Here is some language from the CO
Travel & Upgrade Reward Rules.
http://www.continental.com/onepass/rules/rewards.asp
Changing Rewards
Reward flight tickets may be changed for a different date and/or destination (covered by the reward mileage redeemed and within the same travel area), except if the fare is purchased using an upgrade reward. Your changed tickets still will be subject to the original reward expiration date. A change fee applies.
You can change or cancel your reward travel plans by calling the same Reward Desk from which you originally requested your reward. A fee will apply to reward tickets for the following changes: travel dates, travel times, origin or destination.
Travel Reward Redeposit and Change Fees*
. . . . . . . . . Fee Per Transaction
Non-Elite - $50 . . Gold/Silver - $35 . . Platinum - $0
* Delivery fees, which are not included, may apply.
The mileage for cancelled reward travel will be re-deposited in your account for a service charge per transaction (payable by credit card only). International Airline Partner reward cancellations or changes must be made through the Airline Partner Reward Desk at least 10 business days before reward travel begins.
I don't see any provisions for standby on the same routing a week later. So it seems when a passenger traveling overseas is
hospitalized for a tropical infection, and thus unable to travel, requiring postponement of the return (without needing a reissue), that
change fees will still be required?
Does anyone know to the contrary?
The
Contract of Carriage does not seem to address this directly.
http://www.continental.com/travel/po...2005072701.pdf
However, Rule 21, Refusal to Transport, includes the following.
"CO shall have the right to refuse to transport or shall have the right to remove from the aircraft at any point, any Passenger for the following reasons:
H) Safety – Whenever refusal or removal of a Passenger may be necessary for the safety of such Passenger or other Passengers or members of the crew, including, but not limited to:
12) Persons with a communicable disease or infection known or reasonably believed by CO to pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others in the course of a flight. If a Qualified Individual with a Disability with such communicable disease or infection presents a medical certificate (dated within ten (10) days of the date of the flight for which it is being presented) to CO with specific conditions under which such person can travel and not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of other persons, transportation will be provided to such individual unless it is not feasible for CO to implement the conditions set forth in the medical certificate as necessary.
Normally such illness or death provisions are contained in fare rules, but how does one get "award" fare rules?
Has anyone had any success in applying Rule 21(H)(12) or otherwise to change the return of an award due to medical issues? Without paying a change fee?
I'll report back on what CO says, after I call as many times as seems advisable.