ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 6, 2002—US Airways has revised several of the recently announced policy changes for non-refundable fares based on customer feedback. Most importantly, mileage earned on non-refundable fares will continue to count toward Dividend Miles tier status credit, allowing for all base miles earned on all standard non-refundable fares to count toward attainment of the Silver, Gold, and Chairman’s Preferred levels.
Additionally, for travel on or after Jan. 1, 2003, stand-by travel on non-refundable fares on US Airways and the US Airways Shuttle will be allowed with a $100 fee, with restrictions. The previously announced policy of non-refundable tickets expiring after their planned date of use will continue. Non-refundable tickets can still be changed for other tickets, with the appropriate fees, at any time prior to the scheduled flight. Tickets purchased using fully refundable fares will continue to have no stand-by fees.
“We heard from many customers about our changes, and we are responding in a way that should please most of them,” said B. Ben Baldanza, US Airways senior vice president of marketing and planning. “Reinstating tier status credit on low-fare tickets is something very important to many customers, and people are open to paying a small premium for the ability to stand by for other flights when using a non-refundable ticket.”
US Airways’ changes for non-refundable fares are a response to the growing use of restricted, low-price tickets by business travelers. “Business travelers are using non-refundable fares as a result of corporate travel polices designed to control costs,” said Baldanza. “Given our own efforts to reduce costs, we respect the economic pressures on business travelers and believe that these changes strike a fair balance between the needs of the corporate traveler and the economics of the airline business.”
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