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Confused about Air Baltic change/cancel policy?

Confused about Air Baltic change/cancel policy?

Old Jun 6, 2009, 12:19 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,897
Confused about Air Baltic change/cancel policy?

I had a non-refundable Air Baltic ticket from TLL to VNO.

I paid for a checked bag, one free change and refund allowed due to illness.

When I was unable to travel for business reasons, I sent an email to Air Baltic who cancelled my reservation and refunded the tax on the ticket.

I then later tried to reschedule with the remaining funds but was told since I cancelled I could not reschedule and there was no value on the ticket. They told me I would have had to choose a new date prior to the date indicated on the ticket and not just cancelled the reservation.

I was under the impression that I could reschedule as long as I cancelled the flight prior to departure.

I am based in the USA, and this is how these types of tickets work here. As long as you do not no-show, you have the value towards another ticket.

Is this the correct Air Baltic policy?
chuck1 is offline  
Old Jun 7, 2009, 11:23 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
Originally Posted by chuck1
I paid for a checked bag, one free change and refund allowed due to illness.

When I was unable to travel for business reasons, I sent an email to Air Baltic who cancelled my reservation and refunded the tax on the ticket.
Is this the correct Air Baltic policy?
Yes, this is the way it works over here. Using (canceled) ticket value towards the purchase of a new ticket is pretty much unheard of in Europe.

When you canceled your ticket and got a refund on your taxes'n'charges you effectively surrendered your right for making any changes to the ticket and whatever the remaining value of the ticket was lost (fortunately I don't think it was much money anyway as fares should be quite low on that route even with your added extras).

The SOP would've been to change the ticket to a future date *before* the flight date (problematic if you don't know when you'll be able to travel) - that is what you paid for with the "one free change" option. If that doesn't work for you then you need to buy a more expensive, more flexible ticket that allows free refunding and changes at any time, even after departure.
FlyingFinn is offline  
Old Jun 8, 2009, 10:57 pm
  #3  
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I guess next time I should do the one free change and then if I don't know my exact date just pick a random date at the last day / maximum validity of the ticket and then pay the change fee later if I do end up using it (and if it is cheaper that way).
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Old Jun 9, 2009, 6:49 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
Originally Posted by chuck1
I guess next time I should do the one free change and then if I don't know my exact date just pick a random date at the last day / maximum validity of the ticket and then pay the change fee later if I do end up using it (and if it is cheaper that way).
Yes, this is the SOP.

Funny that you should mention it being cheaper - I needed to change a BT ticket a while back which would've incurred a 75 EUR change fee. Well, the flight I wanted was on sale for 60 EUR so of course I booked it and requested the ~20 EUR of taxes to be refunded on the original ticket.
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