Originally Posted by
GadgetGal
We are now trying to decide whether it's safer to just move the travel dates from April-September to August-November/December (there goes my peaceful summer!) sooner, rather than later.
If you do decide to do this as a precaution, then you may want to bear in mind the effect of the fare rules (as I understand them).
If you make a change to the outbound part of the ticket now, then the following rule (or something like it) will apply:-
//CHANGES BEFORE OUTBOUND DEPARTURE//
1. WHEN THE FIRST FARE COMPONENT IS CHANGED THE ITINERARY MUST BE RE-PRICED USING CURRENT FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE THE TICKET IS REISSUED
THE ITINERARY MUST MEET ALL RULE PROVISIONS OF THE NEWLY TICKETED FARE I.E. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS/TICKETING DEADLINE/MINIMUM/MAXIMUM STAY/BOOKING CLASSES/SEASONALITY ETC
You originally bought an O class sale fare. However, if at the time that you make the change there is no valid O class fare, then AIUI you would have to be re-fared to the lowest current fare, which is typically N class. So there could be a significant (but not huge) fare difference to pay. Obviously, this would also be subject to availability, but you'd be unlucky to have a big problem if the new travel date is not until late August or September and you have some flexibility to pick dates/flights.
I don't know where the destination is in your mother's case, but there are some destinations to which there are current O class sale fares (even though there is no positively marketed sale at the moment). From what you said before, it sounds like your mother's destination may be one of these. It might therefore be worth finding out when the current O class fare expires to that destination. The expiry of the current O class fares is not uniform. LAX, for example, must be ticketed by tomorrow, 12 March. But HKG has a "ticket by 24 March" condition. If you make the change while the current O class fare is still valid, AIUI you could rebook into O class and use the current O class sale fare.
However, if you make the change after the current O class fare expires (and if it's not replaced), then AIUI you will have to change to a more expensive fare.
Obviously, if the current O class fare expires imminently and you're not yet in a position to make a decision, then you may just have to let it go and see what happens thereafter. The difference between O class and N class is hardly the biggest of your concerns at the moment. But it may help you to be at least informed about this effect of timing.