You know things are bad when a low-cost airline starts waiving fees.
Allegiant announced a new “Travel with Confidence” policy this week, waiving change and cancellation fees on all flights until the government shutdown ends. It may be the latest sign that chaos at the airport is starting to keep travelers away, a feat that even higher fares linked to the price of oil have not accomplished (or at least, not yet).
In a press release on Monday, Allegiant said that the new policy is intended to give customers “greater flexibility and peace of mind when planning upcoming travel.”
“We know travelers want to feel confident and in control when they book a trip,” Drew Wells, Allegiant’s chief commercial officer, said in a statement. “This policy gives them the flexibility to adjust plans if needed, while our network — which includes many smaller, easier-to-navigate airports — helps make the travel experience simpler from start to finish.”
The policy applies to both new and existing bookings and will stay in place through the end of the government shutdown. So far, the shutdown has paused most of the Department of Homeland Security’s budget, including funds for the Transportation Security Administration.
Although the TSA, which is considered an essential service, is still operating, most of its employees are not being paid during the shutdown. They will receive back pay once a budget is passed, but the paused paychecks have led thousands of agents to either quit or call out sick in order to work other jobs to make ends meet. This has led to long and unpredictable wait times at airports across the U.S.
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President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to airports starting Monday to assist TSA workers. However, it was not immediately clear whether their presence was helping to alleviate crowding.
Following reports of lines extending out the door at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Delta Air Lines issued a narrower travel waiver for travelers flying from the airport on Monday or Tuesday. The waiver allows passengers to change their flight to any day before or on Monday, March 30, without paying a fare difference.
United Airlines issued a similar waiver for passengers flying from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) during March 23-25; the United waiver allows travelers to rebook and travel by Friday, March 27. United’s move comes as a key investigator of Monday’s Air Canada crash at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) found themselves stalled for more than three hours in the security line at IAH.
Allegiant’s move is especially notable given the carrier’s business model as a “low-cost carrier.” While the moniker refers to the airline’s lower operating costs, the model typically includes offering customers lower, bare-bones fares; extras like seat assignments, checked luggage and flight changes all carry additional fees. Waiving change and cancellation fees is a rare move for Allegiant and its low-cost peers, suggesting the airline is seeing a direct impact from reports of hours-long waits and missed flights at airports.
To adjust itineraries without fees, Allegiant says customers must call, chat, text or email the airline’s customer service department, rather than making any changes online.
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