Originally Posted by
etiene
I think you're right, though some even claim to have changed first fare component on the phone.
Most tickets will have two fare components, in this case BUD-(US) and (US)-BUD. Each fare component made up of a number of flights. In my case, the ticket I was reporting I couldn't change the first TATL leg for was BUD-AMS-DTW-SDF//BNA-MSP-AMS-BUD. I had assumed the fare components to be BUD-SDF and BNA-BUD, as these were the destinations highlighted at the low price on Google Flights. However, I just realised that had I looked closer at the results on ITA Matrix I would probably have found that I actually had a round-trip fare BUD-DTW-BUD [so fare components BUD-DTW and DTW-BUD] - hence I can change anything after touching down at DTW because that is then the return fare component. So now I have BUD-AMS-DTW-BNA//LEX-ATL-AMS-BUD but it's still presumably a Detroit round trip with an embedded surface sector. I was puzzled a couple of weeks ago when I couldn't find the fare filed in ExpertFlyer for SDF or BNA - now I know why as I can see it for DTW.
To explore this, play around some in ITA and then read the fare rules - you can even use this fare to do so [it's just more expensive now] by adding to the extension codes under Advanced Controls.
I see what you mean, but in my case I simply haven't got it to work. Case in point: my DL ticketed booking is from BUD-YYC-BUD, but is actually fared as BUD-SEA return with an embedded surface sector.
Others upthread have reportedly been able to change their dates completely over the phone (@
andigoeskiwi) for example. Just curious what the differences are since some are able to do it and others not. The prices I was quoted to change by both KL and DL were the same as I saw on their websites to manage the bookings via self service, around 1500 EUR.