US Air Waiving Change Fees In and Out of PHL Ahead of Snowstorm
By Michelle Durham
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- This week's coming snowstorm is sure to put a crimp in the travel plans of many in the Delaware Valley who are either returning from visiting loved ones following the holidays or are hoping to escape the cold weather for a warm vacation destination.
US Airways is among the airlines now waiving change fees as they help their customers try to get earlier flights.
"We do have a travel advisory currently in effect for Philadelphia and other cities in the Northeast," says spokesman Todd Lemacher. "We are waiving change fees. If someone does have flexible travel -- traveling today for instance, or tomorrow, January 2nd or 3rd -- they can move their travel with no fees up until January 5th. And that does impact Philadelphia as well as about 15 other cities in the Northeast."
Lemacher says they are seeing some customers taking advantage of this. And he advises checking with your airline's web site to sidestep crowds at the airport.
"You can actually go to usairways.com and change the flight yourself," he says. "You don't need to go to the ticket counter, you don't need to call reservations. You can actually do it on line, and if the fees are waived, the system will automatically handle that."
This travel advisory remains in effect until January 5th. Lemacher says they'll extend the time limit if they need to.
Southwest Airlines does not charge change fees at any time. As of 11am today, Delta Airlines said it was not waiving change fees for its customers in Pennsylvania but was doing so in other regions of the country affected by the storm.