Non-refundable really meaning non refundable!!

[Reservation Agent]

If you buy a non refundable USAIRWAYS ticket on August 27th or later...and you miss your flight...and you don't change it before your flight leaves, your ticket is worthless....No value...Total profit for the airline....Also...Voluntary standby is being eliminated except when you get to the airport within 2 hrs after your flight leaves(flat tire rule)...No more booking a later flight at a cheaper fare and trying to get out early on standby...Businessmen will hate this one on Fridays....
No more waivers for death in the family, medical emergencies, jury duty, Military change of orders, etc when travel has started on a ticket.....who says U is not compassionate...? You lose your mother or father, then are told you need to pay an extra $100.00 change fee to ride on a half empty plane back home to the funeral...

For preferred members...With all the regional jets comming in, and schedules cut back 13 percent, they might as well forget using those upgrade coupons...



[:knockout:]

 

[deelmakur]

In a small industry like this, there is much sharing of information (even though, as in the case of setting fares, it's illegal). My guess is others will follow. They've either made up their minds, or are sending signals to each other.

 

[geo1004]

FACT:

As a seven year in a row US2 who has flown on every fare from a Z free coach ticket up to a FULL FARE F INTERNATIONAL I can tell you that removing the status mile accrual from those fares will remove my rear end from US and its ever shrinking fleet and over to American Airlines. At least with them I will have all the oneworld partner airlines to use for vacation flights after I've flown all over the USA in coach (MRTC).

I'll burn the 300,000+ Div. MIles in my account and move on...

I'm a very loyal person (I love US Airways) but this rumor (?) makes me sick.

[:knockout:] [:knockout:] [:knockout:]

 

[tadjr]

----------------
On 8/26/2002 11:46:46 PM

The discount fare part is true, according to the website, which says that the change will take effect on January 1. This is sad, because you are going to lose my business by doing this and I've been a happy customer over the years. I hope that management will reconsider...
----------------

Where is it on the website? I didnt see it on the front page. Is it buried or have they changed their mind already? Thanks for the info on where to find it at .com.
Also if the rumors are true about revamping the entire fare structure it might not be as bad as it currently sounds. WN has the no standby on discount tickets (you can upgrade and pay to go), FL has the dont use it you lose it policy and I believe BA had the no status earned on discount seats policy. If the fares were restructed to be close to WN's (within reason) it might not be a bad thing to pay the M fare, refundable, changeable ticket and earn status. Just need to wait and see what the final outcome is. In the meantime you can email Dave and he'll let you know whats going on.
[:bigsmile:]

 

[ITRADE]

The FF mile part is the stupidest thing that I have ever heard of - a sure case for company suicide.

Folks should pop on over to the www.flyertalk.com board and see the response of the FFs there. I have not seen a single post by anybody who is planning on sticking with US Airways if this policy is put in place. This includes US1s, US2s, and US3s.

I've already called AA about accepting my status.

 

[DLFlyer31]

DL restricts upgrades to only certain higher fare classes which many a DL FFer has complained. But preventing the lower fares from counting toward status seems a little much. I don't think US can afford to alienate a lot of travelers right now.

 

[ITRADE]

http://www.usairways.com/dividendmiles/pre...dguidelines.htm

 

[phillyguy]

Interesting does not show the same restrictions on Chairman Preferred Page ----yet!!

 

[geo1004]

"We know you have a choice of airlines when it comes to travel and we thank you for choosing US Airways!"


I have been an avid supporter of US through the years but someone this time needs to explain to me why I would choose US Airways over other airlines if they remove the perks of being an avid supporter???


Next time I go to London why would I choose a connection through CLT or PHL when I can take a non-stop on AA?

Next time I DO purchase a full fare ticket why would I choose to book it on an airline that will not offer the same benefits when I buy a discount ticket to go on vacation two weeks later? Others do.

Hmmm.
[(]

 

[ITRADE]

----------------
On 8/27/2002 11:38:33 AM

But, in a little while that will go away and we'll be left with far fewer people at the ticket counter, and many many less reservations calls.

Personally, I think that the whole thing is suicidal. Customer service has been the one reason U has kept it's loyal following. They're now telling us that they don't care about those people anymore.


----------------

For once I agree with you.

 

[Lilninj]

All the information on the fare rule changes and waiver eliminations are true. One note that they also increased paper ticket fee to $25. The DM accrual toward preferred status only now in B or Y or F seats is absolutely true. I had to start advising passengers last night after midnight.

I'll tell you one thing, those two little words in our new advisement requirements are going to cost this airline many many tickets, those being ".....No Value".

But, it stands to reason that the airline has been heading this way for years and years. They have always treated the Customer Service staff as if we were never needed and have never been appreciated at all. Finally, they start telling the customers that we don't care about their flying experience, we don't care about your situations, we don't care about your status unless you're buying the most expensive tickets of course. They will downsize in all areas of customer service due to the new changes. In the short term, there will be many complaints, more calls, more work. But, in a little while that will go away and we'll be left with far fewer people at the ticket counter, and many many less reservations calls.

Personally, I think that the whole thing is suicidal. Customer service has been the one reason U has kept it's loyal following. They're now telling us that they don't care about those people anymore.

 

[KCFlyer]

I'm only a high school graduate, but sometimes I think I am smarter than many of the MBA's that are running airlines. U needs customers if they hope to survive. Their press release "omitted" the "no mileage for cheap seats" bullet point...that was added in a "correction". The Dow Jones newswire only picked up the original press release. Even lowly Southwest has now become more attractive to frequent flyers. Sure, they don't fly to Europe, but you can still get credit towards a family vacation to Disney World by booking four round trips for any price off their web site. They are adopting some of Southwest's policies (no stand by's), which has been cited by numerous posters as a reason that they chose U over SWA on certain flights. Now, they've got the same rule, and no mileage credit if it's not a "premier" fare. Absolutely one of the worst announcements to come from any airline, much less one in the dire straits that U is in.

 

[pk45cu]

"This change makes purchasing airline tickets like many other products that people buy for a specific date and time such as Broadway shows and sporting events. If you miss the event, your ticket isn't good for the next day," said Baldanza. "Since most people travel as originally ticketed, most customers will not be impacted by this change. This policy does not change our commitment to provide a high level of service to all US Airways passengers."

As was pointed out beautifully by a member in Flyertalk, doing this sort of comparison to Broadway tickets is crap. One can sell the Broadway ticket to someone else. Can't do that with an airline ticket.

Non-refundable items can usually be returned for store credit. When I use an un-used ticket as payment against a future ticket, that is what I do.

What is galling is that the change is policy that low-fare buckets don't count as segment/miles towards Elite status will effect the one group of customers that US is desparate to get, business pax. These people travel heavily and care the most about Elite status. Saying this new policy - which was sneaked in the fine print - will effect leisure pax only since they buy low-fare buckets is old thinking. There are many, many business pax who buy those low-fare buckets. The old business-Y and leisure-Q segmentation is gone.

 

[flyonthewall]

I personally don't agree with this new policy, but it just opens the door for every airline to make similiar changes....then there will be no reason to fly OA.

 

[DLFlyer31]

----------------
On 8/27/2002 12:57:32 PM

I personally don't agree with this new policy, but it just opens the door for every airline to make similiar changes....then there will be no reason to fly OA.
----------------

True...but then there's also no reason to remain loyal to US. So when Joe Business Flyer needs to go CLT-MDW, what incentive does he have to fly US? Inevitably, US will match ATA on this route with dirt cheap fares. In the past, many would pay the cheap fare but stick with US to get/keep status. Now there's no reason to bother with US. This new policy discourages people from being loyal.

US might be able to get away with this policy if they had an expansive network with large presence in all major markets. However, thats not the case.