Squawking about airline change fees

A chicken can live 15 years.

This odd fact has no bearing on anything except that it surprised me. Until last week, I just assumed that a chicken's life was two or three years, tops. I had to revise everything I ever assumed about chickens.

That same sort of discombobulated shock hits travelers quite often, when something they are absolutely sure of turns out to be wrong.

There are no more surprised travelers than those who think they know how to change or cancel an airline ticket -- then find out the real story. Such fees raised $1.2 billion for the airline industry just the first half of this year.

How well do you know the policies? Test yourself:

Questions

Case 1: You use United frequent flier miles to buy a ticket to Chicago. Two weeks before the trip, you realize you can't go. Can you cancel and redeposit the miles in your account without penalty?

Case 3: While you are visiting an aunt in Florida, she dies. You call Spirit Airlines and request to change your nonrefundable ticket home to leave two days later than planned. Due to the bereavement, will they do it without charge?

Case 4: You are in London and get homesick. You want to change your nonrefundable ticket to fly home a day early. Can you fly home early without penalty?

Answers

Case 1: No. United, Delta and most other airlines charge $150 to cancel an award ticket and redeposit miles in your account.

Why it shocks: Most people think of frequent flier transactions as, well, free. Plus, redepositing miles used to be free or cheap.

Why it shocks: It's a relief to travelers who assume airlines have no leeway for errors or changed minds. Few airlines allow this, but Delta does.

Case 3: No. Even in death, Spirit charges $100 to change your ticket, plus the difference in price between your old ticket and the new one. Most other airlines charge even more for changing a ticket for any reason -- $150 domestic and $250 international (the exception is Case 2 above). Only Southwest Airlines has no change or cancellation fees.

Airlines have wildly varying bereavement fare policies, so call the airline in a situation like this.

Why it shocks: You'd think airlines would be kinder to travelers facing a death in the family.

Case 4: No. To change your ticket to fly home even one day early, it'll cost you a $250 change fee -- plus the difference in the cost of the old and new ticket.

Why it shocks: People like to think they could go home early if they need to and are surprised it could cost them hundreds in fees.

Scoring

4 right: The sneaky airlines can't fool you.

2-3 right: You're naive but quick to get a clue.