Buyer beware ... change and cancellation fees have become big business for airlines. Photo: Rob Homer

A cheap fare can be pricey to change or cancel, writes Jane E. Fraser.

Change might be part of the tapestry of life but when the subject is flying, it can be a painful process. Change and cancellation fees have become big business for airlines as travellers gravitate towards cheap, inflexible air fares. The US Government recently changed the reporting requirements for US airlines and, as a consequence, found travellers were paying $US2 billion ($2.4 billion) a year in change and cancellation fees – representing more than three per cent of the airlines' revenue.

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