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Flygirl Rant: Help, The Airline Took my Credit!

Last week, a TIME Magazine survey of airlines’ new added fees named US Airways the “Stingiest Airline.” Well now, that certainly seems harsh. It’s not their fault that jet fuel prices are so high. I mean, I’m always willing to give everyone a chance. I try to avoid jumping to conclusions before I’ve had my own experience. Katie is to businesses as Snow White is to forest creatures.

Well, screw that. The time for conclusions is here. Rather than being intrigued by US Airways’ new title, I was thrilled. I realize my job is not to editorialize (too much). But my job is to inform you, and thus I am taking a moment to inform you…that I am angry.

We at AeroChannel spend a great deal of time talking “airline fees” these days. We monitor them, we compare them, and we report them. In fact, along with the ubiquitous catchphrase, “rising oil prices,” it seems every airline industry brief also includes mention of some new fee.

TIME’s assessment points to the fact that US Airways is now charging for every beverage that they serve on board. They report that it is now, “$2 for a soft drink (and even a bottle of water), $1 for coffee or tea.” The article goes on to point out that checked bags cost $15 and $25, and flight changes are $150.

Sure thing. That does sound stingy. But what most people don’t realize, and what I just learned through a horrid experience this week, US Airways may be taking even more of your money than that.

I had a multi-city ticket booked from LAX to Providence, and then from JFK to LAX for Labor Day weekend. However, my work schedule changed, and I needed to completely rebook on new dates (Gulp). I knew I’d need to face the already-steep $150 change fee. This would be sad, but I had accepted my inevitable fate. What I didn’t know was that I’d lose much more than that.

Now, follow closely. We’re about to embark on the most twisted logic problem that you have ever heard. When I called to change my ticket, they told me I would get a $320 credit. That was the price of the original ticket. So far, so good. However, there is the $150 change fee. Saw that coming. OK with it, not thrilled with it, but knew it was in the “Fare Rules.”

I offered the following: I will use the credit to cover the change fee ($150) and to then pay for a one-way flight I found that would get me home. That flight is $170. With these two, my credit is used up. I will have to buy a new departing flight at a higher fare than my original flight, but such is life. Ever the optimist, I think to myself that this is not so bad.

This is where they start to play hangman with Little Air Traveler Katie. So there’s the $150 change fee. That’s my head. Then, the woman (let’s call her something anonymous, like “Maleficent”) explains that the cancellation fee cannot come out of my credit. It must be paid in cash, in addition to whatever I am paying for both the old and new tickets. And there goes my body.

I am seething, but I fly a lot, so I assume I’ll just be able to make this credit work to my advantage. I discover that the new red-eye that I need from LAX to JFK will be very expensive if I fly with US Airways. I’m certain that if I shop around, I can find a better-priced option for departing. So, I move on to Plan B: book the $170 return flight and save the rest of the credit for later.

“I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Ummm….what? Are you being “judgey,” Maleficent? What gives?

After I pried for more information, Maleficent was then sweet enough to inform me that if I use my $320 credit to book the $170 flight, I will just forfeit the balance of the credit. I cocked my head to one side. Could this be poor cell reception? I asked her to repeat.

Three times we went back and forth. Three times she gave me the same line: the balance of my credit…that other $150…just goes away. But not away. Not into the ether or out of existence. Rather, it just stays in the pocket of US Airways. Legs, arms, face, hair, Little Air Traveler Katie is hung out to dry with no flights and no money.

I didn’t speak for a long time after this last exchange. I swear I heard them telling blonde jokes in the background. Well excuse me, US Airways; my silence is not a lack of comprehension, but rather complete shock and horror that you can just take people’s money like that!

As it stands now, I saved my entire credit, presumably for Thanksgiving, and booked all new tickets for the Labor Day trip. Total cost so far: $709.00. Of course, $320 of that will save me the expense of tickets later. But then I’ll be charged the $150 once I try to use that credit.

Worst of all, Maleficent was unapologetic and made no attempts to help me find a solution. I had to keep guessing and figuring out new plans as she spewed robotic answers back at me. At this point, I can’t decide if I’m more upset about the expense or about the fact that I have to actually fly on four US Airways flights in the coming months.

Valeria Wunder, a USAir representative, assured me that all of these policies were stated in the terms and conditions of my ticket. She also told me the following: “US Airways’ non refundable tickets do carry an out of pocket reissue fee of $150 for domestic fares and $250 for international fares when you rebook a new reservation using your existing credit. If there is a difference of fare the passenger will be charged the difference. If the fare is lower there is no residual to the ticket. If the passenger does use their credit and the fare is lower, the new price will be now in effect. If you have to change it again, the credit value is of the new ticket, you have lost the reminder of that credit.”
Is anyone else’s head spinning after reading that depressing version of “Who’s On First?”

Even if those terms are stated somewhere in the terms of my ticket, they certainly were not, and are not, clear. As airlines tack on more fees all the time, who will protect consumers from what seem to be sneaky ways to take more of our money?

The Department of Transportation recently told USA Today that it is monitoring the way that airlines apply these fees. While it cannot determine what an airline charges for its services, it recognizes that "airlines and ticket agents are unbundling specific fees from their advertised airfares, and we will continue to monitor the industry to ensure these fees are clearly advertised and disclosed to passengers."

Indeed, while losing that amount of money is certainly troublesome, I was more upset by the surprise factor of these costs. I was ready for a cancellation fee; I was not ready for the threat of forfeiting money I had already paid to the airline, just because I couldn’t use it all up at once. I fly fairly often, and I’m not sure that most consumers would know to look for print this fine.

Fees are the way of the future, and for the most part we can learn to swallow them. Hopefully, though, airlines will start realizing that customers don’t want to feel like they’re being tricked. And hopefully FlyGirl readers will be a little savvier about how a $150 fee can turn into a much bigger potential loss.

If you've had a similar experience or have comments send us an e-mail.