YVRYEGYVR

I used a nice AC discount code (thanks to this forum) to purchase a flight in a refundable fare class. AC website says no fee for rebooking, just the difference, but how would this be calculated when the original fare was purchased at 30% discount? Would they keep the discount code and apply it to any change, or am I essentially losing the use of the discount on one leg.
I'm hoping to delay the return by one day.
Thanks

YYT82

YVRYEGYVR

AC.com says that I must rebook the entire flight, even if I'm only changing one leg. I see the discount is retained, but the price for the departing leg, which I do not intend to change, has doubled. I must click this before I am allowed to change the return leg. I'm ok paying the fare difference only for the return leg if the 30% discount is applied, ridiculous website is making me rebook the departing leg too.
Worried about calling in and whether they would make this worse for me.

Not sure why I need to rebook the departing leg.

To specify, the departing leg is in lowest business, YVR-LHR and the return is in PE (O) and fully refundable.

New total to effect this change is over 5 thousand as per ac website. I'm clearly missing something here.

SparseFlyer

There's an account code on your PNR that will automatically apply the 30% off whether the agent realizes it or not.

Your issue may be related to something else. You'll get an answer once we get the actual full picture (ie. give us all the details, not just the ones you think are relevant).

Stranger

Odds are that is precisely what the fare rules provide for.

The other point being that if two segments are under different rules, the most restrictive one applies to the whole itinerary. So the O leg is no longer refundable.

YVRYEGYVR

What a shame, so it made no sense to purchase the O vs N PE fare for the return leg as I purchased lowest business for the outbound?

I'm YVR-LHR Dec28 in P, return Jan5 in fare class O. I specifically spent extra on O knowing my return date was variable, and now I would like to return on Jan 6, also in PE.

I can't believe I would have to pay the inc fare diff for the outbound leg too.

YEG USER

King Chung Huang

You might be better off waiting until you've flown your outbound (after December 28), before changing the return flight.

yyznomad

SparseFlyer

You're always subject to a fare difference. The only thing you don't pay for with refundable fares are change fees and refund penalties.

Changes that are made after departure are subject to historical fares, but current inventory.

Before departure, changes are subject to the complete repricing of the entire itinerary at current fares and inventory. However, this is usually applied if you change your outbound flight, and I have yet to see an airline or TA do a full reprice on an international fare where only the return changes.

My original recommendation stands. Call AC, act normal, and just say "I would like to change my return date in an international round trip ticket to January 5th in O class". The discount code will auto apply, and the system will reprice it as a change to the return portion.

Bartolo

Stranger

I would not worry too much about that, if AC's web site is properly configured.

But the other issue: even if P is still available and even if the fare rules say that historic data are to be used, change fee is often in the $400 range. So far I have been able to stay away from these, but who knows when we'll get hit...

Bartolo

Update: I found another thread, "bereavement fares, thank you AC". However, some of the info in the thread is contradictory. I will post a summary of what seems to be current (according to AC website) there.

@Stranger: thanks for the reminder about change fees. Important point. I don't normally buy travel insurance but it would be more expensive than the change fee in my experience. In my current situation (relative in palliative care), I don't think I'd be eligible for cancellation insurance. Not appropriate to post here about "how you stay away from change fee" but I would be most appreciative if you could PM the strategy in the event I need to change my tx. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

YVRYEGYVR

Called AC asking about the change, and as expected, agent simply told me "no problem, total cost around 4000" even though there is no actual fare difference in the return leg I'm trying to delay by one day. I didn't proceed further, just said thanks and I would call back later.
This day extension is not mandatory and I will not pay such an amount for it.
Lesson was simply to not book the refundable fare on one leg, money lost.
@Bartolo, hope all works out in your situation. warm regards.

YVRYEGYVR

to close the loop, called AC again, had the perfect agent, and zero cost to rebook return leg. Remains O fare class.

fwiw I was told I would have to visit ebid upgrade site and cancel my previous request, and enter a new one, but it seemed to have automatically applied my bid to the new flight.