US: Airlines waive change fees as Harvey takes aim at Texas

Airlines waived change fees and warned of possible flight disruptions as Tropical Storm Harvey took aim at the Gulf Coast of Texas. The storm was forecast to make landfall as a hurricane, likely late Friday or early Saturday. Meteorologists warned heavy flooding was possible across the region, with problems possibly lasting into next week. A number of US airlines – including the nation’s four biggest – had enacted flexible rebooking policies for fliers ticketed to fly to the region. The policies vary by airline, but – generally – they permit eligible customers to make one change to their itineraries without paying change fees that can cost $200 or more per passenger. The policies also typically allow fliers to move their flights without paying a fare difference, though there’s usually a finite travel window to do so. For passengers wishing to move their flights to dates outside beyond those booking windows, most carriers will allow customers to apply the full value of their remaining ticket toward a newly booked one.<br/>