Originally Posted by
Dave Noble
Having a flexible ticket simply means that the ticket can be changed without having to pay a change fee. It does not mean that there will not be a fare difference to pay if there is not availability in the booking class
There are other things that can cause a fare difference such as if you are now exceeding the maximum stay for the fare purchased
What I do think has been misunderstood in communication with BA is that it is unlikely the cost of a one way from LHR-SIN which is being charged
Looking at fares from SIN-JFK in business class , all the business class fares allow changes free of charge so are all flexible
Excluding the taxes/surcharges of SGD1732 , in SGD for current period I see
I class as $6300 and $6700
R class at $8100
D class at $9600
C class at $12000
J class at $14400 and $16000
If , for example, you purchased an I class fare at $6300 , then you can change free of charge as long as the new flight has availabilty in I class. If there is no availability in I class , then you need to pay the difference between class paid and class available. Looking at availabilty, you may find that if you can stay until 3rd August then you can change to that date free of charge
Neither Singapore Airlines nor Cathay Pacific is any different in this.
It seems like a false economy in the sense that you're not really any better or worse off than if you book a semi flex or lower. I've always booked the cheapest available and been allowed to amend for say £60 or £100 plus a difference in fare which I understand, but since you can always upgrade up the classes you're never any worse off than if you book the high class to begin with, unless I've missed something.
Why not just pay the £60 and upgrade the class from say O or N up to say Y or B if that's all that's left since you would have paid that fare class anyway in the event of booking a flexible ticket anyway. And if you don't amend, you've managed to get yourself a bargain.
In the case of domestic and European the fare difference between say O and Y is so vast, I would be better off cancelling and rebooking altogether, as I get some taxes back which reduces the hit. Even if I did this three or four times (as long as I didn't need to upgrade all the way to Y or B, which I never have so far) I still wouldn't hit the cost of a flexible ticket.