Date Change for Promotional Premium Fares
Mar 19, 2015, 1:29 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 346
Date Change for Promotional Premium Fares
Not sure if this is an appropriate post here, but I'm sure many of us also wonder one very important aspect of booking tickets on promotional fares - the date change.
For example, an airline may say that for promotional fare "P", a date change is free of charge. But what will happen when the fare expires? Can the date change be done free of charge as per its fare rules, or because it has expired does one have to pay a hefty "difference" for next bookable fare, say "J", even when "P" seats are still showing available?
I haven't tried any date change with promotional fares, but when I booked "Z" promotional fare for Etihad, the airline agent did confirm me that even after the fare expires, it can be rebooked to "Z" with the penalty as per its fare rules, if the seat is available.
But I'm hearing some airlines seem to allow changes only within the promotional period, and after the period is over, the rule would not apply - meaning any changes after the expiration of such fares would not be applicable, resulting in adjusting payment to next higher fare. It's also possible that airlines would not make this exception clearly under fare rules. This could be quite painful in case if the ticket is non-refundable, as usually the difference between promotional premium class fare and the normal premium class fare could be a big difference, in comparison with Economy.
Perhaps we could share some experiences whether or not there has been any difficulty with changing dates after the expiration of such promotional fares. By sharing perhaps we could be more careful in booking such fares next time...
For example, an airline may say that for promotional fare "P", a date change is free of charge. But what will happen when the fare expires? Can the date change be done free of charge as per its fare rules, or because it has expired does one have to pay a hefty "difference" for next bookable fare, say "J", even when "P" seats are still showing available?
I haven't tried any date change with promotional fares, but when I booked "Z" promotional fare for Etihad, the airline agent did confirm me that even after the fare expires, it can be rebooked to "Z" with the penalty as per its fare rules, if the seat is available.
But I'm hearing some airlines seem to allow changes only within the promotional period, and after the period is over, the rule would not apply - meaning any changes after the expiration of such fares would not be applicable, resulting in adjusting payment to next higher fare. It's also possible that airlines would not make this exception clearly under fare rules. This could be quite painful in case if the ticket is non-refundable, as usually the difference between promotional premium class fare and the normal premium class fare could be a big difference, in comparison with Economy.
Perhaps we could share some experiences whether or not there has been any difficulty with changing dates after the expiration of such promotional fares. By sharing perhaps we could be more careful in booking such fares next time...
Mar 19, 2015, 1:58 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
Mar 19, 2015, 2:17 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
The long/difficult answer: The rules for re-pricing tickets exist either in the fare rules (under Category 16 [Penalties] or Category 31 [Voluntary Changes]), or in the tariff for the airline that files the rule (e.g. AA's international tariff is posted here http://www.aa.com/i18n/Tariffs/AA1.html)
The short answer is that most (but not all) airfares have rules which are pretty close to the following:
1) If you're voluntarily changing the first segment of a ticket, it will be priced using whatever fares are available at the time you make the change, and any advance purchase requirements will be measured from the date you make the change. (i.e. it'll be as though you're buying an entirely new ticket on the date you make the change.)
2) If you've already flown any segment on the ticket, changes will be priced using whatever fares were available at the time you originally purchase the ticket, and advance purchase requirements will be measured from the date you originally purchased the ticket. (i.e. you'll get to keep your promotional fare)
3) If you haven't flown any segments but only change segments other than the first one, the waters get a bit murkier. Most fares I've seen will price the change using fares available at the time you originally purchased your ticket (i.e. you get to keep your promotional fare), but that's not a given and you have to read to find out.
I'll note that many airline agents are poorly trained in this area ... and tend to get especially defensive when they see a cheap fare.
The short answer is that most (but not all) airfares have rules which are pretty close to the following:
1) If you're voluntarily changing the first segment of a ticket, it will be priced using whatever fares are available at the time you make the change, and any advance purchase requirements will be measured from the date you make the change. (i.e. it'll be as though you're buying an entirely new ticket on the date you make the change.)
2) If you've already flown any segment on the ticket, changes will be priced using whatever fares were available at the time you originally purchase the ticket, and advance purchase requirements will be measured from the date you originally purchased the ticket. (i.e. you'll get to keep your promotional fare)
3) If you haven't flown any segments but only change segments other than the first one, the waters get a bit murkier. Most fares I've seen will price the change using fares available at the time you originally purchased your ticket (i.e. you get to keep your promotional fare), but that's not a given and you have to read to find out.
I'll note that many airline agents are poorly trained in this area ... and tend to get especially defensive when they see a cheap fare.
Mar 19, 2015, 2:27 pm
#4
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The City/Honolulu
Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,473
As this is not an active Premium Fare Deal, I am moving this thread to the discussion forum for further response.
Pat89339
Moderator, Mileage Run Forum
Pat89339
Moderator, Mileage Run Forum
Mar 19, 2015, 10:05 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 346
The short answer is that most (but not all) airfares have rules which are pretty close to the following:
1) If you're voluntarily changing the first segment of a ticket, it will be priced using whatever fares are available at the time you make the change, and any advance purchase requirements will be measured from the date you make the change. (i.e. it'll be as though you're buying an entirely new ticket on the date you make the change.)
2) If you've already flown any segment on the ticket, changes will be priced using whatever fares were available at the time you originally purchase the ticket, and advance purchase requirements will be measured from the date you originally purchased the ticket. (i.e. you'll get to keep your promotional fare)
3) If you haven't flown any segments but only change segments other than the first one, the waters get a bit murkier. Most fares I've seen will price the change using fares available at the time you originally purchased your ticket (i.e. you get to keep your promotional fare), but that's not a given and you have to read to find out.
I'll note that many airline agents are poorly trained in this area ... and tend to get especially defensive when they see a cheap fare.
1) If you're voluntarily changing the first segment of a ticket, it will be priced using whatever fares are available at the time you make the change, and any advance purchase requirements will be measured from the date you make the change. (i.e. it'll be as though you're buying an entirely new ticket on the date you make the change.)
2) If you've already flown any segment on the ticket, changes will be priced using whatever fares were available at the time you originally purchase the ticket, and advance purchase requirements will be measured from the date you originally purchased the ticket. (i.e. you'll get to keep your promotional fare)
3) If you haven't flown any segments but only change segments other than the first one, the waters get a bit murkier. Most fares I've seen will price the change using fares available at the time you originally purchased your ticket (i.e. you get to keep your promotional fare), but that's not a given and you have to read to find out.
I'll note that many airline agents are poorly trained in this area ... and tend to get especially defensive when they see a cheap fare.