Not that it should come as a surprise to anyone, but Delta has joined United Airlines and US Airways in charging $200 for changes on non-refundable domestic US tickets. The change was published on their website today:
It isn’t only customers who are kvetching about the ever increasing focus on ancillary fees. Bob Crandall, former CEO of American Airlines (which hasn’t matched the increase, yet) and generally outspoken commentator on the industry pulled no punches when the topic came up last week at the Executive Travel Summit. Among the choice bits he offered up:
I think the airline industry is making a fundamental mistake when they rely as heavily as they are now on ancillary revenues. The industry cannot have a long future if they are focused on hosing their customers.
And:
I don’t think anyone in the airline industry enjoys nickel & diming customers.
They may not enjoy it, but they’re getting pretty darn good at it.
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At what point are they going to price their customers away…$200 in my opinion is borderline gouging. $75-100 is somewhat reasonable.
This party is a dud! 🙂
Let’s remember that quote, shall we (CEO reference to “hosing” customers) and hope that he remembers it to…and doesn’t go there. Being pretty loyal to AA recently, it means something to me.