How about this. I have a fully flexible full-fare International business class ticket with Swiss. It is completely changeable and allows re-routing. Zurich is a transit point - and I am here now - The ticket started last year in August in Scandinavia and was to go to the Cayman Islands - but Cayman was closed and still is. Who would have thought??
Now - as solution to solve the use of the ticket - a new destination is being selected. It is in the same fare zone/ exact same fare - exact same fare basis and same rules so it would be a simple change. Ticket allows this change as a basic rule (re-route permitted).
Problem - is we need to extend the ticket now - as it will expire in August (12 months).
So - after going back and forth with (LH Group agent) rates - they are not allowing a ticket extension and a change in destination - even though the destination change is allowed per the basic rules. So perhaps another way to phrase it is . . once we change the destination to get the ticket exchanged - they will not allow an extension of validity.
Believe it or not - they are offering a refund (around 90% due to partially flown).
What is crazy is that in an era or empty planes and airlines desperate to get flyers on planes - that I would basically get an offer of a full refund instead of a simple (truly very minor) extension.
Nothing with airlines surprises me - but where someone feels that it makes more sense to provide a full refund (i.e. where we will not reissue) instead of providing - for example - a one week extension so the ticket can be used in full!!??
As I say - - in this example - when and if we do not travel (after seriously making inconvenient re-routes and destination changes) the only thing that wins is the fare rates computer!!!!