5 ms·

Airlines would be willing to do this if all tickets were 100% non-refundable, non-exchangeable, no excuses. But, that would be a terrible experience for custome

Airlines would be willing to do this if all tickets were 100% non-refundable, non-exchangeable, no excuses. But, that would be a terrible experience for customers. Imagine if you missed your flight, and were informed that you had no choice but to pay for another ticket. Movie theatres can do this because the $12 loss of missing a movie is annoying, but not life-changing, and the social contract is that event tickets are not changeable. I would wager that the fallout of tens of thousands of people per day being told they have to re-buy a ticket if they miss their flight would have much greater negative fall-out than the much smaller number who get involuntarily bumped.

bogomipz 9y ago
>"Airlines would be willing to do this if all tickets were 100% non-refundable, non-exchangeable, no excuses. But, that would be a terrible experience for customers. Imagine if you missed your flight, and were informed that you had no choice but to pay for another ticket" In the US all three big carriers - American, United and Delta all charge $200 to change non-refundable tickets.[1]. Any you pay the fare difference if any on top of that. So there's already a hedge in place. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandratalty/2015/07/20/dont-cancel-your-ticket-on-these-airlines/#556b505e24e1 https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandratalty/2015/07/20/dont-...
- URSpider94 9y ago
  Yes, but they don’t usually charge you this fee if, e.g. you miss a flight. Additionally, that $200 fee comes nowhere near covering the lost revenue if you change flights a day in advance of departure and that seat isn’t re-sold. I hope you can see that a last-minute change (even with a nominal fee) means the plane takes off without a paying butt in that seat.
  - bogomipz 9y ago
    If you miss your flight due to a delay by the airline such as missed connection then you will not pay this penalty. If you miss the flight because you overslept or got stuck in traffic then yes absolutely will pay this penalty. You will have to pay this fee at the counter in order to be rebook. I also wouldn't call $200 plus any change in fare for the rebooked flight "nominal."

bogomipz 9y ago

>"Airlines would be willing to do this if all tickets were 100% non-refundable, non-exchangeable, no excuses. But, that would be a terrible experience for customers. Imagine if you missed your flight, and were informed that you had no choice but to pay for another ticket" In the US all three big carriers - American, United and Delta all charge $200 to change non-refundable tickets.[1]. Any you pay the fare difference if any on top of that. So there's already a hedge in place. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandratalty/2015/07/20/dont-cancel-your-ticket-on-these-airlines/#556b505e24e1 https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandratalty/2015/07/20/dont-...

URSpider94 9y ago
Yes, but they don’t usually charge you this fee if, e.g. you miss a flight. Additionally, that $200 fee comes nowhere near covering the lost revenue if you change flights a day in advance of departure and that seat isn’t re-sold. I hope you can see that a last-minute change (even with a nominal fee) means the plane takes off without a paying butt in that seat.
- bogomipz 9y ago
  If you miss your flight due to a delay by the airline such as missed connection then you will not pay this penalty. If you miss the flight because you overslept or got stuck in traffic then yes absolutely will pay this penalty. You will have to pay this fee at the counter in order to be rebook. I also wouldn't call $200 plus any change in fare for the rebooked flight "nominal."