[robertmcgough]

My girlfriend and I recently bought R/T tickets on JetBlue for a trip from Colorado to Boston, and mistakenly booked the return leg of the trip on September 16 instead of August 16. Notwithstanding the fact that this is easy to do given the way online booking calendars automatically jump you to the next month when booking return fares, this was obviously our fault.

However, when we discovered the problem and contacted JetBlue about it, they couldn't have been any less helpful. The original R/T tickets were on the order of $300, but JetBlue refused to change our tickets to 8/16 and instead informed us that if we wanted to fly their airline back on 8/16, we'd have to buy $400 one-way tickets, and, if we wanted any refund at all on the unused 9/16 tickets, we'd have to pay them $100 dollars per ticket for the privilege.

I'm not sure what anybody else thinks, but in my opinion that's pure robbery. Whether or not that policy is outlined in the fine print (which you have to view in a separate window), there can be no justification for JetBlue charging $100 fee for cancelling a ticket. THEY RESELL THE F'N SEAT - AT A HIGHER PRICE THAN WE ORIGINALLY PAID. THEY ARE INCURRING NO LOSS WHATSOEVER BY OUR CANCELLATION, SO HOW IS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO CHARGE $100 FOR A CANCELLATION? I can understand being charged full price to change out tickets, but being charged $100 for the privilege of getting a refund - which, even then, is only granted in the form of a credit to fly again on this crappy, customer-unfriendly airline? No thanks.

JetBlue sucks, and their business strategy is clearly aimed at fleecing air travelers rather than impressing them. Brand loyalty clearly means nothing - so we will oblige their apparent desires by refusing to ever fly this piece of **** airline ever again, and by recommending to everyone we know that they should do the same.

[rerere]

Suck it up. All us airlines like jetblue, southwest, american, united, delta, us airways, airtran, alaska, continental and virgin america ALL charge for a change. So next time, don't be stupid. Blaming jetblue does nothing since all us airlines charge a fee.

[robertmcgough]

Suck it up? Everybody does it so it's fine? Stop, your logic is overwhelming me. Charging such a fee, whether everybody does it or not, is wrong and shouldn't be legal - period. You a-holes resell the seat at a profit in addition to charging me to get MY money back (or even to have the "privilege" of using it on another flight in the future). You must be an airline executive. No wonder they're so profitable...apparently the only way you can stay in business is by taking advantage of customer's online booking mistakes by gouging them with fees that are completely unjustified. Brilliant strategy.

So tell me, genius, what's the money for? Is there any legitimate service or loss that the change or cancellation fee is covering? Any at all? No - it's just a rip off pretty much however you slice it (your brilliant rationalization aside). And its not as if this is the historic practice of the airline industry...it's a new way for you f*ckers to rip off customers. So, tell you what, you can suck it.

[robertmcgough]

Oh, and by the way, Southwest does not charge a change/cancellation fee.

[rerere]

First of all, cool down, have a drink, take a motrin. Second, I don't work, or have anything affiliated with any airline. Third, I know this isn't right, I am against these fees myself. However, I am also against you strictly putting the blame on jetblue, when every other us airline does so to.

[rerere]

Originally Posted by robertmcgough

Oh, and by the way, Southwest does not charge a change/cancellation fee.

They do if you buy the lowest fare.

[robertmcgough]

Fair enough. I thought "us airlines" in your reply meant "us," not U.S., so that's why I read your reply the way I did. You're right - most of them do it, and it's a relatively new trend. It's just bad business.

Here's a good article on it: http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ...311819146.html

[The_Judge]

Nevermind rerere, robertmcgough. That person is just here to make problems. Whether they are an airline employee or not is also debatable. If they are and haven't registered as such, they should have been banned.

It would appear your trip has ended already. What did you end up doing? I hope you were able to just pay a change fee and move your date.

For your complaint about the legalities or even morality of charging such fees. As another member here says constantly (and in this case, I agree with him) until this type of action is regulated, it will not change. They are able to charge these types of fees simply because they can. They basically have you where they want you and you have no option but to pay the 400 bucks for a ticket or pay THEM to get a refund.

Hopefully for you, it worked out well and you got off cheaply to get back home.

[rerere]

Originally Posted by robertmcgough

Fair enough. I thought "us airlines" in your reply meant "us," not U.S., so that's why I read your reply the way I did. You're right - most of them do it, and it's a relatively new trend. It's just bad business.

Here's a good article on it: http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ...311819146.html

Thanks! The airline industry really needs to get rid of these useless fares.

[rerere]

Originally Posted by The_Judge

Nevermind rerere, robertmcgough. That person is just here to make problems. Whether they are an airline employee or not is also debatable. If they are and haven't registered as such, they should have been banned.

It would appear your trip has ended already. What did you end up doing? I hope you were able to just pay a change fee and move your date.

For your complaint about the legalities or even morality of charging such fees. As another member here says constantly (and in this case, I agree with him) until this type of action is regulated, it will not change. They are able to charge these types of fees simply because they can. They basically have you where they want you and you have no option but to pay the 400 bucks for a ticket or pay THEM to get a refund.

Hopefully for you, it worked out well and you got off cheaply to get back home.

Will you shut up former airline emplyee. I am just speaking the truth against these people who bash the airlines. So if you got a problem ********, I suggest you find a different site.

[robertmcgough]

Ended up going with another airline, and paying the JetBlue cancellation fee in order to get a credit (no choice, unfortunately). I filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation, though I understand that is likely to be nothing more than a black hole. I have been looking into whether or not there are any class action suits on this issue, as it really is just a fleecing and should be stopped. I could understand the charge if the airline got stuck with an empty seat, but when I cancel a month in advance and they can just resell it (at a likely higher price than I paid to begin with), the fee amounts to nothing more than stealing. You're right - it is a regulatory oversight issue (rather, a lack thereof), and it's yet another example of a major industry screwing its customers because they seem to think we'll just keep coming back for more no matter how badly they treat us. I've had my venting session. Thanks. Now I will take rerere's advice and have a drink (along with something a bit stronger than a motrin).

[robertmcgough]

Originally Posted by rerere

Thanks! The airline industry really needs to get rid of these useless fares.

Well, the fees are not useless to the airlines. They're worth billions in revenues. Notice, though, that this is a practice unique to the airline industry. That is so because of the unique nature of the transactional exchange - it's not a bilateral exchange once a flyer requests to modify the contract (via change or cancellation). At that point, the airline holds all the bargaining power, and they really shouldn't use that power to squeeze more money out of their customers when they give nothing else in exchange. It's an opportunity for them to build loyalty - instead they use it to stick it to customers. Like I said before, that's just bad business in the long run.

By the way, the airlines deserve to be bashed for this. It's utter bull**** - and as bad for them ultimately as it is for all of us. I've flown all my life and on numerous airlines, and all of them are getting worse by the day. And, for the most part, they treat their employees like crap too.

[The_Judge]

Originally Posted by robertmcgough

Well, the fees are not useless to the airlines. They're worth billions in revenues. Notice, though, that this is a practice unique to the airline industry. That is so because of the unique nature of the transactional exchange - it's not a bilateral exchange once a flyer requests to modify the contract (via change or cancellation). At that point, the airline holds all the bargaining power, and they really shouldn't use that power to squeeze more money out of their customers when they give nothing else in exchange. It's an opportunity for them to build loyalty - instead they use it to stick it to customers. Like I said before, that's just bad business in the long run.

By the way, the airlines deserve to be bashed for this. It's utter bull**** - and as bad for them ultimately as it is for all of us. I've flown all my life and on numerous airlines, and all of them are getting worse by the day. And, for the most part, they treat their employees like crap too.

The bold is mine to emphasize. Not completely unique. Many stores and even online stores have restocking fees. For what?? When did these come about and what are they for? Complete ripoff.

I will agree with your last sentence wholeheartedly. That's why I left.

[mars6423]

I agree there shouldn't be a fee for this, and that is just wrong

Should there be a fee? Yes, but only if u cancel within mayb a week of the flight? Otherwise people would just reschedule constantly and it would be hard for anyone to guess when a flight is free

While there should be no charge for an honest mistake that you gave more than enough time to fix, there should be a fee with x days before a flight to make sure people aren't taking advantage and messing up someone elses plan of flying