United policy change - when today, really means tomorrow

[Lumpy1106]

Wow, just wow. I've avoided flying on United for years for a lot of other reasons, but THIS NEW POLICY could mean you won't get to your destination until a full day later and you will have no recourse! Hope you like shortening your vacation and sleeping in airport terminals!

 

[rwdavis2]

What is almost worse is that United allows free flight changes IF you bought the ticket in March. I guess anyone that booked prior to that got their free virus vaccine.

 

[kariyava]

Wow, just wow. I've avoided flying on United for years for a lot of other reasons, but THIS NEW POLICY could mean you won't get to your destination until a full day later and you will have no recourse! Hope you like shortening your vacation and sleeping in airport terminals!

The article in the link says you get a travel credit if you choose not to fly. That's not great but it's not "no recourse" either.

 

[Lumpy1106]

By recourse I mean if United reschedules you for a flight the next day, and you find a flight on Delta in the next hour, you are out-of-luck. As it was before, they would have to compensate you or find a way to accommodate you (the Delta flight for example, or a hotel room for the night for another example). Now, their policy is they got you on a flight, quit complaining. So what if you have a room booked in the Grand Floridian? Just hang out here at the gate - it's super fun!

 

[AngiTN]

What is almost worse is that United allows free flight changes IF you bought the ticket in March. I guess anyone that booked prior to that got their free virus vaccine.

Not just United. Believe that's standard time frame with the legacy airlines. Know for sure Delta is the same and I think AA's was too (though I forgot now what dates it gave)

 

[seashoreCM]

Could you go a day earlier? Call and ask, if applicable.

I suppose that you could make a case for getting a cash refund and the airline would handle it on a case by case basis taking into account whether for you it might otherwise be a trip in vain.

But then you might only find much higher priced tickets when it came time to booking a completely new trip.

Oh, don't forget to try to hand pick alternate flights yourself if there are some flights of the same airline still around that would work better than tomorrow's. Then phone in to request a re-change while not accepting any additional upcharge or payment.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Why pile on UA? You know the other airlines will likely make this policy change as well If UA gets away with it.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

What is almost worse is that United allows free flight changes IF you bought the ticket in March. I guess anyone that booked prior to that got their free virus vaccine.

This is WRONG. UA is offering free changes for all tickets purchased March 2 or earlier.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/notices.html
All change fees waived for tickets issued on or before March 2, 2020

 

[Farro]

Wow, just wow. I've avoided flying on United for years for a lot of other reasons, but THIS NEW POLICY could mean you won't get to your destination until a full day later and you will have no recourse! Hope you like shortening your vacation and sleeping in airport terminals!

Wow. That's crap. And even though we aren't going in May anymore (not due to virus) I looked at what would have been my flight. The 6 am flight was cancelled and the next earliest is 8:40!!! Normally that would be a refund, now you're stuck.

The thing is, they won't reverse this policy. Just like 9/11 and all the new fees, etc. were instituted. When bookings went up again, did they remove the fees? Nope.

 

[Captainkidd76]

This is WRONG. UA is offering free changes for all tickets purchased March 2 or earlier.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/notices.html
All change fees waived for tickets issued on or before March 2, 2020

In the poster's defense, that must be new. As of yesterday, they weren't doing that. The only airline (besides Southwest obviously) that has waived fees for all bookings is Delta, and that was due to intense pressure. JetBlue is still sticking to only helping guests who booked in late February through end of March. It should also be noted, United is only doing this for flights through April 30.

 

[JohnneeO]

The other element of note here is that if you don't like your new flights, and cancel the trip, you now have 15 months to use your ticket. Previously, all tickets were only good for 12 months from the original booking date.

 

[Farro]

The other element of note here is that if you don't like your new flights, and cancel the trip, you now have 15 months to use your ticket. Previously, all tickets were only good for 12 months from the original booking date.

But still have to pay the change ticket fees, correct?

 

[JohnneeO]

But still have to pay the change ticket fees, correct?

I would guess so. Probably depends on the terms at the time of booking.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Why pile on UA? You know the other airlines will likely make this policy change as well If UA gets away with it.

You answered your own question.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

In the poster's defense, that must be new. As of yesterday, they weren't doing that. ...... It should also be noted, United is only doing this for flights through April 30.

Also not correct. Tickets booked on UA between March 2-March 31 can be changed for FREE for the next 12 months.

 

[Captainkidd76]

Also not correct. Tickets booked on UA between March 2-March 31 can be changed for FREE for the next 12 months.

We’re also waiving change fees for all tickets issued on or before March 2 — domestic or international — with original travel dates of March 9 through April 30.

So yes, tickets purchased before March 2 can be changed, but original travel dates needs to between March 9 and April 30.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

The other element of note here is that if you don't like your new flights, and cancel the trip, you now have 15 months to use your ticket. Previously, all tickets were only good for 12 months from the original booking date.

Where do you see that? I’m reading that it’s still 12 months from original booking date (not travel date), so those of is who purchased tickets 11 months out gain only a month to actually use a credit. https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/notices.html#nochangefees

 

[JohnneeO]

The original SFGate article in the first post, as an option when flights are rescheduled with a difference of 2-25 hours from original booking, which means that the 15 months only triggers in certain circumstances.

A United spokesperson told SFGATE: "We’ve made reductions to our international and domestic schedules and know many customers are impacted as a result. Our goal is to rebook as many people as possible without interruption and right now, more than 90 percent of impacted customers are being put on a flight that is within 2 hours of their original booking. For any rebooking that goes beyond two hours, those customers can change for free or cancel altogether, and use the value of that ticket toward future travel up to 15 months from their original ticket issue date."

 

[AngiTN]

But still have to pay the change ticket fees, correct?

I would guess so. Probably depends on the terms at the time of booking.

No, that's what the entire change is. With Legacy airlines you have always been able to change many fares with a fee. So doing that would be no policy change at all.
The entire main change in policy is you can change without a fee. Particulars vary by airline. I know Delta's mentioned 1 change.
And I think some of the more basic airfares may not be changeable but not sure. I never book Basic Economy so haven't checked for any updates to those policies.