bit of a flight issue.

[Kulahan]

Hi there! This is my first post on these forums, so if I'm in the wrong area, feel free to correct this by moving it, or whatever it is the moderators do in such a case here. Now that that's out of the way, I'm having a bit of an issue.

I purchased a ticket from AA leaving BWI on Sept. 30th for Baton Rouge. I have a return flight on the 3rd, a sunday. Unfortunately, I need to make the trip back on the 4th, a monday. I called up to have them change it, but apparently, in addition to the cost of the increased ticket price (which I don't mind paying) they want $200! I'm not a regular flyer by any means, but I think that seems like a bit of a crazy price. I mean, hell, that's more than I paid for the damn tickets in the first place. ($188 for a round trip, or something like that). Does anyone know their way around AA enough to tell me if there's some way around this fee? I'd be more than happy to pay the increased price on the ticket, but the extra $200 fee is absolutely insane. It'd almost be cheaper to just buy a new set of tickets. My original plan was to call the day before I was supposed to make the trip back home and say they could bump me back a day if they run out of space on the plane, but I don't feel like Baton Rouge is busy enough to really bet on something like that working. Is this my only option? Anyone know? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[eolesen]

You're flying what is probably close to 2000 miles for only $188?

Sorry, but you get what you pay for. If you buy tickets to go see a concert but something else comes up, they're not going to let you show up the next night. Why do people expect the airlines to make exceptions all the time?...

That's less than $0.10/mile. If you want flexibility, start paying $0.25 to $1.00 a mile like us business travelers do.

 

[Kulahan]

That's not the point. What's annoying me is that they're trying to more than double the price of my ticket to move a date that's almost a month away by one day. I'm not saying I shouldn't pay an increased fee, but $200 is insane. I guess I feel like what you're saying is akin to "hey, you can't afford a good seat, so if there's any sort of issue, too bad! You're not rich enough to be helped". Besides, I'm not asking them to "make exceptions all the time". Every other flight I've ever been on, I've dealt with any mess-ups I've made, and made no quarrels about mess-ups on the airline's side. Hundreds of thousands of people fly every day. Stuff happens, and I understand that. The difference here is that I'm in the military, and I'm going to see my brother for the first time in several years. I probably won't get to see him again for quite some time, and I'd like to maximize the amount of time I get with him, so yes, I'm going to ask for a little help this time around. Anyways, I'm assuming the answer is "No." If anyone else has any sort of ideas, feel free to post them. I'll be checking back, and would greatly appreciate the help.

 

[Just the Facts II]

Looks like you purchased the "non refundable - no change without a fee" ticket. It's pretty common in today's airline environment. I do not know of any way around it other than getting lucky and finding an agent that is sympathetic to your situation. If you haven't already, I would make sure they know you are military. If possible, make a trip out to the airport and the ticket counter with your military ID. You may find someone more sympathetic than on the phone.

This board is mostly mechanics so it is unlikely you will find anyone qualified to answer your problem.

Also, to be clear, I do not believe eolesen works for AA at this time, so he certainly does not represent AA.

 

[Kulahan]

Thanks for the help. I'll give that a try!

 

[eolesen]

I guess I feel like what you're saying is akin to "hey, you can't afford a good seat, so if there's any sort of issue, too bad! You're not rich enough to be helped".

No, it has nothing to do with being rich. It has to do with the fact you bought a $188 ticket. For that price, you don't get the flexibility of a refund or making a change, and AA can be pretty heartless when it comes to waiving fees. This is nothing new -- non-refundable tickets with change fees have been around since I started working in the airlines over 25 years ago. The change fees used to be reasonable; now they're just punitive.

Besides, I'm not asking them to "make exceptions all the time". Every other flight I've ever been on, I've dealt with any mess-ups I've made, and made no quarrels about mess-ups on the airline's side. Hundreds of thousands of people fly every day. Stuff happens, and I understand that. The difference here is that I'm in the military, and I'm going to see my brother for the first time in several years. I probably won't get to see him again for quite some time, and I'd like to maximize the amount of time I get with him, so yes, I'm going to ask for a little help this time around.

The suggestion about using the military ID might work. And it might not, especially in the DC/MD/VA corridor, where being in the military is sort of like being a senior citizen in Florida... they might cut you some slack, and they just might be numb to the fact you're in the military because it's not so uncommon out there.

As you said -- hundreds of thousands of people fly every day. AA carries around 300,000 daily if I recall. If just 1% ask for an exception, that's still 3000 people each and every day asking for a waiver or favor.

From experience, AA isn't one to make a lot of exceptions. I say that as a former ticket agent who got audited on waivers I made for customers, and also as a current traveler who spends five figures a year with AA and its partners. Agents today aren't empowered to do a whole lot more than follow rules to the letter or risk being reprimanded.

I don't think they're going to be any more compassionate for your situation than you've already experienced on the phone, unless there's something a little more compelling to the story, i.e. your orders were changed, there's a family emergency.


The cheapest and sure solution right now may just be to book another ticket for the return trip. I just pulled up one way fares from BTR to BWI on AA.com a few minutes ago.

It's $135 one way including taxes. That's at least $65 cheaper than paying for the fare difference and the change fee. Not necessarily cheap on a military wage, but it beats having to worry about being told to pay something even higher when the airport won't make an exception for you on the day of departure...

 

[Kulahan]

Eolesen, thanks for the help. It's obvious you're extremely experienced in this manner, and it's nice to have advice from someone such as yourself. I'll take all this into account when I give 'em a call. Here's hopin'.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Have you checked prices for a one-way ticket BTR-BWI? Or even a round trip BTR-BWI-BTR? That might be less expensive than the change fee. Don't forget alternate airports instead of BWI (PHL & DCA) and BTR (MSY) although I expect that BWI would have the lower fares of the three. Right now I'm seeing $135 one-way BTR-BWI and under $100 one-way MSY-BWI.
Jim