Fliers hit with airline change fee to return to burglarized house
— -- Question: We went to San Diego for a short trip over the Labor Day weekend, flying from Dallas on American. After two days, we received a call from a friend who had been watching our house, telling us that it had been burglarized.
Distraught, we tried to do as much as we could from San Diego, coordinating with my family to work with the police, secure our house and take care of our dogs. We decided to fly back as soon as we could so the police could finish their report with us present to determine what exactly had been missing.
We called American to change our tickets. Despite our pleas (and citing my husband's elite frequent-flier status) to waive the change fees, we had to pay another $400 to return early to our destroyed house. Don't airlines provide an emergency waiver of some kind for distressed fliers?
— Jacqi Moore, Dallas
Answer: After Moore's house was robbed and she needed to fly home sooner than planned, she and her husband were on the hook for change fees, telephone-booking charges and a fare increase. Given the circumstances, that extra $400 on top of the original $350 tickets didn't sit well with Moore, but those were the rules of her restricted, nonrefundable tickets.
It would be impossible for an airline to design a fee-waiver policy detailing all possible traveler emergency scenarios. American does waive change fees in emergencies such as a death in the family or the customers' serious illness, but "there are no specific provisions for other types of emergencies," says American representative Tim Smith.
That means that situations like Moore's are handled on a case-by-case basis, oftentimes after the fact, since she paid up to get home. Behind the scenes, customer-service agents will sift through variables to help inform their decision: company policy, the fare paid and the traveler's frequent-flier status (which reflects customer loyalty).
In my experience, slightly more nebulous criteria can come into play as well, including whether agents annotated a passenger record to document abusive behavior, if a traveler has an extensive history of frivolous complaints and whether demands for compensation are in line with the problem.
American looked into Moore's complaint, and while the airline noted that the amount it collected was correct, it agreed to send her $400 in vouchers for future travel. "We know these are good customers who encountered a traumatic event while traveling," says Smith.
How can you avoid trouble?
Talk to a supervisor, who may be empowered to bend the rules. Briefly explain the situation and offer up front to provide documentation. Be aware that your demeanor may go on the record, so stay calm and polite, even if you're stressed.
Follow up in writing. If a supervisor can't help, write to the company when you get home and include relevant information, such as a copy of the police report. If you're an elite-level frequent flier, mention that as well.
Consider travel insurance. Some policies include coverage for home burglary and vandalism, and will reimburse you for change fees, additional fare and nonrefundable expenses of your interrupted trip.
Linda Burbank first began troubleshooting travelers' complaints for the Consumer Reports Travel Letter. She now writes regularly for Consumers Union publications and is a contributing editor for National Geographic Traveler. E-mail her at travel@usatoday.com. Your question may be used in a future column.