US Airways Joins United Airlines in Raising Fee for Changing Flights - East Idaho News
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US Airways Joins United Airlines in Raising Fee for Changing Flights

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Getty B 103111 USAirways?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1366880784988Tim Boyle/Bloomberg via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Following United Airlines’ decision last week to increase the fee for changing a flight from $150 to $200 for domestic flights, US Airways has came out matching the fee hike.  The change was reflected on its website Wednesday.

The $150 change fee has become industry standard and is charged by the majority of domestic carriers.  One notable exception is Southwest Airlines, which does not charge a fee to change flights.

Both United and US Airways now charge more — between $250 and $300 — for flight changes to Europe and Asia.

“We carefully manage our seat inventory and incur costs when a traveler elects not to fly in a reserved seat,” United spokeswoman Jennifer Dohm told ABC News.  “We adjusted this fee to better compensate us for those costs.”

US Airways could not immediately be reached for comment.

The match of United’s fee increase by US Airways is telling.  If history is any indicator, the airlines’ competitors will wait and watch for any significant backlash from the traveling public.  If there is none, they may too then decide to increase their fee.

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