On having to pay an upcharge to make a change when LHG makes a distinction between a new booking and an existing one, I don’t think that sweet talking / cooperative agent would make a difference. When it’s LHG that makes some kind of change/cancellation and you then have to make a change, it’s a different story and they’ll do it without a charge. In my situations, agents were able to quickly figure out that a distinction is being made between new and existing booking. It was alsways the F line. They were relatively apologetic but nothing they could do. It’s a despicable policy.