Originally Posted by
pandaperth
I have no first hand experience either way (changing a transit to a stopover and either being charged the change fee or not being charged it).
But it is my belief that the change fee is charged, because it requires a re-issue and is therefore considered a re-route.
In my experience, using the AA RTW desk, even date and time changes require a re-issue (except in cases where only AA flights are changed and the agent does a re-validation). Re-issues don't mean it's considered a re-route nor a fee charged.
Originally Posted by
pandaperth
Searching for evidence, I see a discussion on this in the
FAQ Thread around post 280, dated Dec-11 (some of the posts are by
jerry a.laska and therefore IMHO carry some authority
)
However, if you are sure you have changed Oneworld Explorer transits to stopovers without a change fee, then that is definitive evidence.
The fact that I've been able to do it without the agent even suggesting it would be a re-route isn't conclusive, since it's possible the agent was mistaken.
I don't see any mention in the rules that to me covers this. The rules do say:
6. STOPOVERS
Permitted NOTE: 1. Minimum 2 stopovers required
2. Maximum two stopovers permitted in the continent of origin of which a maximum of one stopover is permitted in each direction in the country of origin.
Also
(a) Rebooking/Rerouting
(1)
(2)
Prior to departure
(a) Changes to date/time/oneworld carrier/inventory changes are permitted provided ticketed points remain the same.
...
(2)
After Departure (a) Date/time/oneworld carrier/inventory changes are permitted provided ticketed points remain the same.
To me, this seems clear that if a connection is changed to a stopover, that is only a date/time change, not a change to a "ticketed point."
My recollection (could easily be wrong of course) is that the xONEx fares don't care about stopovers versus connections (aside from taxes), while the Circle Pacific fares most definitely do care. Here is the text about stopovers in the Circle Pacific rules:
2 STOPOVERS REQUIRED AND A MAXIMUM OF 4 PERMITTED ON
THE PRICING UNIT.
NOTE - TEXT BELOW NOT VALIDATED FOR AUTOPRICING.
A MAXIMUM OF 4 FREE PERMITTED ON THE PRICING
UNIT.
---
ONLY ONE STOPOVER PERMITTED AT ANY ONE POINT.
---
TWO STOPOVERS REQUIRED OUTSIDE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
---
A MAXIMUM OF ONE STOPOVER IN COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
---
A MAXIMUM OF TWO FREE STOPOVERS PER REGION - SWP/
ASIA/NORTH AMERICA/SOUTH AMERICA.
---
WHERE A PASSENGER DISEMBARKS AT ONE POINT AND
RE-EMBARKS AT A SUBSEQUENT POINT ENROUTE THE
POINTS COUNT AS A SINGLE STOPOVER.
WHERE THERE IS A SURFACE SECTOR BETWEEN TWO
REGIONS THIS WILL COUNT AS A STOPOVER IN EACH
OF THE TWO REGIONS HOWEVER FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE
TOTAL STOPOVERS PERMITTED THIS WILL COUNT AS ONE
STOPOVER ONLY.
---
ADDITIONAL STOPS PERMITTED AT AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE
PER STOPOVER OF USD150.00.
- ADDITIONAL STOPOVERS NOT PERMITTRED IN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
- ONLY ONE ADDITIONAL STOPOVER PERMITTED AT ANY
ONE POINT.
- ADDITIONAL STOPOVERS RESTRICTED TO TWO STOPOVERS
PER REGION.
- CHILD/INFANT DISCOUNT NOT APPLICABLE.