Many airlines waive change fees due to weather

Several airlines are again offering to waive fees customers would ordinarily pay to rebook their flights on alternate itineraries due to bad weather in some parts of the country.

AirTran Airways, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and Continental Airlines were among the carriers offering change-fee waivers this week.

AirTran said Wednesday its passengers scheduled for travel Thursday and Friday to or from certain airports and locations may change their reservation without penalty, with some limitations.

Delta said Tuesday that customers booked on Delta-ticketed flights to, from or through its Atlanta hub on Wednesday could make a one-time change to their travel schedule without fees if tickets were changed by Thursday, with some limitations.

JetBlue said Wednesday it would waive change fees and fare differences to allow customers booked for travel to or from New York metropolitan airports on Thursday or Friday to voluntarily rebook their flights through Sunday.

• The AirTran waiver applies to travel to/from New York (LaGuardia, White Plains, Rochester and Buffalo); Allentown, Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pa.; Boston; Portland, Maine; and Washington, D.C. (Reagan National, Dulles and Baltimore/Washington Airports).
• Delta said that for its waiver changed itineraries would have to begin by Thursday, and changes to origin and destination could result in a fare increase.
• Customers scheduled on flights to, from or through Continental’s New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and other area airports through Friday may reschedule their itinerary with a one-time date or time change, and the change fees will be waived.

Change fees for domestic flights vary by airline. They can be as much as $150 for a domestic flight.