United, nach einmal

The theater gave me the wrong dates, so I made the wrong reservations for my opening in Durango. Phoned Expedia this AM to change them. I thought flying US Air would, at least nominally, free me from the clutches of United, but it didn’t. The Expedia guy said that United owned the ticket, by virtue of owning US Air, and that in changing I would have to use a United flight unless there were no United flights going to that destination– which, of course, there are. The charge for changing the ticket? $590, about $80 less than the original fare. My Indian friend explained that it was “disadvantageous” for United to change the ticket. But he did, in the end, find a ticket that carried only $150 dollar fee– while being, so far as I could see, a slightly better schedule– so I could live with that. I am Jean Valjean. United is Javert.