new fee with booking American flight... (Dallas, Crandall: insurance, how much, purchase)

[loves2read]

last night was trying to make a reservation at American's Internet site for trip we are taking -- I know about the fees for checking bags--I usually book on-line but sometimes in the past I have had to make a change or have a questions and have called REZ service with no problem.

Last night--I had a trip on hold for same destination but different times/ticket numbers--was trying to book for earlier flights and 4 people instead of 2--
the screen said to call RESERVATIONS to make the change which is what it considered the new rez to be...a change--not a new reservation.

So I did--got helpful person and she checked prices for couple of different flights because system was not letting me book all 4 tickets at same price...
when I got the email confirmation AA had added $20 per ticket -- 80 bucks total--to the price of the 4 tickets for the reservation conversation...

We fly American almost exclusively for any pleasure flying--have AA mile card--and in general don't usually have any complaints from our years flying with them--My daughter uses AA for her trips back and forth from Tampa pretty regularly (and we usually pay)
they just have more non-stops that go were we go and I hate connections...
and I am not going to stop flying them even though I think the company management has really taken some stupid pills since Crandall left...

Am I just behind the curve with this--did not see ANYTHING on the web page to announce there was a fee for doing what the computer was telling me I needed to do...has this policy been in force for days, months, years?
Anyone else find themselves tagged the same way without knowing about the charge?
I send a not-so-nice email and got a very generic smarmy reply...
another sign that their management is just totally out of the play...

[beowulf7]

Sorry to hear you're out an extra $80. It's just getting really bad flying anywhere w/ anyone other than Southwest. All these fees, restrictions ... heck, US Scair now charges if you want a soda or water while flying!

One of my coworkers booked a flight for he and his g/f earlier this year. By default, it put his last name with her name and he didn't realize it until after he booked the ticket. He thought it was no big deal. They got to the airport and AA would not let her fly b/c the name on her driver license was different than the name he used as his companion. They made him repurchase her ticket at the tune of $150 more. He tried fighting it, but they told him that he either flies solo or she can come along for the extra $150.

It's just getting really bad flying and it's only going to get worse.

If we had high speed rails in the USA that much of Europe and Asia have, that would really set airline companies straight. For trips of 1,000 miles or less, it could even be faster using a high speed rail.

Anyway, I digress. Sorry again about your getting hit w/ the unexpected and unpleasant "surprise".

[loves2read]

the real pain of this is that my DIL told me today that she can't leave at the time of the DFW departure--that she has to work all day -- that my son mis-spoke when he said that they could take off vacation days...
SO I had to change their tickets to later flight and they charged me 150 a ticket--so now have bought them two of the most expensive flights to Las Vegas from Dallas that anyone has taken in coach...
if I were unethical I could have bought flight insurance that would cover cancellation because of work and waited a while and then cancelled their tickets on that outgoing flight and gotten my money reemburges including the change fee...when I rebooked...

[Synopsis]

Airline travel these days is the biggest beat-down there is. I absolutely HATE flying. Back in the 80s when I was flying business class all over the planet, it was considered a luxury. Nowadays, it's like being herded onto a cattle car, except it costs more. In a recent job interview (a job that I landed, btw! Start tomorrow), when it was my turn to ask questions the first question I asked was "How much travel is involved?" I meant of course, airline travel. \

I was told that it would be no more than a few times per year; maybe a seminar every couple of months. The CEO (who was the interviewer) didn't even ask me why I asked the question; it's common knowledge that airline travel is horrendous. Besides, with all of the broadband technology, there is absolutely no reason to get on a plane and fly to wherever just to meet someone face to face. Once in awhile it's fine, but as a rule NO WAY!

When vacationing or visiting relatives, unless it's over 500 miles, I'll take the car.

[beowulf7]

^ Syn, congrats on the new job! Best of luck.

I'll be traveling w/ AA this coming weekend. I hope H. Gustav doesn't put a damper on my plans.