.

(DS's brain injury happened at birth (Cerebral Palsy), so no change there, and I went in to this knwoing it would be somewhat arduous. We started out with an early, but not terribly daparture time (8:15 am), but every month or so, it got moved earlier, so that now it is a full hour earlier; each change was small enough that they did not have to re-book us for free.)

 

[pumpkinboy]

Just to clarify, I am not "mad" at Delta for fees that I knew they would charge at the outset. I do hate them, but do not argue with their right to charge them.

I guess I am am more disappointed in Delta. I have been in their FF program for more than 20 yrs now, and had always seen them as the most flexible and accommodating of the legacy carriers. Now that we've had JetBlue for a while, I guess I am realizing that Delta is a just another legacy airline. I miss the old Delta.

So, I am realizing that I really ought to stick with the JetBlue and SouthWest type carriers, or when dealing with the legacies, be prepared to charge my employer for a refundable ticket.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I called Delta, and presented the situation, asking of they would consider waiving the change fee to build some goodwill. I mentioned that I am also starting a new job which will require business travel on a fairly regular basis. I proposed that they waive the change fee completely, which would allow them to re-sell my current seats (for a lot more than I paid) and fill a pretty open flight. Once I got to a supervisor, Delta offered to waive one of the two change fees, which drops the price down to less than the JetBlue itinerary.

Well I don't know about you, but I seriously resent having to pay Delta for the privilege of making them more money (by reselling our current seats). I am inclined to ask one more time, and if they do not relent on the change fee, buy the JetBlue fare and just not show up for the current itinerary. Sure, it'll cost me a bit more, but I will have the satisfaction of not letting them re-sell my current seats (I may even check in for it so they definately can't); yeah, it's spitefull, but I really hate those change fees.

What do you all think? Buy JetBlue and punish Delta for a bit more money? or take the better price and schedule and just stay with Delta (provided they waive at least one of the two change fees?

Have you considered asking for a wheelchair to board your son. They have them.. you move from his chair to the special chair, it goes down the aisle, you move to the seat. You must tell them you need this however.

They volunteered to waive two change fees and you still aren't happy?? Considering your first consideration appears to have been "what's cheapest" I think you are getting a lot.

And the airlines are smarter then you give them credit for.... this is why they oversell flights. Spite won't stop them from making money.

As for your employer... if you worked where I work and tried that "refundable" ticket trick you would be told "NO, you can't waste our money because you are mad at an airline" We have to fly the cheapest flight regardless of our personal views on the airline.

As for the "better business model" well.... that's very debateable. BUt the truth is that it's not really a bad business model. And while I am not familar with JetBlue, SW has actually gotten MORE from me in "change fees" then other airlines. On other airlines if I finish work early I can fly home for a standby fee ($50 on Delta) or if it's a day early I can often get away with just paying the $150. SW charges you the "current' fare. So if you bought the $59 DING and the current fare is $329.... Change fee is higher then Delta

 

[Lewisc]

LewisB, you are quite right: they can Legally charge this fee, and I am not arguing with their right to charge it. I am arguing that it would be better business for them to have some flexibility to waive it. I am certainly being pushy asking for the waiver, but I am asking in a very polite and businesslike manner (so I hope not rude). I don't do anything like this regularly and I think I've presented a pretty good case in my favor. I realize I am lucky that the supervisor offered to cut the change fee in half.

Actually it's bad business to waive change fees for those passenger who provide the best "stories". One of the reasons for change fees was to avoid having to listen to passengers stories who didn't want lose the entire value of their ticket when the plans change

You booked a flight which, due to your child's condition, would be very difficult. You booked it to save money. Many passengers book less then optimum flights (times/connections) to save money.

I don't see why Delta deserves to be "punished" at all.

The advice on this board is to only book flights you can live with. Only book an airline if you can live with their policies.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Orange County, I am actually fine with paying the fare difference when I change flights. Last minute fares can be a lot more expensive than advance purchase sometimes. It's the $150 per ticket for any change in the itinerary that I object to. I dislike baggage fees as well, but when travelling on business I rarely have checked bags.

Having run the numbers again, it's going to be a better deal to simply cancel and pay the fee, rebooking on JetBlue than to change the itinerary on Delta, even after their $150 concession offer. Yeah, I know they will still make the $300 and they'll be able to re-sell the seats, and they won't even have to transport me. I guess I just miss the old Delta (like 5 yrs ago and before) that took care of me, such that I racked up 100,000 miles on them. I will still fly them when it is most convenient for me, but they will not be among my preferred carriers any more. And with more competition on their main routes from more flexible airlines, they are going to lose this business traveller's dollars more often than not.

 

[goofy4tink]

Very few airlines now 'take care' of us. They are suffering simply because they got the flying public addicted to low fares. Now, the public refuses to pay refundable fares, and flies on the carrier that gives them the lowest fare....plain and simple.
Delta, I'm pretty sure, has learned it's lesson well. They used to make their changes all at once...you booked an 11am flight, but a month before travel, Delta moved that departure time to 8am. You, the passenger, had the right to cancel the flight since the change was over 'x' number of hours. Now, they make the changes in small increments. You figure 'oh, 45 mins isn't so bad' and agree to the change. They do this 3 times over a period of several months. Before you know it, your 11am flight is now departing at 8am! And you have no recourse. So, of course they have stiff change fees.

Why can't they make an exception? Because if they make one for you, they are going to have to make exceptions for every person that comes along. I can't imagine what you go through, on a daily basis, with your ds. Travel must sometimes be a nightmare. So, I can imagine that a direct flight is going to be the best option for you. But, because your ds has these issues, you are most likely going to have to go with slightly higher fares so you can book direct flights to begin with. Of course, the airline can still change to a flight that makes a connection. It's a crap shoot.

None of us like the change fees. But, they are a fact of life. If SW is an option, then they would be a good choice. Seldom make changes once they put them out there, and they have many direct, non-stop flights. And...no pesky change fees.

 

[Brian Noble]

Very few airlines now 'take care' of us.

And, with good reason. For the most part, the flying public has made it clear that they will switch airlines in a heartbeat to save a few dollars on the next trip---the only exceptions are those who fly often enough to gain status on a particular airline, something almost no leisure travelers do. So, while the OP may well be willing to pledge affinity to Delta for future flights in return for their flexibility, most passengers would not---or, at least, would not actually follow through.

In this particular instance, it is a pretty open and shut case. Frankly, I'm surprised Delta did anything. OP: Going forward, you would be better off restricting your search to a non-stop flight from the beginning. Pay attention to your airfare markets and use tools like travel.bing.com so that you know when a good fare happens.

 

[NancyIL]

Having run the numbers again, it's going to be a better deal to simply cancel and pay the fee, rebooking on JetBlue than to change the itinerary on Delta, even after their $150 concession offer. Yeah, I know they will still make the $300 and they'll be able to re-sell the seats, and they won't even have to transport me. I guess I just miss the old Delta (like 5 yrs ago and before) that took care of me, such that I racked up 100,000 miles on them. I will still fly them when it is most convenient for me, but they will not be among my preferred carriers any more. And with more competition on their main routes from more flexible airlines, they are going to lose this business traveller's dollars more often than not.

I'm a little confused. You would cancel your Delta tickets and PAY a $150/ticket cancel fee PLUS buy new tickets on Jet Blue? Or do you mean you would cancel the Delta tickets and get a credit for the ticket amount (for future use) minus the $150/ticket change fee? You certainly wouldn't give Delta MORE money to NOT fly with them!

 

[azdizzymom]

Orange County, I am actually fine with paying the fare difference when I change flights. Last minute fares can be a lot more expensive than advance purchase sometimes. It's the $150 per ticket for any change in the itinerary that I object to. I dislike baggage fees as well, but when travelling on business I rarely have checked bags.

.

I posted this last week on a thread about change fees (in that case OP wanted to just go to Disney a day early).

Sorry about your son BUT you have no right to be mad at Delta. The fees have been there for years on MOST airlines when you buy cheapest tickets. 15 years ago on vacation I was suffering a miscarriage and had a 5 month old baby with me. The doctor told me to get home to my doctor so when things happened I was there. I called airline in tears from doctors office (they were going to talk to airline about waiving fee). I got no place and had to pay the fee. I didn't like it but knew it had to be paid as they type of ticket I bought.

Learn from this and enjoy your trip with your son. Next time buy on a different airline, buy nonstop or don't look at fares after the purchase! Either way there is no room to whine or complain about this fee....it is legit and Delta was very considerate to waive one fee for you. They were under no obligation to do so.