Confused about Air Baltic change/cancel policy?
#1
Original Poster
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?
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?
#2
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
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.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,897
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).
#4
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
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.