Two coupons and fare class on same day change
 

On Saturday, I was booked on AC620 from YYZ to YHZ on a Flex fare. I arrived at Pearson early and looked up the availability on the earlier direct flight and it looked oversold to me on KVS.

I saw the possibility of flying YYZ-YOW-YHZ and I would still get home one hour earlier. Availability looked reasonable so I called the Superelite desk.

The person answering the phone said that this would not be possible because I had a direct flight and the option that I was speaking about involved "two coupons", which I thought was an interesting term. I realized there really were coupons at one point.

This has never been raised as an issue before when I have been trying to make a same day change.

However, it did raise the following question in my mind:

When making a same day change, is it important to have availability in the same fare class as the original booking. For example, if my original booking was in Q class, can I only make a change to an earlier flight if there is Q class availibility? I thought that fare class did not matter on same day changes....

Very wierd indeed, as last winter I had a YSJ-YUL direct flight and wanted to get home earlier, only option was YSJ-YYZ-YUL and paid my 75.00$ change same day change fee right at the airport and got home an hour earlier. Did not feel like waiting at the airport for 5 hours and flight was just about to board 45 mins at the airport.


I thought the only requirement for same day change was to have positive invetory space on the flight (as long as it was not oversold or fully booked, they could accomodate)

Cheers Klover

Coupons refer to tickets; you cannot re-route with more segments then your originally had without getting a new 'ticket' to cover the extra segments (referred to as a coupon)

Most call center agents wont do it because it involves a bit of work; concierges will usually do it as they will usually move a mountain if they could...

Should not need a concierge. If it is legal, then all agents of the airline should do it.

Agreed. In order to do this, the agent needs to issue a FIM (flight interruption manifest) which serves as the additional "coupon". I think there's a way they do this and indicate it's a voluntary change--normally FIMs are issued for involuntary interruptions to flight schedules. If it's a legal routing that you're looking for, then it's doable even with extra segments for the $75 change fee. I've been told no before, but was persistent and always got my way in the end.

Thanks all!
A very knowledgable group. I will remember "FIM"

There is a difference what should (could) be done and what they are willing to go thru; they need to issue a new "ticket" on the FIM which requires a bit of work and hassle.

The usual 75$ change they just trade in one segment for another

FIMs are for involuntary re-routes only.

I had always thought so too, but I have a photocopy of one that has a box on it tick marked "voluntary reroute" or something to that effect. I keep it with me for just these kinds of cases to show the agent how to do it.

Perhaps it was some other type of document then -- there is no option for a Voluntary Reroute on a FIM (see #9 below):

http://csb-cargo.com/fileadmin/Airli...4/13_4_4_d.gif

Thanks for posting this, as it really concerns one of my family members (non-status), and I need your help.

Here's the thing, they are booked to fly YOW-YEG tomorrow (May 11), on the non-stop flight AC143, departing 1910, arriving at 2131. However, I have just been told that they need to be in YEG by 1800, and can't take the direct flight at 0700 due to commitments in Ottawa.

They are on a Flex fare.

Here's what I am suggesting, and PLEASE tell me whether or not it will work: go to YOW airport by 0930 at the latest, and pay the $75 standby fee, for the following AC449 to YYZ at 1100, followed by AC127 to YEG at 1445 and arrive in YEG by 1654.

WILL IT WORK? WHAT LINGO DO THEY NEED TO TELL THE GA?

Thanks in advance.

May be the case for LH, but not for AC. I've had a FIM issued at least 3 times for this precise reason, and after having paid the $75 change fee because I was travelling on an e-ticket and had didnt have enough segments to change to a new routing.

Note BA also has one with an "other" box after listing delayed, misconnect, cancelled and oversold.

http://ext.pimg.tw/ttwu/1208874693.jpg

This will be done at check-in, so not at the gate. Just ask to go earlier and say they want a same-day confirmed change. Helps to have fare rules...

FOR FLEX -TP TYPE FARE CLASSES
AIRPORT SAME DAY CONFIRMED CHANGE FEE-
FOR RAPIDAIR FLEX TYPE FARES ONLY
BETWEEN YOW/YMQ AND YTO-
PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS AND
TICKETS MAY STANDBY FOR EARLIER SAME DAY FLIGHTS
BETWEEN THE SAME ORIGIN/DESTINATION AT NO CHARGE.
FOR ALL OTHER FLEX TYPE FARES ONLY-
PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS AND
TICKETS MAY CONFIRM EARLIER/LATER SAME DAY FLIGHTS
BETWEEN THE SAME ORIGIN/DESTINATION/STOPOVER
POINTS FOR A NONREFUNDABLE FEE OF CAD75/USD75
NOTE-
A. SEAT INVENTORY MUST BE AVAILABLE IN THE CABIN
APPLICABLE TO THE FARE CHARGED.
B. POLICY APPLIES FOR PASSENGERS NEXT OUTBOUND OR
INBOUND ONLY. CHANGES CANNOT BE MADE TO INBOUND
SEGMENTS BEFORE THE ORIGINAL TICKTED OUTBOUND HAS
BEEN FLOWN.
C. CONFIRMED CHANGE MAY ONLY BE MADE AT THE
AIRPORT ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT AND PRIOR TO THE
ORIGINAL DEPARTURE TIME.
D. REGULAR FARE RULES APPLY - CHANGE FEES/ADCOL-
FOR ANY CHANGES WHICH DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE
AIRPORT SAME DAY CONFIRMED CHANGE FEE.
E. SAMEDAY STANDBY NOT ALLOWED EXCEPT FOR RAPIDAIR
FLEX TYPE FARES BETWEEN YOW/YMQ AND YTO
AS NOTED ABOVE.

Thanks very much!

Two questions: 1. can it be done online, same day, i.e. 00:01 Ottawa time?

2. it involves 1 extra segment...rather than taking the direct YOW-YEG flight, they are taking YOW-YYZ-YEG to arrive in YEG earlier than expected...will there be a problem?

1. No, just at airport.
2. Yes, this complicates things, but is still allowed. I've had luck with them issuing a FIM (see other posts in this thread) for the extra segment.