Airline policy changes (United made another big one)

[TXTransplant]

I decided to post this thread because the airlines - ONE in particular (I'm looking at you, United) - keep changing their cancellation/reschedule policies, and I'm having a hard time keeping up. I've got travel booked on United, Delta, and Alaska Airlines that spans the dates of May 29 - June 10.

Below is what I know about the CURRENT policies of those three airlines. Updates to this thread as things change would be helpful.

Delta (yay Delta!): Waiving change fees and giving TWO years to rebook and commence travel, through May 31, 2022.
This applies for travel booked for April and May 2020 or cancelled flights from March, April, and May 2020.

Alaska (meh, you can do better): Waiving change fees for the following reservations -
Tickets Purchased On/Before
February 26, 2020
Original Travel Dates
March 9, 2020 - May 31, 2020
New Travel Dates
March 9, 2020 - February 28, 2021 (really, Alaska thinks passengers can book new travel dates in March, April, or May 2020?!?)
Tickets Purchased Between
February 27, 2020 - April 30, 2020
Original Travel Dates
February 27, 2020 - February 28, 2021
New Travel Dates
February 27, 2020 - February 28, 2021

United (HISS, BOO, HISS!): Waiving change fees for the following reservations -
Original ticket must be issued on or before:
March 2, 2020
Original travel dates
June 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020
Changes or cancellations must be made on/before April 30, 2020 (This is a NEW condition that WAS NOT in place when I called Chase about my United tickets a couple of weeks ago. Chase is asking people to hold off on even contacting them until 72 hours before flying. And this policy is forcing customers to cancel before United cancels the flight!)
Rebooked travel must commence within 12 months from the original ticket issue date

For travel original scheduled before June 1:
Original ticket must be issued on or before:
March 2, 2020
Original travel dates
March 3, 2020 - May 31, 2020
Flight changes:
New tickets must be reissued on/before December 31, 2020 or 12 months from original ticket date, whichever is earlier.
Rebooked travel must commence within 12 months from the original ticket issue date

 

[laceltris3]

I decided to post this thread because the airlines - ONE in particular (I'm looking at you, United) - keep changing their cancellation/reschedule policies, and I'm having a hard time keeping up. I've got travel booked on United, Delta, and Alaska Airlines that spans the dates of May 29 - June 10.

Below is what I know about the CURRENT policies of those three airlines. Updates to this thread as things change would be helpful.

Delta (yay Delta!): Waiving change fees and giving TWO years to rebook and commence travel, through May 31, 2022.
This applies for travel booked for April and May 2020 or cancelled flights from March, April, and May 2020.

Alaska (meh, you can do better): Waiving change fees for the following reservations -
Tickets Purchased On/Before
February 26, 2020
Original Travel Dates
March 9, 2020 - May 31, 2020
New Travel Dates
March 9, 2020 - February 28, 2021 (really, Alaska thinks passengers can book new travel dates in March, April, or May 2020?!?)
Tickets Purchased Between
February 27, 2020 - April 30, 2020
Original Travel Dates
February 27, 2020 - February 28, 2021
New Travel Dates
February 27, 2020 - February 28, 2021

United (HISS, BOO, HISS!): Waiving change fees for the following reservations -
Original ticket must be issued on or before:
March 2, 2020
Original travel dates
June 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020
Changes or cancellations must be made on/before April 30, 2020 (This is a NEW condition that WAS NOT in place when I called Chase about my United tickets a couple of weeks ago. Chase is asking people to hold off on even contacting them until 72 hours before flying. And this policy is forcing customers to cancel before United cancels the flight!)
Rebooked travel must commence within 12 months from the original ticket issue date

I just cancelled a United flight for early May. I took the credit after they matched the two year term to use the voucher and then another 11 months after that to travel. I was only looking at $700, so I as ok with taking a credit for that amount to use in that timeframe.

 

[TXTransplant]

I just cancelled a United flight for early May. I took the credit after they matched the two year term to use the voucher and then another 11 months after that to travel. I was only looking at $700, so I as ok with taking a credit for that amount to use in that timeframe.

Seriously??? They are making changes/exceptions to their own policy on a customer by customer basis?!? What garbage! And I wonder if a Chase (or Orbitz or Expedia) rep has the authority to do that? My tickets were booked through the Chase portal, so I have to deal with them, not United. They are asking people to not even call about their flights until 72 hours before departure.

I've already accepted I have to take a credit. What I DON'T necessarily want to do is HAVE to make a decision about my flight by this arbitrary April 30 deadline. I hope I will know the status of our Alaska trip by then, but who knows.

The policy is different for flights scheduled to travel before June 1, though. Unfortunately, my travel dates for our Alaska trip are before and after that date.

 

[Cliffside]

Getting pretty confused with United’s current policy. I was booked on the June Danube River Cruise that has been cancelled. I am glad that ABD has refunded the trip. We have business class flights on United that we booked through the Chase portal using half points and half cash. I don’t know really how to handle it.

I guess I have to deal with Chase directly. However United’s website in one place says you have to travel within a year and then in another place it says that e-certificates are good for 24 months.

 

[TXTransplant]

Getting pretty confused with United’s current policy. I was booked on the June Danube River Cruise that has been cancelled. I am glad that ABD has refunded the trip. We have business class flights on United that we booked through the Chase portal using half points and half cash. I don’t know really how to handle it.

I guess I have to deal with Chase directly. However United’s website in one place says you have to travel within a year and then in another place it says that e-certificates are good for 24 months.

I'm in the same boat - booked through Chase on a mix of points and $.

Yes, you have to deal with Chase directly.

I've already been told that vouchers will be issued for the $ value of the flights that I booked with points. I've also been told that the $ value of the vouchers is tied to each passenger and will be prorated accordingly when I rebook. For example, I purchased two $200 flights for myself and my son. I will be given a $400 voucher, but if and when I go to use it, I will only be allowed to use $200 for any ticket booked solely in my name. If I don't use the other $200 for a ticket in his name, I will forfeit it. I will not be able to use the entire $400 on a ticket for myself (or him).

 

[Cliffside]

I'm in the same boat - booked through Chase on a mix of points and $.

Yes, you have to deal with Chase directly.

I've already been told that vouchers will be issued for the $ value of the flights that I booked with points. I've also been told that the $ value of the vouchers is tied to each passenger and will be prorated accordingly when I rebook. For example, I purchased two $200 flights for myself and my son. I will be given a $400 voucher, but if and when I go to use it, I will only be allowed to use $200 for any ticket booked solely in my name. If I don't use the other $200 for a ticket in his name, I will forfeit it. I will not be able to use the entire $400 on a ticket for myself (or him).

Interesting, so they don’t refund the points? What airline were you flying? How long are the vouchers good for? In my case if they are only good for a year of original ticket date it will be a problem and probably a big loss. We booked them in December. There is no way I will be using close to 6k on airfare before December 2020. i was hoping United would follow Delta’s policy which looks like certificates are good through May 2022.

 

[TXTransplant]

Getting pretty confused with United’s current policy. I was booked on the June Danube River Cruise that has been cancelled. I am glad that ABD has refunded the trip. We have business class flights on United that we booked through the Chase portal using half points and half cash. I don’t know really how to handle it.

I guess I have to deal with Chase directly. However United’s website in one place says you have to travel within a year and then in another place it says that e-certificates are good for 24 months.

If I understand correctly, e-certificates are different from cancellation/rebook vouchers. E-certificates seem to be what United issues to passengers as some form of compensation (like when you agree to be bumped on an over-sold flight).

 

[TXTransplant]

Interesting, so they don’t refund the points? What airline were you flying? How long are the vouchers good for? In my case if they are only good for a year of original ticket date it will be a problem and probably a big loss. We booked them in December. There is no way I will be using close to 6k on airfare before December 2020. i was hoping United would follow Delta’s policy which looks like certificates are good through May 2022.

No points refund (at least as of when I called a couple of weeks ago).

I'm booked on United, Delta, and Alaska for this trip. They all have different policies (hence my original post).

With United, I have to rebook something before the end of the year and travel within one year of my original purchase date. I currently have four one-way tickets on United, two each for myself and my son. Two are for travel in May, and two are for travel in June.

With Alaska, I have to travel before Feb. 28, 2021 (I'll probably end up having to lose those points and the ~$100 I paid in addition to the points, as I don't think I will be able to rebook anything before that deadline).

With Delta, I'll have two years to use the credits.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Interesting, so they don’t refund the points?...

The way it works behind the scenes with URs is you pay Chase points or points + cash. Chase/booking agency uses their credit card and pays the airline the cash in the amount of the value the ticket is selling for. If the airline refunds Chase, you can have your points or points + cash back. If the airline issues a voucher for you for the ticket that's all you get. Chase doesn't get their money back so you can't get your points/cash back.

 

[lovetotravel]

United also states that:
"We’re extending electronic certificates
To give you more flexibility when you travel, electronic certificates are now valid for 24 months from the date they were issued. This includes all currently valid electronic certificates and all new ones issued on or after April 1, 2020.
This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen."

This is getting crazy and confusing. So does this mean if we cancel our United flight and take a credit / ecertificate that we have 24 months to use it? But then it says we have to commence flight within 1 year or original ticket date?

Thanks for posting this info on United and now it looks like I can change my Dec 2020 trip, which is actually way further than Delta or American allowed changes with no fee at this point. I have a Dec trip on United that I booked before the virus news and had been thinking of postponing it. I guess I have to call to find out exactly how to use the credit.

On Delta, if you have an ecertificate from a cancelled flight and use that credit, you are given the remaining value back to use as a voucher which is good for a year, but that has now been extended for 2 years. I just wonder how United is dealing with the usage of the full certificate value. I will have to do some research.

 

[Cliffside]

Actually my situation is worse than I thought. I booked the ticket in October. I can’t see how we will possibly be able to travel by then. I guess I can wait to see if flights get cancelled and then hopefully get better compensation than what is currently being offered. To have to travel from a year from booking is unreasonable in these circumstance.

 

[TXTransplant]

United also states that:
"We’re extending electronic certificates
To give you more flexibility when you travel, electronic certificates are now valid for 24 months from the date they were issued. This includes all currently valid electronic certificates and all new ones issued on or after April 1, 2020.
This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen."

This is getting crazy and confusing. So does this mean if we cancel our United flight and take a credit / ecertificate that we have 24 months to use it? But then it says we have to commence flight within 1 year or original ticket date?

Thanks for posting this info on United and now it looks like I can change my Dec 2020 trip, which is actually way further than Delta or American allowed changes with no fee at this point. I have a Dec trip on United that I booked before the virus news and had been thinking of postponing it. I guess I have to call to find out exactly how to use the credit.

On Delta, if you have an ecertificate from a cancelled flight and use that credit, you are given the remaining value back to use as a voucher which is good for a year, but that has now been extended for 2 years. I just wonder how United is dealing with the usage of the full certificate value. I will have to do some research.

See my post above...

If I understand correctly, e-certificates with United are different from cancellation/rebook vouchers. E-certificates seem to be what United issues to passengers as some form of compensation (like when you agree to be bumped on an over-sold flight).

From the United website: Electronic travel certificates are travel credit given to customers from a United employee for situations including denied boarding instances, customer goodwill, a fare difference during an exchange, and for irregular operations. Future flight credits are credit for the same value of your ticket for the original route given to the same customer(s) who has canceled their flight.

I believe what they are issuing for cancellations initiated by customers are "Future Flight Credits". Also from the United website:

Future flight credits are credit for the same value of your ticket for the original route given to the same customer(s) who has canceled their flight.

Future flight credits are valid for the same amount as the original ticket purchased and can be applied to new flights. They have a lot of flexibility in routes as they can be used for travel on any United, United Express, or partner operated flights. Future flight credits must be used for travel within 12 months of the date your original ticket was purchased.

 

[Cliffside]

United also states that:
"We’re extending electronic certificates
To give you more flexibility when you travel, electronic certificates are now valid for 24 months from the date they were issued. This includes all currently valid electronic certificates and all new ones issued on or after April 1, 2020.
This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen."

This is getting crazy and confusing. So does this mean if we cancel our United flight and take a credit / ecertificate that we have 24 months to use it? But then it says we have to commence flight within 1 year or original ticket date?

Thanks for posting this info on United and now it looks like I can change my Dec 2020 trip, which is actually way further than Delta or American allowed changes with no fee at this point. I have a Dec trip on United that I booked before the virus news and had been thinking of postponing it. I guess I have to call to find out exactly how to use the credit.

On Delta, if you have an ecertificate from a cancelled flight and use that credit, you are given the remaining value back to use as a voucher which is good for a year, but that has now been extended for 2 years. I just wonder how United is dealing with the usage of the full certificate value. I will have to do some research.

I just found on the United sight an explanation of the difference between the e-certificate and future flight credit. It’s very confusing. An E-certificate is good 2 years while the flight credit is only good for 12 months from date of purchase.

 

[DLgal]

Here's the deal. If you have a plane ticket for a flight anytime in April or May, DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. NOTHING. 99% chance your flight will be cancelled by the AIRLINE. In that case, you are due a cash refund by law. Do NOT fall for the airlines trick of trying to get you to cancel by using arbitrary dates to do so. Don't even cancel inside of 72 hours. DO NOT CANCEL YOUR OWN FLIGHT UNTIL YOU ARE WITHIN 3 HOURS OF FLIGHT DEPARTURE TIME. Wait.

United, in particular, is being ornery about this, and urging customers to cancel at the 72 hour mark and taking a credit AND THEN they are turning around and cancelling flights with less than 24 hours notice.

If you agree to a credit, you have waived your legal right to a refund.

Do NOT cancel your own flights right now.

I have a flight on May 19 with United to Japan (so not happening). The flight has already mysteriously disappeared off the booking engine and there are no comparable flights available in the class I booked (Premium Economy). The flight is most definitely going to be cancelled, but I am doing NOTHING. The ticket was $1600 and you can bet after how United has behaved with this situation that I do not want a credit to fly them in the future. I won't fly them after this. I WILL get my money refunded.

 

[TXTransplant]

I just found on the United sight an explanation of the difference between the e-certificate and future flight credit. It’s very confusing. An E-certificate is good 2 years while the flight credit is only good for 12 months from date of purchase.

We were posting at the same time.

The United website also says that IF you use a future flight credit and the new flight costs LESS, you will be credited the difference to use on another future flight. This is NOT what I was told by Chase. They told me I would have one opportunity to use a voucher, and if the flight cost less, I would forfeit the rest.

 

[lovetotravel]

See my post above...

If I understand correctly, e-certificates with United are different from cancellation/rebook vouchers. E-certificates seem to be what United issues to passengers as some form of compensation (like when you agree to be bumped on an over-sold flight).

From the United website: Electronic travel certificates are travel credit given to customers from a United employee for situations including denied boarding instances, customer goodwill, a fare difference during an exchange, and for irregular operations. Future flight credits are credit for the same value of your ticket for the original route given to the same customer(s) who has canceled their flight.

I believe what they are issuing for cancellations initiated by customers are "Future Flight Credits". Also from the United website:

Future flight credits are credit for the same value of your ticket for the original route given to the same customer(s) who has canceled their flight.

Future flight credits are valid for the same amount as the original ticket purchased and can be applied to new flights. They have a lot of flexibility in routes as they can be used for travel on any United, United Express, or partner operated flights. Future flight credits must be used for travel within 12 months of the date your original ticket was purchased.

I am confusing it with Delta then. When I cancelled a March flight, I got an "ecertificate" which is now in my Delta ewallet. I then used the ecertifcate but it had a remaining value which they told me would now be a "voucher" but in my wallet it shows up as an "ecertificate" which I assume was the "voucher" form the leftover funds.

 

[TXTransplant]

Here's the deal. If you have a plane ticket for a flight anytime in April or May, DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. NOTHING. 99% chance your flight will be cancelled by the AIRLINE. In that case, you are due a cash refund by law. Do NOT fall for the airlines trick of trying to get you to cancel by using arbitrary dates to do so. Don't even cancel inside of 72 hours. DO NOT CANCEL YOUR OWN FLIGHT UNTIL YOU ARE WITHIN 3 HOURS OF FLIGHT DEPARTURE TIME. Wait.

United, in particular, is being ornery about this, and urging customers to cancel at the 72 hour mark and taking a credit AND THEN they are turning around and cancelling flights with less than 24 hours notice.

If you agree to a credit, you have waived your legal right to a refund.

Do NOT cancel your own flights right now.

I have a flight on May 19 with United to Japan (so not happening). The flight has already mysteriously disappeared off the booking engine and there are no comparable flights available in the class I booked (Premium Economy). The flight is most definitely going to be cancelled, but I am doing NOTHING. The ticket was $1600 and you can bet after how United has behaved with this situation that I do not want a credit to fly them in the future. I won't fly them after this. I WILL get my money refunded.

I'm wondering how they are going to enforce the April 30 "deadline" for flights after June 1. Are they just going to refuse to let people cancel? If they airline cancels, are they going to try to withhold refunds?

It's a very sketchy policy change.

 

[laceltris3]

I saw a thing on Twitter a few days ago which prompted me to cancel (I had planned on playing cancellation chicken).

The travel certificate I received is good for 2 years from the date of cancellation.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/booking/flight/travel-credits.html
And I think the 4/30 thing is intended to be generous for anything this year. Instead of only impacting flights through say 5/31.

 

[laceltris3]

I should also add, that domestic is different than international. Some airlines are flying empty to maintain levels of service to get bailout money. International flights are probably really cancelled because the countries won't let people in.

My flight was between Houston and Chicago, so between 2 United hubs, and had a much lower chance of cancellation than is probably typical. So YMMV.

 

[TXTransplant]

I saw a thing on Twitter a few days ago which prompted me to cancel (I had planned on playing cancellation chicken).

The travel certificate I received is good for 2 years from the date of cancellation.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/booking/flight/travel-credits.html
And I think the 4/30 thing is intended to be generous for anything this year. Instead of only impacting flights through say 5/31.

So, you voluntarily cancelled a flight and got an e-certificate that is good for two years? If so, this is MADDENING! Pick a policy and stick to it! It's taking 2+ hours to get through to ANYONE when you call about a flight. The compensation you receive should NOT depend on "who you talk to"!