Delta Offers No-Fee Changes for More Flights Amid Coronavirus Fears

   By Alison Sider

Delta Air Lines Inc. won't charge fees to change upcoming flights no matter when passengers booked them, saying it wanted to give more flexibility to fliers uncertain about upcoming travel plans.

Under the new policy announced Monday, Delta will offer free changes for existing reservations for trips through April 30. The airline is also waiving change fees for trips booked this month for travel through Feb. 25, 2021.

Airlines said bookings in the coming months have fallen significantly. Major companies have been telling their employees to avoid travel and others have become fearful of flying as the coronavirus spreads across the world.

Many airlines have waived change fees for newly booked flights in an effort to encourage people to keep planning travel, but Delta is the first to broaden its waiver to include flights booked before the outbreak was in full swing.

The move comes amid growing pressure from lawmakers to ease burdens for all customers who had travel plans. Last week, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent letters to major airline CEOs calling on them to suspend the fees for reservations made prior to March. Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to the U.S. Department of Transportation asking the department suspend all airline ticket and change fees.

--Alison Sider

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 09, 2020 18:58 ET (22:58 GMT)

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