United Airlines Be careful when you choose Economy Plus and pay a premium. The money is non-refundable. Chicago, Illinois

I purchased an international round trip ticket to China and was prompted to choose the Economy Plus for an additional $129. Later things in life forced me to change my travel schedule. I called the UA's customer service to modify the flight schedule. I was told I need to pay a change penalty of $250. I understand this fee and has no problem.

However I was also told that the $129 for the economy plus seat is non-refundable. I was outraged. I called in to change the schedule over a month ahead of the flight time. The premium charge for Economy Plus is non-material to the United Airlines. The value cannot be realized until the passenger uses it. In addition, there is no warning sign during the entire booking process that this premium is non-refundable. I believe there will be much fewer passengers who will choose the option if they knew it's non-refundable. This is a trap. And it's not fair to consumers.

Next time when you book a ticket with United Airlines, you'll be prompted to use their Economy Plus option without failing. Remember, when you click this button, the money is no longer yours.