United - inflexible - ticked me off

[The 6 J's]

Talk about a night of highs and lows. We recently just bought into DVC and are staying at BLT Mar 20(Sun)-27, airfare on United booked 2 weeks ago. Last night we decided due to other factors we could now leave on Friday morning, the 18th. Called Disney, put a hold on a room we can stay in for those two days before checking into BLT and got a good price. Everything looking good, thinking we're going to get two extra days of Magic. Check flights online for United, there's a Fri a.m. flight with room and the airfare is even slightly cheaper. Called United. I was told that they'd be happy to change my flight for $150 per person fee. We have 4 kids. Even after factoring in the cheaper flight it would have cost me $714 out of pocket to make the switch. Talked to a supervisor and didn't get anywhere. I told her I'd understand if they wanted me to stick to the original airfare and even pay a reasonable administrative fee like $25 per person to discourage people from doing this as a book-but-still-price-shop strategy. Nothing. No flexibility on this policy because I bought "non-refundable" tickets. When I asked how much it would have cost to have bought "refundable" tickets in the first place she said approximately $700+tax per ticket. That's double the original price of the ticket just to make them "refundable"? Who pays that? I know this is their official policy and it's my responsibility to know blah blah blah...but the fact is that it is poor customer service. It's not like I'm doing this a week before the flight and they won't have time to resell the tickets, and its not like they don't have capacity on the flight I want to switch to, and its not like I want to take my business elsewhere.

Also - really ticked me off when she kept saying "You purchased these tickets last year" as if that meant it was a really long time ago. It was Dec 27. GRRRRRRRRR! Not feeling very "Disney" at the moment.

 

[Jestocost]

Talk about a night of highs and lows. We recently just bought into DVC and are staying at BLT Mar 20(Sun)-27, airfare on United booked 2 weeks ago. Last night we decided due to other factors we could now leave on Friday morning, the 18th. Called Disney, put a hold on a room we can stay in for those two days before checking into BLT and got a good price. Everything looking good, thinking we're going to get two extra days of Magic. Check flights online for United, there's a Fri a.m. flight with room and the airfare is even slightly cheaper. Called United. I was told that they'd be happy to change my flight for $150 per person fee. We have 4 kids. Even after factoring in the cheaper flight it would have cost me $714 out of pocket to make the switch. Talked to a supervisor and didn't get anywhere. I told her I'd understand if they wanted me to stick to the original airfare and even pay a reasonable administrative fee like $25 per person to discourage people from doing this as a book-but-still-price-shop strategy. Nothing. No flexibility on this policy because I bought "non-refundable" tickets. When I asked how much it would have cost to have bought "refundable" tickets in the first place she said approximately $700+tax per ticket. That's double the original price of the ticket just to make them "refundable"? Who pays that? I know this is their official policy and it's my responsibility to know blah blah blah...but the fact is that it is poor customer service. It's not like I'm doing this a week before the flight and they won't have time to resell the tickets, and its not like they don't have capacity on the flight I want to switch to, and its not like I want to take my business elsewhere.

Also - really ticked me off when she kept saying "You purchased these tickets last year" as if that meant it was a really long time ago. It was Dec 27. GRRRRRRRRR! Not feeling very "Disney" at the moment.

It does stink, but the rules are very clear and change fees like that have been in place at most airlines for a long time. You entered into a contract of carriage with UA when you booked and they are entitled to hold you to your end of that contract. (Although they have plenty of wiggle room to make changes on their end.) They will allow changes within 24-48 hours without a charge, but not at two weeks.

Only SWA and JetBlue allow passengers to change flights without a fee. Those two only charge or credit you for any fare differential. Just about every other airline charges you a change fee and $150 per ticket is pretty standard.

 

[DaniB]

Only SWA and JetBlue allow passengers to change flights without a fee. Those two only charge or credit you for any fare differential. Just about every other airline charges you a change fee and $150 per ticket is pretty standard.

I'm afraid that is not correct. At least with JetBlue. We flew out of Buffalo in Sept (first flight ever) with Jetblue.

When I originally purchased our (round-trip) airline tickets, our Disney vacation was for 7 nights. A month (perhaps two) later, I decided I really wanted to add on 2 extra nights.

JetBlue charged me to change our return flights to 2 days later. Not just the difference in airfare, but a FEE as well! $50 fee per person = $200 for our family. Plus $30 each for price increase.

And that fee changes as well. It's $50 per ticket when the ticket cost is $100 or more. It's $100 per ticket when the ticket is less than $100.

However the airfare for that return flight went down closer to our trip and I did receive a credit in our "travel bank" or whatever the correct term is. But I had to phone to receive that credit.

 

[LilyWDW]

What do you want them to do? You have no circumstances that forced you to change the dates of the trip, no real reasons besides you wanted to. When you bought the tickets the information is on the site and should have been read before you made the purchase. It is NOT bad customer service to uphold policy.

If you do not like the policies of a company, then don't use them. Don't complain after the fact when they uphold the policy.

 

[Hannathy]

What do you want them to do? You have no circumstances that forced you to change the dates of the trip, no real reasons besides you wanted to. When you bought the tickets the information is on the site and should have been read before you made the purchase. It is NOT bad customer service to uphold policy.

If you do not like the policies of a company, then don't use them. Don't complain after the fact when they uphold the policy.

Agree with this. Would you want them to be flexible if it benefited them? you know we sold you this for $20 cause we thought no one wanted to fly on this date but now lots of people do so we can charge $40 so you owe us another $20? or is the flexible only to benefit you?


That is the compromise you make with low nonrefundable/unchangeable fares they are nonrefundable/changeable.

 

[Missytara]

Have to agree; this is not poor customer service, this is poor consumer research.

You knew the policy going into it; you know the consequences of changing, so where is the beef?

It is like when people are surprised they book a trip with travel insurance, cancel the trip and are then surprised they don't get the travel insurance back. That is the cost of the package and its terms.

 

[Danibelle]

What do you want them to do? You have no circumstances that forced you to change the dates of the trip, no real reasons besides you wanted to. When you bought the tickets the information is on the site and should have been read before you made the purchase. It is NOT bad customer service to uphold policy.

If you do not like the policies of a company, then don't use them. Don't complain after the fact when they uphold the policy.

I try to use SWA whenever possible (and I drive nearly 2 hrs to JAX). I have had reason to change my flight days and with SWA I can get a credit for a later trip. Almost all of the major airlines have "nonrefundable" tickets which are the so-called "cheap" tickets which most leisure travelers buy.

 

[dudspizza]

Unfortunately, you are not going to get a lot of compassion from folks here on the transportation board. We all understand your frustration, but are not going to sugar coat it and say things will be ok or hoping for pixie dust for you...

We all understand you entered into a contract with United. They have a change fee. You or I may not like it, but that is the contract you entered in to. Calling it poor customer service is a poor choice of words when they are simply upholding their end of the contract and expecting you to honor yours.

Of course, Southwest isn't helping things with their commercials about change fees charged by other airlines, but it is what it is. SW feels they can allow it, but most other do not. It is what it is.

BTW, you ask who pays those fares. United is more of a business traveler airline who's major customer base is the person who pays the last minute fare. They are catering to that group, not the leisure traveler.

Duds

 

[azdizzymom]

WOW!!! You want them to change the rules for you. As people have said most airlines charge a fee to change the ticket so that is the case. Whine all you want but no sympathy from me.

About 15 years ago I had a 6 month old baby and was 2 months pregnant and was in Arizona for Christmas (my husband had returned to our home state and son and I stayed there). To make a long story short turns out I start to miscarriage in Phoenix. I call from doctors office there in tears to the airline (Northwest) and tell I need to change my ticket and explain why. Doctor was going to write a note/talk to CSR. I got nowhere and had to pay the change fee. They wanted me home ASAP to get to MY doctor (basically baby had died and the miscarriage could happen at anytime). I paid fee...flew home with my son ..... miscarried and put the change fee behind me. It was probably 75-100 at the time. So not one bit of sympathy from me on the airline being inflexible.

To end my story on a happier note one year later (almost to the date of the miscarriage I had another beautiful son)!

 

[The 6 J's]

1. Just expressing frustration and engaging in conversation so dont get too serious.

2. There's a concept of the fee being appropriate with the extra cost incurred by the service provider for the change requested (whether we are talking airline, caterer, dry cleaner, wedding photographer, whatever). I'm more than willing to pay more than what they are asking for on the new flight, and a fee on top of that for whatever administrative cost there is to change it in the computer but $150 per ticket seems excessive.

Take a caterer for example. In December I book for an event in March at $3000. 2 weeks later I ask if he has a date a week earlier. He says and his going rate is only $2700 because its a slower time but he wants me to still pay the $3000. No problem. He wants $150 to rearrange his schedule. Fine - seems appropriate. But he wants $900 extra? For what? I'm filling a hole in his schedule that is sooner than what I am leaving him to sell, and I'm paying more than what he was asking for on the capacity I'm going to use. In the long run he's in better shape this way.

I was just blowng off some steam - it stinks but that's how it is - I get it but that doesn't mean it makes sense. They are now going to sell the earlier tickets for less than what I would have paid and end up overall with less money for all of the tickets involved in the conversation.

 

[azdizzymom]

NOPE...you came here to whine and complain. Found no sympathy and now are saying for people not to get serious.

Think of all the horrid things happening in this world and in our country this past weekend. You come here and whine about some stupid fee that you know and we all know is legit and airlines have charged for years. Don't you think the family of the 9 year old who died in Tucson would happily pay that fee to spend time with their daughter on a vacation. I would happily pay the change fee I paid to get to know the baby I lost.

Sorry for the seriousness but on days like these when people are suffering and you whine about something so tiny ...it was a biggie when you first posted or you wouldn't have done it in the first place.

Have a nice trip and LEARN TO READ THE TERMS OF CONTRACTS BEFORE SIGNING THEM WITH CATERER AND BUYING AIRLINE TICKETS. Seems like you change dates a lot so maybe you should be 100% before entering a contract (which is what an airline ticket is).

I am done done done with this but this post just hit me the wrong way today.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I understand you were venting, but I don't see how this is even poor customer service. United offered you a ticket at a price you were willing to pay with the restrictions on the ticket set forth in the contract you agreed to. You now want to change the ticket, they're more then happy to help you and offer you an option to assist you, but at a cost that was set forth in the contract you agreed to. They are doing the customer centric action of upholding the contract you agreed to and offering options available to you.

 

[DebbieB]

All the Legacy carriers (USAir, United, Delta, Continental) have the same $150 change fee. The do make some exceptions for serious illness, emergencies.

http://www.united.com/page/article/...navSource=Refunds+Landing&linkTitle=Emergency

Fees are where most of the airlines are making their money these days.

 

[soarinup]

The airlines and their policies are not fair, or right, or reasonable by any means. Some people are just "virgins", and walk around in this world with the concept that everyone is kind and polite, and never going to take advantage of them. "sigh" I wish I could go back to those days before I was slapped in the face with reality! I wish I still had your optimism!

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm really not sure what the issue is here. Each airline has their 'rules' very plainly stated on their websites. SW is the only airline, that I know of, that doesn't charge you to change your flights. BUT...if you change to a cheaper flight, you don't get a refund, it goes into your account to be used later. If the flight is more, you pay for it. All other airlines charge to change flights that are booked as 'non-refundable'. THey are cheap for a reason.
And yes, there are those out there who book the fully refundable fares...I've done it myself on occasion.
The airlines are not going to change the rules for someone...other than in extraordinary circumstances. We may think their fees are out of line, but it's their business..they get to set the fees however they wish to. Fair?? Well, it's put there, for all to see. So yes, it's fair.

This thread is not serving any purpose other than to vent and get heated. As I am pretty sure I would be shutting it down sooner, rather than later, I may as well just do it now.