Jimspeak

So my ticket is changed. 13 days earlier. Total extra costs? Too much. I am fine paying the fare difference between the original and new ticket. I am ok paying Orbitz a few bucks, because that is part of the fun.

But for the damn airlines to charge so much more just for changing the departure date? What the hell? Don't they overbook every flight anyway? Do they really lose any money by me flying on a different day? They still get the fee difference, they still get my business, it's like an extra, "Ha, ha! You have to pay this fee to fly otherwise you wold have to drive or take a wagon train and that is long and torturous!"

As many of you know, I changed many of my flights in the last 15 months. And ya know what? None of those foreign airlines charged a damn dime for a date or time change. A departure city change, yeah, but never a time change.

So again I ask, in this country with all the competition (which supposedly is for the benefit of the consumer) and all its money, how come the airlines are so inferior to all the foreign airlines I've used who have less competition? On occasion people have tried to explain it to me, but it makes no sense.

Should I even mention the other perks I've gotten on other airlines such as multiple meals (that did NOT cost extra), movies, free earphones, full cans of soda or juice, friendly staff, etc etc.

Yes, I am generalizing. But again I say, my experience flying Uzbekistan Airlines, an airline with virtually no competition (any?), was a much better experience than I've had on a domestic flight in a very long time.

Please, someone explain this to me!