Fee to change ticket
 

Back in June I bought a ticket on America West to fly round trip from BOS to SFO on 8/6. Unfortunately the event for which I was traveling out there has been cancelled. I may change the ticket and use up to June of next year for a $100 fee. I completely understand the policy and do not object to paying this fee. However, I do know that occasionally airlines won't charge this fee. Does it have to do with the agent you get on the phone? The situation/reason for cancellation/change?

Unless you purchased a "full fare" ticket you have to pay the rebooking fee. Chances are you purchased one of their round-trip discounted fare tickets which are all non-refundable and subject to rebooking fees unless the change is being made because the airline no longer offers that particular flight. This is pretty standard within the industry.

Getting the change fee "waived" is not likely.But...anything can happen.In the event you DO in fact get an agent on the phone who will waive the change fee, by all means insist that they "document" the record.Put something in the computer stating clearly that the fee is waived.Then get that person's agent sine (airline ID) and their location.And keep that info handy when it comes time for you to have the ticket reissued.

Continental, which I fly most often, does do that. $100 is the fee. When you book it, it says there will be a fee for any changes in their rules and regulations section.

The rules and fees involved in changes are based on what FARE CLASS your ticket is booked in, not where you book it or how you book it.

Thanks all for your replies. I do know that the fee is standard in the industry and also the fee you pay is based on fare class. Just wondering how normal it was that they actually DO charge it. I've had just as many friends be charged it as not. I know that I'll probably have to pay and that's no problem.

Any telephone agent who takes it upon him/herself to waive a change fee for no good reason will soon find him/herself out of work.

The only people who tend SOMETIMES not to enforce change fees are the airline staff at the airport as, due to time constraints, they will often just accept your flight coupon as it is and get you on to the flight. Telephone agents do not work to the same constraints and thus are obliged to enforce company policy.

I would also add that the cleanest way to get this done is to know exactly what you want to end up with. In other words, don't call in to cancel and just leave an open record, but immediately lock in the new itinerary and get your ticket. People sometimes call in to cancel and then leave an open record for a trip to be determined later. This is a great way for things to become lost or assurances to be forgotten, so my suggestion is not to do that.

Whether you have to pay a fee depends on the fare class. I always purchase a "full fare" ticket so that in case of cancellation I can get a full refund. Ask your agent to inform you about the restrictions that booking on a cheaper fare may have.

A full fare tourist class ticket often costs eight or nine times as much as a highly restricted ticket (Continental CLE to SAN, round trip, $236 restricted fare; $2026 full fare). That's a lot to pay to not risk losing the typical $100 penalty for making a change.

I agree with clevelandbrown. Usually a "full fare" is still more money than a "restricted" fare + penalty.