Phx..
You are wrong to minimise the potential impact of the H1N1 virus.. this has been officially declared an epidemic and has the capacity to spread worldwide. The virus appears to have some odd characteristics, some of which are of unknown origin. For example, pregnant women, even healthy ones, appear to be highly vulnerable to the virus. It also seems to disproportionately affect younger people, particularly men. Whilst some of these may have underlying health problems, others do not.
It is highly irresponsible to operate any policies which may exacerbate the spread of this disease. This is not about people trying to trick the airlines out of change fees. This is about a serious matter of public health in which people may die. The airlines should immediately announce that change fees will not be charged for any passenger who can provide a doctors note, or laboratory results which evidence that the passenger was diagnosed with H1N1 virus.
If I was the OP, I would take the following action:
1. Write to AA CEO outlining your circumstances and copy your letter to your local Senator and/or Representative.
2. Contact the media and ask them to do a story on the public health implications of the airlines actions.
Before all the barking sympathisers start jumping up and down and saying that this is a charter for people to claim illness to get out of the fees, be clear about what I have suggested.
The passenger would have to provide evidence. This exemption would only apply to the H1N1 virus and the reason for this is that the World Health Organisation and the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta have declared this an epidemic which requires "extraordinary" measures to protect the population.
You may not take this seriously, PHX, but you are in a minority. The UK government for example has bought enough vaccine to vaccinate the entire population. That suggests to me that scientific advisors to the government take this very seriously indeed.
The fees are a rip off in the first place. A failure to suspend the fees in this particular circumstance would be irresponsible.
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