Comments on: Delta Air Lines offers Hobson’s choice: $200 change fee or fly with H1N1

By: April

April — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:34:31 +0000

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

By: Kevin M

Kevin M — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:58:35 +0000

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.

By: Nobody

Nobody — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:27:13 +0000

Sorry, you lost me at Dear…

So what part of NON-REFUNDABLE ticket do people not understand?

By: Diane

Diane — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:47:09 +0000

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.

By: Frank

Frank — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:55:45 +0000

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.

By: Frank

Frank — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:51:52 +0000

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

By: joel kaufman

joel kaufman — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:28:17 +0000

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.

By: Connie

Connie — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:16:58 +0000

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?

By: Lisa S

Lisa S — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:23:33 +0000

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.

By: TRAVEL AGENT SINCE 1982

TRAVEL AGENT SINCE 1982 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:07:53 +0000

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.