If you aren't already aware, the times they are a'changin for airline travel. New fees are being imposed and changes made to non-refundable travel.
There will be no more 1 year credit for non refundable tickets that are not changed in advance of the flight departing. Oversize bag fees are being enforced (they were always on the books). Travellers may be charged $100 for flying standby when they are traveling on a non refundable ticket in addition to the $100 change fee.
ATA is apparently trying to maintain their reputation as a low cost alternative and just put out this press release:
ATA Lowers Administrative Change Fees and Introduces Simplified Fee Structure; Will Not Charge for Stand-by Travel
INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 30, 2002--In conjunction with its 30th anniversary celebration, ATA (American Trans Air, Inc. Nasdaq: ATAH) today announced it is taking immediate action to simplify its current fee structure and lower administrative fees associated with travel. This simplification is designed to eliminate confusion and provide flexibility to customers, making travel with ATA the easiest, most convenient choice available.
In addition, ATA is allowing travelers to stand by for other flights to their destination during the same day of their confirmed departure at no additional charge! In some cases, other airlines are charging full administrative fees for stand-by service.
"ATA recognizes that the needs of today's business and leisure traveler have changed," said Bill McKnight, ATA's Executive Vice President of Marketing and Customer Service. "Customers want more flexible stand-by policies, less fewer restrictions and reasonable excess baggage fees. Not only are we offering our customers unrestricted low fares and great value, but also some of the lowest administrative fees in the industry."
ATA is lowering its administrative fees, the rate it charges to make a change to a customer's ticket, from $80 to $50 (travel from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Hawaii was previously $100). In addition, ATA's excess baggage fee, the fee charged to a customer for additional checked baggage beyond the allowed number, will change to a $50 flat fee versus the sliding scale that was previously used. This fee will eliminate up to $30 in fees per bag on ATA. Other carriers currently charge up to $100 for each of these services.
The carrier will also continue its policy of allowing customers to utilize their unused tickets for 12 months from the date of purchase, with payment of an administrative fee. Other carriers have recently created policies that cause an unused ticket for a departed flight to hold no value.
Remember, ATA never has an advance purchase requirement on any fare. To see examples of competitors' restrictions on lowest fares, see Attachment A. For examples of ATA and competitors' fees, see Attachment B.
ATA separately announced it has lowered its maximum, one-way domestic fares to $299.
Now celebrating its 30th year of operation, ATA is the nation's 10th largest passenger carrier based on revenue passenger miles. ATA operates significant scheduled service from Chicago-Midway and Indianapolis to over 40 business and vacation destinations. To learn more about the company, visit the website at
www.ata.com.
