With Change Fees Gone, American Repositions Basic Economy

jimntx

Veteran
Jun 28, 2003
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3,302
Dallas, TX
www.usaviation.com
Cranky Flyer finds another upside to elimination of change fees...improvement of Basic Economy features. Interesting read. BTW, I don't mean physical repositioning. It repositions BE to be something other than a straight jacket of rules. Up until now, with the major airlines if you booked BE you were stuck with what is offered. Now it will make BE more competitive with ULCCs: You pay AND GET what you pay for. Like advance seat assignment.

https://crankyflier.com/2020/09/01/with-change-fees-gone-american-repositions-basic-economy/
 
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Jim,
Not sure if you know, but, the big 3 legacies have not rid of all their change fees. As pointed out by Southwest's CEO, they only got rid of most, but not all. They all still have change fees. Southwest is the ONLY airline that has never and still does not charge for ANY change fees, the only difference any customer will pay is the difference in the fare cost, "including" if that changed fare is a lower fare than the original. No other airline does that either to my knowledge. Also don't forget all the other airlines still nickel and dime to death, and most still charge if a customer request or picks an isle or window seat and that's just pathetically over doing it IMO. The other biggie difference is that Southwest is still the ONLY airline with bags fly free still. I believe when JetBlue finally caved to the bag fees was the last remaining airline to go to them a few years back leaving Southwest as the only one left with no bag fees as well as no fees for carry ons, only of course if they are over the weight limits. A third freebie on Southwest is also, soon to be realized, is Southwest will fly your skis and equipment for free also when traveling to your favorite ski bum mountains and slopes.