This week, 3 major airlines did something revolutionary: they did away with a fee that was a big revenue producer for them.
On Sunday, United announced they are eliminating change fees--those pesky charges slapped on customers who decide they want to change their itinerary after they've ticketed their travel.
Shortly after that, American and Delta announced they will follow suit. They join Southwest, who for years has used the fact they did not charge these fees as a competitive advantage.
With the extended impact of the pandemic, airlines are struggling. They've had to waive change fees over the last several months, because there's so much uncertainty about when and where people will fly.
United also announced they are furloughing 16,000 employees because of the drastic drop in air travel, and other airlines will do the same. That's why it makes sense for airlines remove any potential barriers to customers returning to the skies.
Yes, the fees created revenue. But they also irritated travelers. Stuff happens and travel plans change. Why make it more difficult for your customers to use your product or service?What obstacles do your customers have to face when doing business with you? Now's the time to do away with anything that might cloud your relationships with customers.