The Not So Friendly Skies

I normally do not like to use this blog for my rants. However since I usually just rave, what is one little rant now and then. Of course this is the second time I've complained about the airlines on this blog so I'll just continue the series.

As many of you know, I'll be going to Culver City the end of this month to see Sony perform with the Theo Saunders quartet. I booked the trip way in advance as soon as I heard she would be performing there. I got a great fare with Virgin America at $39.00 each way. So, I will fly down on the 29th and return on the 30th.

Those of you who know me well, know that the Grammy awards are an event for me each year. I usually attend a Grammy's party and enjoy the show. Well I didn't even think about the awards when I booked my trip to LA. The show is usually in February so I didn't even think about it until today when I saw online that the show was going to be held at the Staples center on the 31st. I immediately went to the airline website to find out that changing my return flight would cost me $75.00 plus an additional amount that would incur due to the fares having been increased since I booked.

Now I'm the type of traveler who travels on a budget and saves months in advance for trips. So, I have everything budgeted to a point that I cannot spend alot of extra money to stay an extra day. Not to mention, they are charging basically what I paid for the original flight. If I change the flight online myself, they'll charge $75.00 plus additional fees and the difference between the older and newer fares. If I call to change the flight it's $100.00 because, heaven for bid a customer service agent should have to spend five minutes on a computer to change it for me.

In all fairness, all the airlines do this. And, I knew when I booked that there would be charges incurred should I need to change my flight. My question though is how do they all get away with these inordinate charges and fees. Now mind you, my wanting to stay an extra day so that I could hang out with thousands of other people in front of the Staples Center so I can possibly take photos of stars is not an emergency. But, what if someone actually has an emergency situation and needs to change a flight? They have to pay these ridiculous charges on top of being stressed already? It's just crazy.

As it stands, I will be leaving my reservation as is and coming back home to attend my Grammy's party. I'm probably more angry at myself for not checking this out before I booked but it is so much easier to blame the airlines than it is to blame myself. After all, we all know that the airlines are basically price gauging businesses who care more about the almighty dollar than the customer. They are no different than any other business out there - I'm generalizing here.

So, in closing, thank you for listening to my rant and I promise not to make a habit of venting through this blog. I should start another blog, just for my rants.