Thai Airways has inconsistent change fee policy

Date: 31 July 2013
Airline: Thai Airways
Location: Seoul, South Korea to LAX
Flight: TG692

When I made reservation drop down menu online did not have the return date I wanted. I called to verify and was told that arriving date change fee is $0. They only have $150 fee for outbound changes which states on their reservation confirmation. I was told to call back later after making the reservation to change the date I wanted. Now that I called to change the date, they're saying its $350 per ticket, total of $700.

Their terms and conditions / restrictions specify that ticket is good for one year but representative told me it is actually 6 months and that I have to pay to get an extension. None of their disclaimer links work either. Nowhere in the ticket or reservation confirmation state the fee of date change other than outbound flight. Consumers are deceivingly sold and unlawfully charged without proper notices.

Mystery date change with Singapore Air

Two tickets were purchased and confirmed on 24 November 2011 to fly from Houston to Moscow for 30 April 2012. On Saturday 31 March 2012, I received a phone call from Singapore Air stating that we could not fly on the date of the purchased ticket and had to change the date of departure.

Initially offered an earlier date, I argued against that change since our visas would not allow us into the country for that arrival date.  Then I was told we would have to go either on the 1st or 2nd of May 2012 and settled on 1 May 2012. The tickets were reissued that day with the same ticket numbers and the date of purchase (not change) was backdated to the original purchase date.

When queried about the reason for this change I was not told nor was I told when I called the airline nor was my complaint ever answered by Singapore Air. I would still like us to leave on the original date and return on the original date (22 Jun 2012). To arbitrarily change a date for a purchased ticket without any reason and tell they cannot go on that date is the height of airline arrogance. Although this is the only complaint having used Singapore several times before, this one seems to be serious.

-Jimmy

How good is a airline ticket credit if it is hard to use?

Flight Date: 5 June 2012
Airline: United, flights UA258 and UA785

I had a $479 ticket credit, due to a flight that I did not make in August, 2011. I was informed that there would be a $150 change penalty, but that I could book another flight within the year with this credit.

When I made a $320 flight reservation (for a [domestic] flight departing June 2012), my understanding was that with the $150 penalty, the total cost would be covered, with about $9 left over.

Instead, when I received my e-ticket it indicated that the $150 change fee had been charged to my credit card. When I called to report the mistake, I was informed that their policy required them to make this charge, but that I still had a $150 credit for a future flight.

When I asked that the penalty be taken out of the money they already had from me, my request was refused as "against policy." When I requested a waiver to the policy because it creates a financial hardship for me, my request was (quite rudely!) refused. The agent refused to give me his name, other than "John."

This policy seems unfair and unjust--simply a way for the airline to manipulate passengers into booking another flight with them. I believe this policy should be overruled by airline regulators.

Son almost misses flight because of mystery ticket fee

My son was traveling home for Christmas on a ticket that I had purchased in advance for him. He was given a boarding pass, checked his bag and proceeded through security to the departure gate.  Once at the gate, he was refused boarding because there was a 'fee due on the fare'.  No other information was given about the fee and he was told that they couldn't check on the details or verify anything - all they could do is take his money and let him board the flight.  

Being a broke college student, he did not have the ~$85 ransom payment in order for him to board.  He called me with about 20 minutes until the departure time in a panic because he was going to miss his flight.  I called the JetBlue reservation desk and after several minutes verified that there was no amounts due or any outstanding fees.  The agent on the phone was adamant that had there been any fee due, the ticket would not have been issued at the time of purchase.  By the time I was able to get off the phone with the agent and attempt to contact my son, he had already boarded his flight and had turned off his phone.

From my point of view, this was nothing other than an attempt to collect money from a passenger at the very last minute. "Pay up or you don't get on the plane."  Had he (or possibly countless other passengers) been able to pay the ransom fee at the gate, he would likely have done so simply to be able to board the plane and dealt with the issue later.

I would ask that anyone else who has experienced similar 'hostage' scenarios, please put your comments in writing.  You pay your fare and there should not be any additional fees requested.  Extortion, ransom, whatever you want to call it. Bottom line is it's wrong and needs to be addressed.

Oversold and Stranded a Long Way from Home

Flight Date: 15 April 2012

We purchase a full priced, non stop ticket for our college daughter from San Francisco to Denver on her Spring Break. We drove 100 miles from our home to DIA.  We checked her in to security and then we left her at the airport.  We then drove 100 miles back to our home.  She called us at 7:00 and told us that her flight would be delayed until 8:00.  So she waited around, walked around, etc.  She came back to the gate at 7:50 and they refused to allow her on the plane even though they knew she was there waiting on them for their delay. They told her they oversold the flight and she couldn't get on. She told them she had been waiting for their delay and needed to get back for school.  They told her it was their policy to oversell flights and since she wasn't around they gave her seat to someone else. And we were at home 100 miles away at that time.  

They told her she was out of luck, not what can we do to help you. She was hysterical.  The then told her that the next few days were booked and they couldn't get her out until Wed.  We drove halfway back to DIA, when she called us and said she could fly to Phoenix, spend the night alone in the airport and catch a flight at 6:45 to San Francisco.

OMG! UNBELIEVABLE! MY YOUNG DAUGHTER, ALONE IN AN AIRPORT IN PHOENIX!  WHEN I HAD PURCHASED A NON STOP FULL PRICED TICKET MORE THAN A MONTH IN ADVANCE SO I DIDNT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HER CHANGING PLANES!

She was alone, up all night, late for school and treated like crap by SW. We called SW and they called my daughter a liar.  Instead of asking how it can be fixed, they called her a liar.  Untied Airlines always makes it right even if they dont know whose fault it really is.

They did this to me personally three years ago when I was flying to the east coast for my grandmothers funeral.  I was delayed at security and got to the gate just when they were closing the door and they wouldn't let me on.  I had to fly to Chicago and then to Philadelphia where I was late for the funeral. I then forgave them and gave them another chance and this is what they do.

I want a refund.

- Laura

When You Book with an Online Travel Service, Prices Can Change Before Your Very Eyes

George was kind enough to share the following story about his experience booking a holiday trip online, and it looks like the online service decided to give itself a present.

I went to Travelocity and filled in the required fields for the round trip flight for $312.40 for two seniors (my wife and I are visiting her brother for the Christmas holiday). When I went to the bottom of the page and clicked on the "Continue with Flight Only" button a page came up with a dialogue box that said "we're sorry. The price for this trip has changed. . . ." The new price was $392.40.

This is classic bait and switch, which is larceny by artifice or device in every state in the union. In my state larcenies carry a five year felony incarceration. I sincerely believe that if the person or persons who built this website, maintain it, or oversee it, are prosecuted as an example, with adequate publicity, then it will stop. Otherwise, they will continue doing it. I have retained the printed pages from the site with all of the foregoing information on it as written documentation of the bait and switch electronic maneuver.

AirSafe.com Responds
While we have no comment or opinion on the potential legality of changing prices in the middle of an online order, but it seems that there could be a more customer friendly way to deal with sudden price changes. The average customer would be happy to see an unexpected price drop, but a sudden price rise might deny any online travel service the most valuable thing of all, a repeat customer.

Check Your Ticket Very Carefully and Avoid Both Hassles and Avoidable Penalties

These two complaints from last week have a similar theme--mistakes on the ticket led to problems at the airport.

Complaint #1: When I arrived at the Flint MI. airport I attempted to check in. For what ever reasons I could not check in on the kiosk. I then tried to check in at the desk. The airline personnel advised me that they did not have me. I advise them that I was seated in 16B. They still said that the did not have me. I Immediately went to my son's apartment to get the information that I had forgotten there. I hurriedly returned and showed them my confirmation.

They claimed I had left off the J in Jones and it was listed as ONES. That was a terrible day for me trying to return to ATL. I was given a hard time with the staff that checks your bags. I almost missed my flight. And in a HURRY I had kept my son's keys in my purse. Not Knowing this, I received a phone call from my son with this info. I had to ask the Steward to allow me to get off of the plane to give my son the keys. He was so RUDE and of course I was embarrassed tremendously. I spoke with someone on the ground who said that they would give my son the keys. THANK GOD. Again I was very EMBARRASSED. The steward was just not sympathetic or empathetic to my situation. I spoke with a staff after I arrived who did comfort me. Now I do not want to ever get on Delta again and am requesting some kind of refund.

Complaint #2: I admit I must have hit the date wrong on the crummy Delta Website causing a ticket to be reserved for Dec instead of today. It was a shuttle flight which was half empty on the BOS-LGA leg since it was a Saturday (7 November 2009). When I could not get a boarding pass online for the return, I realized that the wrong date was entered. The Reissue clerk (who would not even listen to my explanation without babbling on about the change fee of 150.00 per person, which would have cost an additional 300.00 for two uf us) simply refused to hear any plea EVEN IF THE PLANE TODAY WAS HALF EMPTY. I admit it must have been partially my mistake and partially their website mistake but come on 150.00 to change a ticket for the damn shuttle on a weekend.

AirSafe.com Responds
Always check and double check the information on any ticket order, especially the name, date and time of travel, flight number, departure airport, and destination airport. Especially important is your name since it must match the ID that all adults need in order to fly (while minors are not required to have an ID for domestic flights, it is a good idea to carry one if they have it).

Unfortunately, if you don't follow the airline's rules, you are at their mercy when it comes to things like change fees. You can try to talk to a customer service supervisor at the airport, but if that doesn't work you, then you are likely out of luck.

As for the rude flight attendant in the first complaint, it is unlikely that that passenger will get any compensation. However, rudeness should not be tolerated, so if you have a chance, talk to the head flight attendant on the plane, or a customer service supervisor on the ground.