Originally Posted by
rankourabu
Has anyone actually changed their flights with the airline yet?
Short answer: yes
Long answer:
When I booked the package on Saturday morning, I opted for the cheapest flight to stay under CA$300. A preferable return flight was available for CA$12 extra, but at the time I wasn't sure if I was even going to go on the trip (or whether it would stick) so I went for the options without net out-of-pocket expenses.
When the package went through, I cleared the trip with Mrs Beerup and we made her booking, paying more for a nicer hotel. At that point, I wished that I had opted for the better flight (later departure on the return). I viewed the flights on alaskaairlines.com using the PNR provided by expedia.ca and it included the usual clause that flights can be changed fee-free within 24hr of booking. Therefore I decided to call AS to change to the better flight for both reservations.
The AS agent told me I would have to pay the $150 change fee (which wasn't worth it for me), so I told her that when I logged into alaskaairlines.com to view the records it stated that I should be able to change for free. She told me that that was only for alaskaairlines.com bookings and not through a TA, but I repeated that it was specifically stated when I entered my PNRs. She put me on hold and then a few minutes later came back and said that she had gone to the website and seen what I was talking about, that it was a mistake, but they would honor it anyway. I paid the extra CA$12 for each PAX to change flights. (This change was made before the rule modification about the coupon being void if components were cancelled).
Anyway, the next morning, Mrs Beerup and I each received an email from expedia.ca stating that our flight itinerary had been changed
Dear Expedia.ca Traveler,
We have received notice from Alaska Airlines that changes have been made to your itinerary number xxxxxxxxxxxx. These changes could include date or time changes as well as cancellations. The following flights are affected:
[NEW ITINERARY]
If you have been in direct contact with the airline and have initiated these changes yourself, there is no need to contact us.
Expedia.ca has updated your itinerary based on the changes provided by the airline. If you believe there has been an error or you would like to discuss alternate flight options, please contact us at:
1-888-EXPEDIA (1-888-397-3342) or from outside North America at +1-613-780-1386.
Please note that changes made directly with the airline may not be available for viewing in your Expedia.ca itinerary.
...
Another day later we received the illustrious expedia.ca second confirmation emails. All of the charges to my cc are in order and I have received the refunds.
Of course YMMV, but it is also worth mentioning that the flight I changed to was one originally offered as an option for the hotel & flight package and so the flights and hotels still make a credible package. This could be viewed differently to a flight change to days that are incompatible with the hotel or receiving future flight credit (which many posters have suggested would be their intent). However, I do suspect that there is no human intervention in reporting the itinerary change and so a flight change to incompatible days might go unnoticed (or uncared about), but that is just my guess.