quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
I no longer fly, but am frequently astonished that people book on other airlines where their route has a Southwest flight available. Souhwest doesn’t fly to every city, or from every city, but if it is available, why endure or risk these adverse conditions, baggage charge, ticket change, etc?

We had a visitor from the midwest who came and returned on United. There were Southwest flight, with similar stops, etc.

Why risk these situations?

Southwest has the most convenient rebooking policy and cashing in their miles is the best in the business, but having status with other airlines like Delta/AA can be enticing.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:


Southwest has the most convenient rebooking policy and cashing in their miles is the best in the business, but having status with other airlines like Delta/AA can be enticing.

You mean like Admirals Club, etc?

A cousin who travels all over constantly on business told me a few years ago that he might never have to pay for a first class ticket on Continental for the rest of his life. He had enough miles to go to the moon and back, free!

That would be handy, and enticing, if you didn’t have to endure all those flights to earn it.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:


Southwest has the most convenient rebooking policy and cashing in their miles is the best in the business, but having status with other airlines like Delta/AA can be enticing.

You mean like Admirals Club, etc?

A cousin who travels all over constantly on business told me a few years ago that he might never have to pay for a first class ticket on Continental for the rest of his life. He had enough miles to go to the moon and back, free!

That would be handy, and enticing, if you didn’t have to endure all those flights to earn it.

Admirals club, first class upgrades, preferred seating, priority standby, free baggage (a wash versus Southwest) but you're correct, it's a lot of flying.

quote:

Originally posted by aguilar64:
I bought 5 tickets on 11/19 to go to my brother wedding in January, today I realized the tickets had the wrong dates, a week later than the actual wedding, I called United and they are asking $200.00 fine per ticket, does anyone here knows how to get around that?

Thanks

Can't your brother push the wedding back a week?

^

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
Is the change fee per ticket or per reservation?

Per ticket usually.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
I no longer fly, but am frequently astonished that people book on other airlines where their route has a Southwest flight available. Souhwest doesn’t fly to every city, or from every city, but if it is available, why endure or risk these adverse conditions, baggage charge, ticket change, etc?

We had a visitor from the midwest who came and returned on United. There were Southwest flight, with similar stops, etc.

Why risk these situations?

Personally, I don't like the cattle car mentality of SWA - I have a pretty good status on Delta, so I get to pick my seat and know it's mine, instead of herding behind some mouth breathers and trying to play the check in early game.

Agree on having status - I have it on United and American and it makes all the difference. If the company books me on Delta I change that shit to an airline I have status on. SWA is a whole different animal. Group C = center seat for you!

As for the OP, if you are still reading. You are probably screwed but never say never. Use some techniques from the former lead international hostage negotiator for the FBI.

1. When you get on the phone with an agent, establish empathy. This is easy. Say something like "I know this is the busiest travel time of the year, and I know I am taking up your time. My name is xxxx, how is your day going?" Let the agent vent if he/she has to. If they say something like "weather" or "overbookings" just repeat that back. Weather? Pause. Overbookings? PAUSE. Let them talk.

2. When it comes time, get all the ugly stuff out in front. Admit you screwed up. Say something like "I know you think someone who screws up the date of his brother's wedding has to be an idiot, but that is who I am. My wife and my brother can't believe I screwed up something so simple."
Etc. The agent should by now be saying "No sir, we see it all the time..." etc.

3. Ask the key opened-ended question. "How do we fix this so that my brother and my wife do not forever remember this day as how bad I screwed up?" PAUSE. You now have the agent, who you have established empathy with, working WITH you to solve your problem. Comtinue to ask HOW do WE fix this problem. It forces the agent to come up with a solution, and avoids the easy "No"
answer.

4. If they say "It's $200 per ticket." Say "I'm sorry, but I just don't have that in my budget. How do we make this work so I do not miss my brother's wedding?" Have as your goal getting the change fee down to zero. If you repeat the same open-ended question enough times (without giving them the chance to say the easy No, but having to think and explain), most people will cave and give you everything you want.


Straight from the book, this stuff works. Worth a try, right? What do you have to lose?

Aaaand, I'm an idiot. Just read the update from agular64.

Good for you! The things I posted still work - I bet you established empathy with the second agent since you remeber his name was Frank!

Nice.

Excellent update! A $26 per ticket change fee is certainly more palatable than $200 per ticket

Good for you! Many times that is what it takes...being nice and getting on the phone with a kind and agreeable agent.

I more times than not have favorable outcomes with the delta people, but having Platinum status certainly factors in.

quote:

Originally posted by furlough:
Aaaand, I'm an idiot. Just read the update from agular64.

Not at all. I thought your suggestion was gold. I plan on printing it out and keeping it on hand if I run into a similar problem.

Like you said - got nothing to lose.

$130 is very very fair.

Did you really want to go? Maybe this is your subconscious saying it's worth the thousand dollars not to have to endure a wedding

Glad you worked it out.

I've been flying Southwest for 15 years now, after jumping from a Philly-based carrier who merged then folded ...

I can cancel TEN minutes before a flight and get a full credit. Changing dates is never an issue, but their rates change all the time. One day $320 PHL/PHX round trip non-stop, the usual maybe $400, sometimes $550 ...

Just think of it as an incentive to "GO Greyhound".