Last week, I published an opinion piece about why swine flu shouldn’t fly. No sooner had my post hit cyberspace than I received a copy of a letter sent by the husband of an infected passenger who had been socked with a $200 fee to change her tickets.
This passenger’s letter provides a stark example of the unconcern Delta registers for any of its passengers. They, as an airline, measured by their cancellation policies, would rather passengers fly sick and infect other passengers and spread this virus rather than do the right thing and allow passengers to make alternative plans without a penalty.
This irritated passenger’s letter underscored my concerns and the concerns of thousands of travelers in this time of influenza uncertainty.
Dear Mr. Anderson,
I write to express concern and disappointment with a Delta Air Lines policy and a conversation I had with a Delta customer service representative today. A month ago my wife, Kay, and I reserved a flight from Denver to Maine to take a vacation in Acadia National Park. Unfortunately, starting yesterday morning (10/12/09), Kay became very ill with what, based on her symptoms, we believe to be a form of the influenza virus. As I write, Kay has not been able to get out of bed for over 24 hours. Out of concern both for Kay’s health and the possibility of exposing other Delta passengers to what may be the H1N1 influenza virus (characterized by the media as the “swine flu”), we decided an hour ago to cancel our trip, and hopefully reschedule a new flight to Maine next week when Kay is feeling better.
Unfortunately, I was told this afternoon by a Delta representative that there is a $200 cancellation fee to do so. This is surprising. Our flight is not close to being sold out, so Delta did not forgo revenue it could have otherwise earned from another customer when we reserved a seat on the flight. Moreover, we were trying to meet Delta halfway – I was not trying to cancel the flight altogether and get any money back. Rather, I simply wanted to reschedule the flight for next week when Kay will hopefully have recovered. I assume Delta would prefer that passengers refrain from travel if they have highly contagious illnesses that could endanger the well-being of other passengers. Indeed, the Center For Disease Control and Prevention explains that if an individual has the H1N1 virus:
“Unless necessary for medical care or other necessities, people who are sick with an influenza-like-illness should stay home and keep away from others as much as possible, including avoiding travel, for at least 24 hours after fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.”
The Delta representative I spoke with suggested that we might be able to obtain a waiver of the cancellation fee if Kay has a note from her doctor certifying that she is, in fact, sick. It is my understanding that unless symptoms are very severe, there isn’t a whole lot a doctor can do to treat the flu once a person has it. That understanding is, again, based on CDC recommendations:
“Get medical care right away if the sick person at home:
• has difficulty breathing or chest pain
• has purple or blue discoloration of the lips
• is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
• has signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when they cry
• has seizures (for example, uncontrolled convulsions)
• is less responsive than normal or becomes confused.”
Since Kay does not exhibit any of these particular symptoms, we do not believe it is necessary to seek medical treatment at this time, and that it is therefore wise to follow the CDC’s advice by having Kay remain at home and rest in bed and stay away from others. That does not, however, mean that Kay is somehow fit to travel or not contagious. It is troubling to me that Delta’s policy regarding waiver of cancellation fees requires an individual to disregard the CDC’s advice by traveling to a doctor not for the purpose of seeking medical treatment, but merely to prove Kay is in fact sick. The Delta representative I spoke with was explicit on this point – he said he does not care whether the doctor could do anything to help Kay feel better; he simply wanted us to obtain a “certificate” proving she is sick. During a time when the nation is having a conversation about health care resources, and the extent to which unnecessary visits to doctors drive up healthcare costs, this policy is especially troubling.
In short, it is disappointing that Delta’s policy has presented my wife and me with a Hobson’s choice between (a) paying a cancellation fee, (b) traveling on a Delta flight with the flu and endangering other Delta passengers (which is against CDC recommendations), and/or (c) disturbing Kay’s rest by going to a doctor merely to get a “certificate” (also against CDC recommendations).
It is hard to believe that such a result comports with your vision of Delta’s values, principles, and customer relationships. The policy of charging customers under these circumstances is founded on a cynical assumption that the customer is dishonest (potentially lying about her illness), and puts the burden of proof on a person who is extremely ill to disregard medical best practices and endanger others at the same time. While we have chosen to absorb Delta’s flight cancellation fee, it is inevitable that some Delta passengers will choose option (a), since it is cheapest, exposing other Delta passengers to the flu.
I cannot believe Delta would condone this practice, but your customer service representative told me that, “I think that’s a very good practice,” and explained that it’s necessary because of the possibility that I might be lying about Kay’s illness. I assure you, I am not (and unfortunately seem to be coming down with the same flu now).
I also want to call to your attention the disturbing level of cynicism exhibited by your customer service representative who asked me (paraphrasing), “How do you know your wife even has the flu?” I responded, “Do you know what the symptoms of flu are?” “Yes,” he responded. I replied, “So do I, and she exhibits those symptoms,” to which he had no response. I’m not sure what purpose this test of my flu symptom knowledge served other than to question my truthfulness and make light of a serious situation.
Perhaps most importantly for Delta’s self-interest, our circumstances presented the company with an opportunity to build a strong customer tie. For little or no incremental cost, Delta could have put us on a different flight to Maine next week and waived the change fee. I recognize that the terms and conditions of purchasing a Delta airline ticket give your business all of the leverage in a situation like this. You are, technically, within your contractual rights to insist we pay a change or cancellation fee. But looking beyond the terms, conditions, and fine print, I don’t believe this is the customer experience that you or Delta intend for customers. But remarkably, your service representative insisted that Delta’s position was necessary to ‘treat all customers fairly.’
It has been unpleasant to have your employee question my truthfulness, question whether my wife is truly ill, and suggest that she get out of bed and see a doctor merely to prove that I am not lying. It is annoying to pay a cancellation fee when it would cost Delta virtually nothing to simply put us on a different flight next week. And it is also troubling that Delta’s policies incentivize consumer choices that will inevitably endanger other travelers in order to avoid change and cancellation fees. That is not a risk I want to take on future Delta flights. Nor is this treatment consistent with the values and principles that my family supports with repeat business (and, with family members in Michigan, we provide a significant amount of repeat business to your merger partner, Northwest Airlines). Unfortunately, we will no longer be flying on Delta or Northwest Airlines. For the good of your future customers, I hope that you will consider modifying your flight change fees in a way that others will have a better experience than we did.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
Is that a letter or the next edition of War and Peace? While I see his point and it has many valid ones, I think the length of the letter is an issue.
Charlie … Bad example to use and your title is grossly misleading and deceptive.
She’s sick but by their own admission not sick enough to seek medical treatment and hasn’t been diagnosed with any illness. So his argument is my wife doesn’t feel well so you shouldn’t charge me a cancellation fee. He tries the scare tactic that she has a potentially deadly disease but he isn’t concerned enough to seek medical attention. I see a disconnect.
Sorry … A travel insurance policy won’t even cover this and yes he is asking Delta to forgo revenue. While the flight he’s currently on may not be sold out, that doesn’t mean that a future flight he wants to apply the credit to won’t be almost full.
I would love to see how the airlines respond to someone who is diagnosed with H1N1 and would like to change or cancel. If they fail then, you have a really good case.
Right now you have nothing other than Delta asking a flyer to prove that they are sick. Unfortunately to quote Gregory House “people lie,” so the airline simply wants proof from a disinterested party that she has the H1N1. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
I couldn’t agree with you more, John. While this flyer wasn’t lying about his wife’s illness, so many people do – unfortunately. Back in the day – a doctor’s letter would allow a full refund and then you know what happened – everyone knew a doctor who would write a letter whether the person was sick or not. It would be interesting though to see what any airline would do, if a customer had documentation regarding having the H1N1 flu, assuming it was a real diagnosis!
I have to agree with John here, right down to the quote by Dr. House. I am sure that if the airlines changed their policies, there would be a massive amount of people calling to change their flights due to the flu. For every three legitimately sick persons that would call seeking a change fee waiver due to the flu, one would be lying or stretching the truth.
Face it, we get extremely low fares. But to get those low fares, we give up certain rights, like the ability to change our reservations without further cost. If we want the ability to change our reservations without these change fees, the airlines offer us that option. Sure, the unrestricted tickets cost more, but we can change our flights as much as we need to.
As a business traveler, I have had occasions where I knew in advance that no matter what return flight I choose to go home with, it would be changed….some trips are just like that. I looked at the fares and bought a ticket with a fare that would not hit me with change fees each time I called to change my reservation.
Airfares are at the lowest rates I have seen in my 20+ years of travel. A person can fly from the east to west coast, round trip, for little more than $300. Remember the days when a flight to Europe was over $1000? Now, I can fly to Frankfurt or London for around $500. To get that low fare, there are restrictions. Yes, they are in fine print, but they are there and available for any of us to read before we buy.
In my eyes, the airlines are charging less than they should in the first place for tickets. To me, charge a fair price for a fair product is what they should do. Enough with these silly fees and extra charges.
Sure, it would be easier if the airlines just established a better sales model and charged a flat per mile fee with minimal extra charges. But I would imagine that many of the low fares people are used to seeing would disappear.
I agree with John. I am suspicious that she is bed ridden now, but will be fully recovered in a week?
This passenger’s letter provides a stark example of the unconcern Delta registers for any of its passengers. They, as an airline, measured by their cancellation policies, would rather passengers fly sick and infect other passengers and spread this virus rather than do the right thing and allow passengers to make alternative plans without a penalty.
————————————————————————————-
@ Charlie Leocha
Really now? The airline ATTEMPTS to work out the situation but the “customer” REFUSES to do HIS PART to rectify it by giving EVERY EXCUSE IN THE BOOK!!!
To John and his supporters. Great perspectives coming from all travelers who understand personal responsibility.
Wait, you’re only “really sick” if you go to a doctor? So, before you call in sick to work or keep your child from school, you take a doctors visit first? How much record keeping do the airlines do? If this was, say, the 2nd or 3rd time that this had happened with these customers, then, by all means, provide proof. But when the flu is a daily topic and a rescheduled ticket, and not a refund, was the request, then this is poor customer service. And, Ron, you really feel that because the fare is cheap, the customer shouldn’t expect decent service? Hey, that hamburger was a dollar, so you shouldn’t expect it to be warm or to not make you sick. That’s an ignorant argument. Keep lowering the standard for airlines by accepting poor service, and eventually there will be no standards at all.
What seems to be the issue here in this lengthy letter, is that Delta is choosing to ignore the recommendations of the CDC, this nations protector against communicable diseases. I am sure that this is not only Delta but all of the nations Airlines. The thought of being on a plane next week, when I travel next, with someone with the H2N1 Flu bothers me. I am sure that people will travel sick, contaminate the airliner and infect other people because of the airlines sole interest in profit, rather than being good citizens.
I wonder if Delta is penalizing their employees when they come down with the flu?
I feel badly for the person who is sick, but they purchased NONREFUNDABLE tickets that come with change and cancellation restrictions. Did they think of the possiblities of what could happen and take out travel insurance? So now they are upset because the airlines won’t bend the rules for them?
Charlie is concerned, but what would be a better statement is to advise people to cover themselves with cancelation insurance if they have nonrefundable tickets. The airlines don’t want sick people onboard, but you do have an option when you buy a ticket. You don’t have to by a nonrefundable ticket, you can purchase a restrictive free ticket.
If this was, say, the 2nd or 3rd time that this had happened with these customers, then, by all means, provide proof. But when the flu is a daily topic and a rescheduled ticket, and not a refund, was the request, then this is poor customer service. And, Ron, you really feel that because the fare is cheap, the customer shouldn’t expect decent service?
=================================================
@ Craig.
This airline carries over 100 MILLION passengers per year. Even in GOOD TIMES airline profits are razor thin. Imagine that amount of EMPTY SEATS going out if people just decided NOT to fly when they AGREED to by purchasing that contract, their ticket. Any empty seat that goes unfilled is lost revenue, it’s NEVER recovered.
And, RON never mentioned bad service, he mentioned the FACT that airfares are cheap and COME WITH RESTRICTIONS. You want a ticket with NO RESTRICTIONS? BUY IT.
and, how is this poor customer service when the PASSENGER REFUSES to provide a doctor’s note?
I’m the person who wrote the letter. I agree that if people really want to avoid this problem, then buy cancellation insurance (given the “War and Peace” length of the letter, you may have missed that I concede Delta was within their legal rights to charge me that fee).
The bigger point I’m trying to make, which I think some commenters are missing, is that not everyone will eat a cancellation fee and skip their flight. Instead, they’ll fly with the flu, which I think presents a public health concern. Bottom line – I don’t want to fly next to someone with the flu.
Craig, there already are no standards. Passengers aren’t “customers,” but self-loading cargo. We all need to recognize and accept that airlines are doing us a big favor by letting us occupy narrow middle seats that could much more profitably be occupied by non-sentient cargo that doesn’t complain.
Most problems and complaints about airlines are based on our own faulty, obsolete expectations. Airlines used to be a “service” industry that competed for business based on amenities. Unfortunately, the legacy airlines still persist in fraudulently advertising that notion. But they’re actually a fungible commodity. Airlines now compete for profitability by striving to cut costs and to reduce the quality of service faster than their competitors. It’s a race to the bottom, with success (and survival) depending on who can most quickly “unbundle” the most parts of air travel into “ancillary revenue.”
The sooner passengers accept the reality that airlines don’t care at all about their customers (or, for that matter, about the low-level employees who “serve” passengers), the sooner we’ll adjust our expectations to reflect that reality. We should thus be completely satisfied if “Air Greyhound” gets us safely to our destination within a few hours of the scheduled time, and gets the bags we pay a fee to check into our hands within a few days of arrival.
To update the script flight attendants recite on landing, “We know you don’t have any choice, since all airlines treat you just as shabbily and you definitely don’t have time to drive across the country or row your dinghy across the ocean. So sit down, shut up, and pay your fees!”
@Craig … Yea what Frank said
Why would she need to see her doctor? I’m sure that a quick call to the doctor’s office, a talk with the receptionist or nurse explaining the situation, his wife’s symptoms, and requesting a physician’s letter would achieve the desired results. If the doctor’s office is too busy dealing with seriously ill patients and refuses, offer to fax or email a draft of the letter to the office. It should be a slam dunk if you have a reasonable physician.
@Chris the letter writer – Delta or whoever airline might “catch on” and probably deny that flu-afflicted passenger. Might, anyway.
We don’t always get to have our way. Despite things not always on our side, we always have a choice how we want to proceed.
@ Frank/John
“This airline carries over 100 MILLION passengers per year. Even in GOOD TIMES airline profits are razor thin. Imagine that amount of EMPTY SEATS going out if people just decided NOT to fly when they AGREED to by purchasing that contract, their ticket. Any empty seat that goes unfilled is lost revenue, it’s NEVER recovered.
And, RON never mentioned bad service, he mentioned the FACT that airfares are cheap and COME WITH RESTRICTIONS. You want a ticket with NO RESTRICTIONS? BUY IT.
and, how is this poor customer service when the PASSENGER REFUSES to provide a doctor’s note?”
Deciding not to fly and following CDC recommendations are different. If the writer is trying to be considerate to other passengers, he shouldn’t be punished for it. Also, the cost of a doctors visit, for some, may be more then the rescheduling charge. The point of the letter and it’s posting here is that this rigid policy is encouraging sick people to travel when they shouldn’t be. The fact that there’s restrictions on the ticket isn’t lost on me. Also, your use of CAPS is juvenile. You’re points better made when you’re not yelling it.
Use the command to bold a letter or word, then command to italicize or so. That way, no need to use CAPS to emphasize a point maybe. :)
Oh darn it. Type less than sign-b-greater than sign, letter or word, then less than sign-slash-b-greater than sign to bold a word, then less than sign-i-greater than sign, letter or word, then less than sign-slash-i-greater than sign to italicize something. That way, no need to use CAPS to emphasize a point. :)
A few comments in response to those above:
Coincidentally, a survey was released recently showing that over half of passengers say they’d fly with the flu to avoid a change fee. It’s inevitable that airlines will not identify and screen all of these passengers, thereby depriving healthy passengers of the choice whether to fly next to a sick person.
To respond to John’s initial comment, different people show H1N1 symptoms with varying degrees of severity. My wife’s symptoms were very bad and she felt horrible, but didn’t rise to those listed by the CDC as necessitating medical attention. This doesn’t change the fact that those in higher risk groups – such as the elderly, pregnant mothers, and children – face higher risks if they get H1N1. Many people have died from it. If it’s a “scare tactic” to raise concern over people being exposed to an illness that’s potentially fatal, then I’m guilty of doing so. But I have genuine concern that passengers will unknowingly be exposed to H1N1. I’m not asking for sympathy from you. I ate the fee and so be it. I’ll just fly a different airline in the future. I am asking individuals and airlines to consider whether a “change” fee is good policy given over half of passengers will fly even if they’re sick. I think the answer is no. I realize this will result in lost revenue to airlines, and some individuals will abuse the system. Imposing those costs on airlines is unfair. But I personally think the alternative – sick passengers ignoring their obligation not to fly to avoid a change fee and endangering others – carries a greater cost, and is also unfair. For the sake of future Delta passengers, I hope they change their policy. Sounds like we just have a fundamental difference of opinion on that point. Fair enough.
Lastly, there’s a lot of discussion about how airlines are so hard up that we can’t expect them to allow passengers to change flights without charging a $150 per ticket fee. It’s true that many airlines are in bad shape, but somehow that doesn’t stop Southwest from allowing passengers to change flights without charging this fee. Lesson learned, I’ll just fly Southwest in the future.
This letter (and article championing it) is one of the most ridiculous things I have read in awhile. Why is he dwelling on H1N1 so much when his wife likley does not even have it (and why is it even referred to in the headline?)!? What about other contagious diseases like the common cold – If I cough on the phone, should I be able to cancel a flight as well? The refusal to even get a note is completely unreasonable, but the biggest joke of this whole letter is when he starts a paragraph with “In short”.
I think your solution to only flying Southwest is a good one for you. However it begs to ask, if you don’t like Delta’s policy, then why did you agree to their restrictions when you purchased the ticket? Nobody cares what that word nonrefundable means until they are faced with it. They look at $198 roundtrip vs $750 for a fully refundable ticket, so they take their chances with the $198. Can’t have your cake and eat it, too.
BTW, you did the right thing by canceling. You have 1 year from the date of the original issue of those tickets to reuse them. You haven’t lost out, just picked the wrong fare for your monetary concerns.
So Chris your argument is that every ticket for the foreseeable future should be a fully refundable ticket no matter what you paid for it or if you paid for a non-refundable ticket.
If the standard becomes, all I have to do is claim that I have H1N1, not provide any proof (you didn’t), simply state that I have H1N1 like symptoms, everyone should waive every policy because I claim that I might have an illness, then be prepared for all ticket prices to increase to the fully refundable level (since that is what you have in effect done see Greg House) or airlines to go out of business leaving you stranded.
I think that it is a very low standard to meet for you to prove your diagnosis in order to have the airline waive (ie do something that you are not entitled to) their policies.
It sounds like they were willing to do that Chris. I guess you should have spent the co-pay at urgent care
@John, this story was written by Charlie and republished a passenger’s letter. I just linked to it.
But you ask where I stand on this. I think airlines really need to rethink their nonrefundability rules. If you have a doctor’s note that you had H1N1, or even regular flu, then it should consider waiving its change fees.
Think of it like this — you did the whole plane a big favor by not flying.
Craig October 23, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Also, your use of CAPS is juvenile. You’re points better made when you’re not yelling it.
===================================================
That’s the way I typed online since 1996. NOT changing it because of your opinion of it. You just throw that in there with your WEAK argument, anyway.
LOL!
@Bodega: when I booked the tickets, we didn’t expect one of us would get H1N1 (it’s not every day you get that, so I didn’t want to pay a 300% markup on the off chance). As noted above though, I concede Delta was legally within their right to charge a change fee and that buying trip insurance would have solved my particular problem (in my particular case, Delta had plenty of open seats both on my scheduled flight and the one I wanted to change to; so multiple solutions existed).
But enough about me. My primary concern (and Charlie’s too, I think) is other passengers on future flights, since some will inevitably travel with the flu rather than pay a change fee or buy trip insurance, getting others sick in the process.
@John. I agree that there’s an unresolved issue regarding what level of proof is required. But it seems moot in many instances – Southwest charges competitive prices without charging a customer to change their flight. Not just in cases of illness, but in any circumstance. So I hope that other passengers will learn from my situation by avoiding Delta when possible until they change their policy on H1N1.
In Delta’s case, they won’t even guarantee waiver of the change fee even if you have a doctor’s note (the gentleman I spoke with at Delta told me this, and it’s also confirmed here: http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/Some_Airlines_Change_Policies_for_H1N1_091409). Regardless, I’d personally rather absorb the change fee than go against CDC recommendations.
In any event, and whoever you fly with, I hope none of you have the misfortune of getting H1N1. It makes you not feel like moving.
But Chris, that use to be how the airlines handled this, but Doctor’s lie on behalf of their patients Sadly, those people have ruined it for the rest of us.
Frank – Delta was not losing any money as the writer (Chris) just wanted to re-schedule the flights. Granted, as someone above mentioned, he should go far enough out (what, 10 days?) to ensure his wife is over the flu. I would think Delta would work with him to get him and his wife on later flights where seats were available without socking him $200.00, especially if this means that the flu would not be spread on their planes.
For those who think that Chris should have taken his wife to the doctor apparently do not visit doctors often. The last thing a doctor wants to deal with is a contagious patient in their office if they can avoid it. As an example, when we thought our son had chicken pox, my wife called the pediatrician’s office, explained the symptoms, and the office said to take care of our son and they will note that he had chicken pox. Adele understood this–a quick call to the doctor for a phone review then get a note from the doctor. As the CDC states, do not take someone in that has the flu unless life-threatening conditions are present.
I think airlines and others should work with those who are contagious and/or sick so that the illness is not spread–and without gouging the passenger/customer with the outrageous change fees a lot of airlines charge.
Hmm.. lets see here – the reason that crappy airlines such as Delta, Northworst, AA, Continental, etc. are still in business is directly due to the clowns writing responses here (Frank, Kevin, Ron, Peggie, Jon, etc). Either you all work for the airlines and don’t want your golden ticket to disappear or you enjoy throwing your money away riding in cattle cars where you have to pack your lunch.
Also I would suggest those that think a visit to the doctor’s office is cheaper than the rescheduling fee, to take a moment and actually read the explanation of benefits that your companies (it’s obvious that you don’t pay for your own health insurance by the ignorant statements made) and see that your quick visit to see Dr Quinn costs probably $300-400. But since you only pay a cheap co-pay of $30 you think it’s cheap.
All here have been completely numbed by the media and airline industry and programmed to feel ’sorry’ for them as they can’t run a profitable business. I wish I had the same sympathy in my job and could prey on people’s emotions so they could accept me doing a bad job or not doing my job at all.
It’s pretty comical the recent media attention to our government and it’s supposed moving into socialism, yet it seems that we’re already beyond, in communism where people think that it’s their right to get paid for doing a crappy job.
See you next time on meat-locker airlines, I’ll be wearing my SARS mask.
Wow, what a response! Me siding with the airlines, Frank agreeing with me (And even sticking up for me), cats and dogs living together, etc.
I had another thought on this subject. Look at it this way, if it makes anyone feel better. When I buy a ticket, I assume I will have to make at least one change to my reservation. So that $250 fare becomes $350. That is the true cost of the ticket.
If I go on my trip and actually come home when planned, I only spent $250. I saved $100, and my wife and daughter got me home early. Granted, this rarely happens, but you never know…..
Airlines started offering non-refundable fares because we all demanded low fares. We got spoiled on the ridiculously low fares for some of these flights. To keep offering these fares, they had to make them restrictive so business travelers like myself would not buy them, we would continue buying the higher priced tickets.
Now, I try and buy the lowest fare and hope I don’t have to change my reservation. If I do, oh well, that’s the price of flying.
The price we pay for tickets is no longer the true cost of flying. We must add in the cost of checking bags, buying meals or drinks on the plane, the cost of change fees. Do I like it? No. But that is the way things go for now. Being an educated consumer means understanding how this system works. Even with the low advertised prices, the airlines will find a way to get their money from us. If not in the price of the ticket, it will be in the fees they add later.
======================================================
For Craig that said, “And, Ron, you really feel that because the fare is cheap, the customer shouldn’t expect decent service? Hey, that hamburger was a dollar, so you shouldn’t expect it to be warm or to not make you sick. That’s an ignorant argument. Keep lowering the standard for airlines by accepting poor service, and eventually there will be no standards at all.”
Not once did I mention accepting poor service. Calling imaginary quotes ignorant offends me. Please, read my posts before you call me or my writings ignorant. I will tell you that I believe that a job worth doing, is a job worth doing right. I hold myself to that standard and expect the same of ANY vendor.
@Bodega, no doubt about it, you’re right that some passengers will lie to change their flight. That’s a cost that airlines will unfairly shoulder if they loosen their H1N1 policies. It’s frustrating that people will do that and make it hard on the rest of us and Delta. But airlines know that if customers have to pay a change fee when they have H1N1, then healthy passengers will unfairly bear the risk of getting sick. Either way, someone loses.
Which matters more – airline profits? Or individuals’ health? I appreciate your concerns about fraudulent medical claims. But H1N1 isn’t a common cold. In Colorado, where I live, 20 people have already died from H1N1. Given the risks associated with this virus, I prioritize life and health over airline profit. So I’ll agree to disagree with you.
I had to cancel a flight on US Airways due to N1H1 virus. I had a doctor’s note and a lab report showing that I had the virus and was contagious during the time of my scheduled flight. I did contact their customer relations and included all documentation to support my claim and they refused to refund me the change fee of $150, stating they have no medical clause. I agree with Chris that many people will fly sick to avoid paying a penalty fee and the airlines are promoting this behavior. I was trying to do the right thing and not expose the public, or their flight crew to a potentially deadly virus and got nothing in return. There are some airlines who deny sick passengers from boarding the plane and they give them a full refund…maybe I should have gone that route.
Airlines stopped accepting doctor’s letters as a basis to refund tickets
almost 20 years ago. There are no more condolence fares either. I think airline tickets are still refundable in case of death.
Theatre tickets aren’t. Perishable food isn’t.
Which airlines deny sick passengers boarding and refund the tickets?
Buy from those!
Cruise ships compensate passengers who fall ill from being exposed to sickness on the cruise. Airlines should be held just as responsible.
Write your senator regarding the Passenger’s Bill of Rights so often mentioned.
It is a shame to hear someone complain about the length of this very well written, diplomatic letter. I thought it was quite thorough.
I would also like people to recognize that that once you have the flu, there is very little that the doctor can do to help you (barring complications, of course) and it is unnecessary to go to the doctor.
I would like to know why airlines continue to engage in unsustainable pricing and business plans that encourage bankruptcy? Consumers buy tickets at available prices. If airlines choose to sell tickets that cause them to lose money, that is their choice. I find it a strange and irrational choice, but it is nevertheless the choice of the airlines. I am surprised that some people voice concerns that airlines make only “razor-thin profits.” If airlines charged reasonable prices (defined as prices that cover costs and obtain at least a 6% net profit), then perhaps they wouldn’t constantly be facing bankruptcy. Southwest doesn’t seem to face bankruptcy regularly as Delta, United, and other airlines do. Maybe the legacy carriers should stop complaining and justifying their customer unfriendly practices and look to Southwest for guidance.
There is some merit in everything that has been said. I’d like to offer three points, however. 1) President Obama has declared a national state of emergency regarding the H1N1 flu – so this is not “business as usual.” All of the airlines need to take this into account. 2) Even if you purchase travel insurance, unfortunately, it would require documentation from a medical office to claim a refund of the change fee. 3) I am curious about what will happen when the airlines start to get lawsuits from passengers whose health was compromised because of their policies. Imagine this scenario: A healthy mother and child are sitting next to someone with H1N1, who explains that she is flying because the airline refused to change her ticket. The mother gets the phone numbers of nearby passengers who hear this. A day or two later the child gets the disease and dies from it. Any lawyers out there who want to offer their thoughts on this?
As a wise high school teacher once taught me about this type of situation, bottom feeding airlines and ineffective federal regulators demand that large numbers of people engage in actions just on the lawful side of civil disobedience, tying the system in knots until it changes. Thus, if one has the energy to rise from one’s sickbed, show up at the airport with a sign that I have swine flu but I’m flying because Delta would charge me $200 to cancel. My guess is the gate agents or pilot would reassess the $200 fee in such circumstances.
Tim October 23, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Frank – Delta was not losing any money as the writer (Chris) just wanted to re-schedule the flights. Granted, as someone above mentioned, he should go far enough out (what, 10 days?) to ensure his wife is over the flu.
====================================================
So, for CONSISTENCY SAKE, Delta should ONLY allow a CHANGE FEE when seats are available as opposed to when seats arent?
Wrong
Joey October 23, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Also I would suggest those that think a visit to the doctor’s office is cheaper than the rescheduling fee, to take a moment and actually read the explanation of benefits that your companies (it’s obvious that you don’t pay for your own health insurance by the ignorant statements made) and see that your quick visit to see Dr Quinn costs probably $300-400. But since you only pay a cheap co-pay of $30 you think it’s cheap.
===================================================
Seriously, if you’re going to call us clowns, at least have a CREDIBLE reply. Open the phone book, go online, I bet you can find a Doctor (in a box) in any city and it will cost you under $50 bucks for that Doctor’s note.
I don’t understand that because someone has the flu they feel that the airlines shouldn’t charge them a cancellation fee.
Many of us have flown with some form of cold, flu systems which are also contagious or changed flights because of illness or accidents.
This letter almost smacks of fear mongering re: H1N1 and airlines.
Sorry, you lost me at Dear…
So what part of NON-REFUNDABLE ticket do people not understand?
For all the people on here who can’t read, the question is not “what part of NON-REFUNDABLE do people not understand?”. A non-refundable ticket means that you cannot get your money back. It does not mean that you cannot change the ticket, nor does it mean that you cannot cancel the ticket and apply it as a credit to a future flight. Virtually all non-refundable tickets are changeable in this manner (more below).
What is at issue is what fee, if any, is appropriate to charge for this alleged “service”. As noted, Southwest allows changes for free. You can’t get your money back on a non-refundable fare, but you can apply the full unused portion of your fare to a future ticket, for up to one year from the date you purchased the ticket. Simple, fair. When you purchase that next fare, it may be less or more than the credit; if it’s more, you pay extra.
Delta, by contrast, wants to charge a “fee” of $100 each way, for its “costs” incurred in re-issuing the ticket. This, mind you, is in addition to any difference in fares – so if you purchased the original fare at 21-day advance prices (ie cheap) and two days before the flight, you want to postpone it a week, you’ll pay the 7-day notice fare (ie expensive), less the price you paid for your original tickets, plus $200 for the “change” fee.
In other words, you’re paying the difference between the advance purchase fare and the walk-up fare, so Delta is out nothing; you’re giving them an extra $200 for twenty seconds’ work by a clerk on a computer terminal in a call center. Yes, the ticket conditions allow it. Yes, it’s legal. The question is, is it right? I say, absolutely not.
I was supposed to fly to Pittsburgh in March 2009. My mom had to have back surgery to repair a ruptured disc. I called Delta, and they let me put my ticket “on hold.” We rescheduled for Nov. 2009. Again, my mom fell and this time broke her hip, and last Friday, Oct. 30, had partial hip replacement. Now I will have to take care of her. I called to reschedule our trip, and was told that if I don’t use the tickets by Nov 10, I will lose the tickets–they will be null and void. What? The first time they called the hospital. Won’t even listen this time to me. Does anyone know if there is anything I can do about this? Thanks