Cost of Changes
Mar 31, 2015, 5:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: OSL
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 303
Cost of Changes
This is probably old news to a lot of people, but I wanted to highlight the last two hours of sitting on the phone with AC reservations.
Later this week I'm doing yyz-yvr-nrt, and in 2.5 weeks I have a nrt-yvr-yyz return. This is all booked in J.
I called to make a few changes:
- move up the return date by two days
- go from nrt to sfo
- go from sfo to yyz later that week.
They quoted me $4800 for the change. As in more than my actual original ticket return in J. If I wanted to move the entire return down to Y, they could do it for "only" an additional $600.
So I asked them to quote two separate itineraries. Change the original dates on the return and end in YVR. Then book a separate ticket for yvr-sfo-yyz.
And low and behold... I asked for a ticket split, and the price went from $4800 to $800 for exactly the same flights.
First, the system should be smart enough not to do something so totally insane for a change like this. Since the system is dumb, the agents should know better. I shouldn't have to spend two hours on the phone to do this stuff.
Later this week I'm doing yyz-yvr-nrt, and in 2.5 weeks I have a nrt-yvr-yyz return. This is all booked in J.
I called to make a few changes:
- move up the return date by two days
- go from nrt to sfo
- go from sfo to yyz later that week.
They quoted me $4800 for the change. As in more than my actual original ticket return in J. If I wanted to move the entire return down to Y, they could do it for "only" an additional $600.
So I asked them to quote two separate itineraries. Change the original dates on the return and end in YVR. Then book a separate ticket for yvr-sfo-yyz.
And low and behold... I asked for a ticket split, and the price went from $4800 to $800 for exactly the same flights.
First, the system should be smart enough not to do something so totally insane for a change like this. Since the system is dumb, the agents should know better. I shouldn't have to spend two hours on the phone to do this stuff.
Last edited by epiphani; Mar 31, 2015 at 5:34 am
Mar 31, 2015, 6:44 am
#3
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This is probably old news to a lot of people, but I wanted to highlight the last two hours of sitting on the phone with AC reservations.
Later this week I'm doing yyz-yvr-nrt, and in 2.5 weeks I have a nrt-yvr-yyz return. This is all booked in J.
I called to make a few changes:
- move up the return date by two days
- go from nrt to sfo
- go from sfo to yyz later that week.
They quoted me $4800 for the change. As in more than my actual original ticket return in J. If I wanted to move the entire return down to Y, they could do it for "only" an additional $600.
So I asked them to quote two separate itineraries. Change the original dates on the return and end in YVR. Then book a separate ticket for yvr-sfo-yyz.
And low and behold... I asked for a ticket split, and the price went from $4800 to $800 for exactly the same flights.
First, the system should be smart enough not to do something so totally insane for a change like this. Since the system is dumb, the agents should know better. I shouldn't have to spend two hours on the phone to do this stuff.
Later this week I'm doing yyz-yvr-nrt, and in 2.5 weeks I have a nrt-yvr-yyz return. This is all booked in J.
I called to make a few changes:
- move up the return date by two days
- go from nrt to sfo
- go from sfo to yyz later that week.
They quoted me $4800 for the change. As in more than my actual original ticket return in J. If I wanted to move the entire return down to Y, they could do it for "only" an additional $600.
So I asked them to quote two separate itineraries. Change the original dates on the return and end in YVR. Then book a separate ticket for yvr-sfo-yyz.
And low and behold... I asked for a ticket split, and the price went from $4800 to $800 for exactly the same flights.
First, the system should be smart enough not to do something so totally insane for a change like this. Since the system is dumb, the agents should know better. I shouldn't have to spend two hours on the phone to do this stuff.
Mar 31, 2015, 6:55 am
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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Posts: 50,262
What is surprising or new?
When you make a change, you pay a change fee (if any) + fare difference (if any) for the new ticket. The specific changes which OP requested apparently resulted in a significant payment due. On another day, another flight or another route, this might have been much less. Or, had OP booked a flexible ticket, the cost of the change might have been $0 or less than quoted, but the original ticket much more expensive.
As OP found, by playing around with the routing, he came up with a better total fare than he had before.
You get the answer to the question you ask. If you ask what it will cost to makes changes A, B and C, you get the answer to that question.
When you make a change, you pay a change fee (if any) + fare difference (if any) for the new ticket. The specific changes which OP requested apparently resulted in a significant payment due. On another day, another flight or another route, this might have been much less. Or, had OP booked a flexible ticket, the cost of the change might have been $0 or less than quoted, but the original ticket much more expensive.
As OP found, by playing around with the routing, he came up with a better total fare than he had before.
You get the answer to the question you ask. If you ask what it will cost to makes changes A, B and C, you get the answer to that question.
Mar 31, 2015, 7:07 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,691
The way I understood it is:
Original itin:
yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-yyz
Desired itin:
yyz-yvr-nrt-sfo-yyz
Final itin:
yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr
yvr-sfo-yyz
So I understant "ticket split" to actually mean "buying a second ticket" after modifying the first.
I'll admit, I'm a little surprised by this, too... the booking agents are there to book tickets. If OP needed advice preparing an itinerary, then OP should have used a travel agent. I'm not sure there's much blame to be directed at the AC agents here...
Original itin:
yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-yyz
Desired itin:
yyz-yvr-nrt-sfo-yyz
Final itin:
yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr
yvr-sfo-yyz
So I understant "ticket split" to actually mean "buying a second ticket" after modifying the first.
I'll admit, I'm a little surprised by this, too... the booking agents are there to book tickets. If OP needed advice preparing an itinerary, then OP should have used a travel agent. I'm not sure there's much blame to be directed at the AC agents here...
Mar 31, 2015, 5:40 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: OSL
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 303
Honestly... had someone doing all of this stuff for me last year. Travel agent fees, especially for international itineraries, were really high especially after two or three changes.
So I figured I'd try for myself. This whole aircanada.com thing gets promoted pretty heavily. Given this is the second time I've spent several hours on the phone, I'm starting to revisit my decision to go direct.
I know AC IT gets a bad rap, but I hadn't quite realized how bad until I started trying to manage my own itineraries. Now I know why my agent said she hated working with AC and would take any other north american airline over AC from her side.
The routing was exactly the same - same dates, same flights, same cabins. The only difference was splitting the itinerary into two tickets.
I had yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-yyz. I asked for yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-sfo-yyz on slightly different dates on return. They quoted $4800 total (ticket difference+change fee). I asked them to split the itinerary into yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr and yvr-sfo-yyz, and it was $800 (ticket difference+change fee).
(Edit: I actually asked them to quote the change plus yvr-sfo-yvr on those dates. They came back with dropping the yvr-yyz leg and going yvr-sfo-yyz.)
So I figured I'd try for myself. This whole aircanada.com thing gets promoted pretty heavily. Given this is the second time I've spent several hours on the phone, I'm starting to revisit my decision to go direct.
I know AC IT gets a bad rap, but I hadn't quite realized how bad until I started trying to manage my own itineraries. Now I know why my agent said she hated working with AC and would take any other north american airline over AC from her side.
Originally Posted by Often1
As OP found, by playing around with the routing, he came up with a better total fare than he had before.
I had yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-yyz. I asked for yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-sfo-yyz on slightly different dates on return. They quoted $4800 total (ticket difference+change fee). I asked them to split the itinerary into yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr and yvr-sfo-yyz, and it was $800 (ticket difference+change fee).
(Edit: I actually asked them to quote the change plus yvr-sfo-yvr on those dates. They came back with dropping the yvr-yyz leg and going yvr-sfo-yyz.)
Last edited by epiphani; Mar 31, 2015 at 5:57 pm
Mar 31, 2015, 5:58 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: YVR
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Absurd. You need a new TA. PM if you want mine...which only does my hardest or sold out routes.
Mar 31, 2015, 6:14 pm
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,803
Once I needed a ticket PEK-YYC, YYC-NRT, NRT-CAN and I wanted a Y or B fare.
Price on Aircanada.com came up absurdly high. A more reaosnable price was shown on expedia or travelocity but I could not get to confirm it was indeed Y/B.
Phoning Air Canada, they punched the itinerary, likely in the same system, and came up with the same absurd price.
So I bought the same itinerary except ending in PEK. Price was not bad, about the same as Expedia. A few days later I phone air Canada again to see if by asking for a change I would get the same answer. Agent could not and sent the file to the fare desk. Next day they called, quoted my a price lower than I had paid, "why did you buy that leg in Y, when there is B?"
I recently bought tickets through a TA, for an itinerary involving AC and NH in P, that I could not get either web site to price. Willing to pay the somewhat higher fee rather than dealing with travelocity/Expedia.
They put us (wife and I) on two separate files. My guess is, on the same file they would charge the $38 fee only once?
Not impressed. Plus, I find the process actually worse, more painful and time consuming, than buying say on aircanada.com. Or even than phoning the Air Canada SE number.
Price on Aircanada.com came up absurdly high. A more reaosnable price was shown on expedia or travelocity but I could not get to confirm it was indeed Y/B.
Phoning Air Canada, they punched the itinerary, likely in the same system, and came up with the same absurd price.
So I bought the same itinerary except ending in PEK. Price was not bad, about the same as Expedia. A few days later I phone air Canada again to see if by asking for a change I would get the same answer. Agent could not and sent the file to the fare desk. Next day they called, quoted my a price lower than I had paid, "why did you buy that leg in Y, when there is B?"
I recently bought tickets through a TA, for an itinerary involving AC and NH in P, that I could not get either web site to price. Willing to pay the somewhat higher fee rather than dealing with travelocity/Expedia.
They put us (wife and I) on two separate files. My guess is, on the same file they would charge the $38 fee only once?
Not impressed. Plus, I find the process actually worse, more painful and time consuming, than buying say on aircanada.com. Or even than phoning the Air Canada SE number.
Mar 31, 2015, 8:37 pm
#9
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Location: YVR
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Posts: 4,644
Honestly... had someone doing all of this stuff for me last year. Travel agent fees, especially for international itineraries, were really high especially after two or three changes.
So I figured I'd try for myself. This whole aircanada.com thing gets promoted pretty heavily. Given this is the second time I've spent several hours on the phone, I'm starting to revisit my decision to go direct.
I know AC IT gets a bad rap, but I hadn't quite realized how bad until I started trying to manage my own itineraries. Now I know why my agent said she hated working with AC and would take any other north american airline over AC from her side.
The routing was exactly the same - same dates, same flights, same cabins. The only difference was splitting the itinerary into two tickets.
I had yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-yyz. I asked for yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-sfo-yyz on slightly different dates on return. They quoted $4800 total (ticket difference+change fee). I asked them to split the itinerary into yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr and yvr-sfo-yyz, and it was $800 (ticket difference+change fee).
(Edit: I actually asked them to quote the change plus yvr-sfo-yvr on those dates. They came back with dropping the yvr-yyz leg and going yvr-sfo-yyz.)
So I figured I'd try for myself. This whole aircanada.com thing gets promoted pretty heavily. Given this is the second time I've spent several hours on the phone, I'm starting to revisit my decision to go direct.
I know AC IT gets a bad rap, but I hadn't quite realized how bad until I started trying to manage my own itineraries. Now I know why my agent said she hated working with AC and would take any other north american airline over AC from her side.
The routing was exactly the same - same dates, same flights, same cabins. The only difference was splitting the itinerary into two tickets.
I had yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-yyz. I asked for yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr-sfo-yyz on slightly different dates on return. They quoted $4800 total (ticket difference+change fee). I asked them to split the itinerary into yyz-yvr-nrt-yvr and yvr-sfo-yyz, and it was $800 (ticket difference+change fee).
(Edit: I actually asked them to quote the change plus yvr-sfo-yvr on those dates. They came back with dropping the yvr-yyz leg and going yvr-sfo-yyz.)
Mar 31, 2015, 9:42 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
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Posts: 4,737
is that your choice or his/hers?
Mar 31, 2015, 9:47 pm
#11
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Apr 13, 2015, 8:02 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: OSL
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 303
So. Reviving this thread. I spent about four hours on the phone before hitting a dead end. I think I've done everything I can, hence I'm bringing my fury here.
It turns out my original post was incorrect. While I was terribly satisfied with what I had perceived as a way to accomplish my needed changes, I jumped the gun. And didn't realize it until a few days ago when I looked at my credit card receipt to find a $2915.00 charge. For this change. Plus a change fee. Plus a new ticket. Oh hey, it adds up to nearly $4800.
I'm livid. I was told there is nothing I can do except "appeal to customer service". Of which there is no way to call them. Go on the website and send them an email. There is really no way to talk to anyone who is capable of solving this?
I was terribly explicit when I made the change with the agent originally. I asked very clearly what the charges were going to be. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have booked it. $3000 additional for a shorter route?
Honestly this BS is nearly enough for me to take my toys and go home. I will NOT be directly lied to on the phone, and expected to pay for it. Now, granted, I should have caught it earlier. I can certainly take some of the blame - chalk this up to inexperience. But if I have to eat this charge, AC will no longer get any of my business.
Livid.
/rant
What $#@ing use is an SE line that can't put me in touch with anyone capable of solving problems.
It turns out my original post was incorrect. While I was terribly satisfied with what I had perceived as a way to accomplish my needed changes, I jumped the gun. And didn't realize it until a few days ago when I looked at my credit card receipt to find a $2915.00 charge. For this change. Plus a change fee. Plus a new ticket. Oh hey, it adds up to nearly $4800.
I'm livid. I was told there is nothing I can do except "appeal to customer service". Of which there is no way to call them. Go on the website and send them an email. There is really no way to talk to anyone who is capable of solving this?
I was terribly explicit when I made the change with the agent originally. I asked very clearly what the charges were going to be. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have booked it. $3000 additional for a shorter route?
Honestly this BS is nearly enough for me to take my toys and go home. I will NOT be directly lied to on the phone, and expected to pay for it. Now, granted, I should have caught it earlier. I can certainly take some of the blame - chalk this up to inexperience. But if I have to eat this charge, AC will no longer get any of my business.
Livid.
/rant
What $#@ing use is an SE line that can't put me in touch with anyone capable of solving problems.
Last edited by tcook052; Apr 13, 2015 at 8:16 am