At this point most travelers have reluctantly accepted airline fees as a part of travel.
So now, it’s not just the idea of fees that causes the most irritation, but the fees that seem over-the-top. High on that list are the fees for the trip not taken — fees beyond the nonrefundable ticket itself, which in some cases can be used, at least partially, for a future credit, less a penalty.
Here is my list of the worst offenders.
1. Fuel surcharges. As many travel agents and travelers have learned, when a ticket is nonrefundable and non-changeable, the taxes at least are generally refundable. But airlines specify that the “YQ” tax, i.e., the fuel surcharge, remains nonrefundable.
I understand nonrefundable airfares, but the fuel surcharges are specifically broken out by airlines, in part because they are non-discountable. Airlines insist fuel surcharges are not part of the fare when it comes to overrides and commissions. But when someone doesn’t fly, their weight doesn’t contribute to the use of fuel. So, it would make sense to at least give a partial discount to the passengers who use no fuel.
2. Prepaid baggage fees. Some carriers give a discount for prepaying baggage fees and most of them encourage prepaying them during online check-in. Prepayment is nice, unless someone cancels after check-in. Then they not only pay the airline change fee to reuse the ticket, they don’t get the baggage fee back.
And again, I can understand a penalty. But when someone doesn’t fly, the airline isn’t checking their bags. Plus, I’ll bet that they didn’t figure the weight of prepaid bags into their pre-flight planning.
3. Priority security and boarding fees. These can be paid at any time from the time of booking onward. But like baggage fees, priority boarding and security fees are not refundable. Curiously enough, with United Airlines at least, these fees are not refundable even when the customer is later upgraded to a first or business class seat where priority access is free. (Ditto checked bag fees.)
4. Preferred seat surcharges. These days it seems like half the seats on many planes are considered “premium,” and on some flights they are. In my experience, travelers are increasingly willing to pay for those seats. Again, cancel the flight, and passengers will get no refund.
It also doesn’t matter when a flight is canceled. In a recent case, a client booked two months in advance for a board meeting and canceled almost a month out. The passenger had already paid Delta for “Economy Comfort” seats.
The flight in question was already pretty full. With the seats being relinquished almost a month prior to take-off, Delta will no doubt not only resell the space, they will resell the preferred seat. Plus, it’s not as if there’s any work involved for the airline.
Now, when the airlines themselves cancel the flight, these fees are all refundable, if a traveler remembers to ask for the fee refund specifically. It’s not automatic, even when the ticket itself is refunded.
Alas, there’s not much travelers can do to avoid being charged fees for things they don’t use. Although, when it doesn’t make a difference, i.e. for baggage fees without a prepayment discount, or priority boarding/security fees, travelers should probably wait until they get to the airport to pay.
In the meantime, they should hope (probably to no avail) that the airlines don’t come up with more nonrefundable fees.
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
