How can I be less totally screwed by USAirways?

July 8, 2013 2:31 PM

We spent around $500 bucks for 3 tickets to fly USAirways, and due to events out of our control, we have to change the dates, and USAirways wants $600 to make the change. What?!!!

So my Niece's wedding has been postponed because the Groom's mission has been extended an extra few weeks on his mission for the Navy. We were planning on flying to the wedding, we bought tickets for 3 for the price of $626.40, including over $100 in taxes and fees.

I called USAirways to change the date; they were happy to accomodate my change, for the small fee of $200 per ticket. Huh? $600 to reschedule 3 tickets that originally cost less than $500? Yup. This seems really screwed up to me.

So do I have any recourse? At this point we would be better off just buying new tickets. I guess we could go as originally planned, but we really don't want to go to DC in the middle of summer. Is there anyway we can get some value out of these three tickets? Does anyone know if there are any consumer protection laws or groups who can help us get some value out of these unwanted tickets.

Side question...why can't you sell airline tickets to someone else. I could probably find someone who would pay me something for them.

I guess I shoulda bought trip insurance!

posted by alball to Travel & Transportation (15 answers total)

There have been several AskMe questions about this kind of situation — like these for example.
posted by John Cohen at 2:37 PM on July 8, 2013

This sounds about right, actually. I book a lot of flights for employees at work, and the change fees are killer. United I believe is $150, American Airlines something like $200 maybe. And god help you if you need to cancel a flight and want to apply that credit to another flight--costs $250 to use the $150 you have in unused flight refund.

Next time book Southwest if you can. Southwest doesn't charge change fees.
posted by phunniemee at 2:38 PM on July 8, 2013 [10 favorites]

Welcome to the hell that are change fees. It's $200 per person per ticket to change or cancel on US Airways for non-refundable tickets (what you have). You're pretty much hosed. The $600 is for fees only, if the fare is higher they will charge you for that, too. Some airlines charge outrageous change fees, such as

As for why you can't sell airline tickets: IANAL, but my understanding is that airline tickets are essentially a contract. You purchased non-refundable tickets. These tickets are the most common and cheapest way to fly, but come with piles of restrictions to get the discount, that is, no refunds, no free changes, non-transferable. You can get refundable tickets, but they usually cost significantly more.

List of airline fees.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 2:39 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

This is perfectly normal if you buy cheap, non-refundable airline tickets. You have virtually no recourse in these situations other than the sympathies of the airline, because that is the type of ticket you bought. If you want flexible, changeable tickets, you pay more for them upfront.

You *might* get some level of consideration if you find just the right rep on the phone and are super nice and plead the "military man in dangerous war zone and all we want to do is be there for their beautiful wedding once he returns from harms way defending our precious country and children and liberty and SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT" angle on things.

Or, you might not.

Sorry.
posted by jacquilynne at 2:39 PM on July 8, 2013 [22 favorites]

Yes, you are basically screwed. I fly often and there really is no recourse. It is made clear when you purchased them they would be non transferable and any change in plans would result in a charge. If I remember correctly you had to click that you understood the terms and conditions. There is no secondary market--the revenue they generate from this charge is already built into the reduced fare for economy class tickets. Sorry this happened to you--it is a very expensive experience in a time of relatively inexpensive flying.
posted by rmhsinc at 2:41 PM on July 8, 2013 [2 favorites]

I guess I shoulda bought trip insurance!

Trip insurance is irrational. The expected chance of you needing to change the trip is priced into the cost of the insurance so that the expected value of the insurance is always in the insurer's favor. Otherwise, the insurer would immediately go bankrupt. (Also, for the same reason, trip insurance providers try like heck to make sure you never get any money from them even if you'd expect for them to pay out).

why can't you sell airline tickets to someone else.

You could conceivably sell an airline ticket to someone else who has exactly the same name as you.

This seems really screwed up to me.

You can buy refundable air tickets. They cost a lot more than you want to spend. You are paying the airline less in exchange for guaranteeing the airline that you will pay them for your trip.
posted by saeculorum at 2:43 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

You can call the airline back and request a refund or a reduction in the fee. Tell them the reasons, emphasizing the groom's military service. Be polite. When they say no, ask to speak to a supervisor. Repeat. If that supervisor says no, ask to speak to someone else or ask if there's an appeal process. My husband, who flies frequently for work (8-10 times a month) sometimes has luck in getting change fees reduced using this approach -- the key is sometimes and reduced. It doesn't always work, and even when it does, it doesn't usually cut the change fees to zero.
posted by OrangeDisk at 2:44 PM on July 8, 2013 [7 favorites]

You could have bought fully refundable tickets but you chose to save money by buying nonrefundable tickets with a $200 change fee each. But even in hindsight, you probably made the right decision given that fully refundable tickets often cost more than double the nonrefundable tickets.

As for trip insurance, it usually only covers specific reasons for cancellation of a trip. Your own military service might qualify, someone else's probably wouldn't. You should check individual insurance policy terms to be sure but it's not something I would spend my time doing.

I would not spend my own time and money looking for a way to get legal recourse.

It seems your only hopes are to try to get this reduced as a gesture of goodwill by the airline. You can try OrangeDisk's approach, you can try communicating via Twitter and Facebook, or you can try sending a written request. As a last resort you can complain to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
posted by grouse at 2:49 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

Seconding phunniemee - the lesson here is to fly Southwest, if they fly to your hometown. No change fees, and even if you have to straight-up cancel your flight, they'll credit you the money (to use on Southwest, natch, but it's better than nothing). Sometimes their flights are more expensive, but it's worth it to never have to worry about change fees again.

Definitely try calling and talking to as many people as you can, mentioning military service as frequently as possible. That's going to be your only hope of avoiding this particular set of change fees - you agreed to a contract, so unless somebody's feeling real sympathetic, you're out of luck.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 3:01 PM on July 8, 2013 [2 favorites]

Check the member benefits for the card you used to purchase the tickets and see if automatic travel insurance is a member benefit. I know I have it on my AmEx.
posted by Jacqueline at 3:09 PM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]

This sucks but you are not being screwed, you're being held to the terms you agreed to when you booked a non-refundable ticket. US Airways is very transparent about it's change fees and they are totally standardised.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:12 PM on July 8, 2013 [7 favorites]

Agreeing with everyone here that there is a 98% likelihood that you are screwed. However, my boss once had success making the impossible happen in a similar situation by going to the airport and talking to the employees at the counter directly, so that would be a last ditch option. Definitely play up the military aspect, and bring written evidence of the mission details if you can.
posted by something something at 3:25 PM on July 8, 2013

This is standard practice. $200 per ticket seems a tad steep, but assuming you bought non-refundable tickets and you were warned of the change fees in the fine print, that's life.

You might be able get some part of it waived if you sit on the phone and whine long enough. Keep in mind, though, that the entire west coast of the US is fucked right now, air traffic wise, and the people at US Airways are probably experiencing high volumes of "Welp I'm Just Going To Sit On The Phone And Bitch Until You Fix This" right now. Might want to give it a few days if you plan to go this route.
posted by Sara C. at 5:25 PM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]

My husband, who flies frequently for work (8-10 times a month) sometimes has luck in getting change fees reduced using this approach -- the key is sometimes and reduced.

Does OP fly frequently for work? I too fly frequently for work, have high status with an airline, and I frequently have change fees waived or reduced with almost no whining. My husband, on the other hand, has zero status with the same airline and only flies a few times a year. I have NEVER had success getting them to reduce his fees, even leaning on the phone reps on the high status phone line who know that I have status. It is all about how much you're worth to the airline as a customer. I'm worth something based on the revenue I provide - my husband does not.

OP, if you're a (quite) frequent flyer with your airline, try to sweet-talk them into reduced fees. If you're not, I wouldn't bother. Sorry.
posted by arnicae at 10:39 PM on July 8, 2013 [2 favorites]

They used to waive fees for a good sob story or if you were a member of their mileage plan and typically flew enough to make elite levels. In my recent experience, no airline gives a fuck about you otherwise. You can complain until you choke. See those empty seats? No, because flights are packed now. They don't care about your loyalty unless you are actually a very heavy and loyal flier. Give up. Write it off. Buy new tickets.

USAir is among the very worst in my experience. Just awful, in every aspect of customer service. Short of the really budget carriers, that's the one to avoid if possible. (Followed closely by United and American, then Delta.) I really suggest not wasting your time, and chalking it up to a lesson learned. Or take an extra trip to use the tix and call it a vacation. You have no clout. They don't care about you or your business or military or bereavement or blahblah. Do. Not. Care. It's all about the Benjamins for these folks. It often seems the majors have outright contempt for regular coach/economy occasional flier middle class customers.

Seconding to rebook on Southwest (or Alaska), two airlines that still give a crap about customer satisfaction and loyalty. JetBlue pretends to a bit more than the oldline majors, but it's all show. They make a fortune from change fees too, but hey,free Pringles! (If only someone else flew NYC-ABQ direct...)

Longer term, I suggest maximizing your status with one (or two if you fly a lot) of the major airlines. Get the credit card and run every expense you can through it (I'm talking groceries, dentist bils, everything), and use that carrier for every flight you take even if it costs a bit more. (Also, always book with that airline's credit card, which gives you bonus miles and seems to produce better service.) You just get more care as a gold/platinum/whatever on any of them. It's very noticeable, at least on Delta and Alaska, my two main carriers (and credit cards). Night and day. These days mileage plans are not about free tickets. They are about minimally humane service.

On edit, what arnicae said.
posted by spitbull at 10:48 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]