28isGreat

I'm scheduled to fly YVR-YYC on Sunday, leaving 20:45... but when I originally booked the flight, it was scheduled to leave at 19:40.

I'm not too happy with this change.. especially since there's another flight at 19:00, i.e., closer to my originally-booked time! I just called reservations, and they were willing to not charge the change fee, but would still charge fare difference.

Anybody got any tips on fixing this, other than calling reservations again and hoping for a different agent? The agent pointed out that the itin. change was made in February... and she thought if only I had called then, there would have been seats in that fare bucket. This seems awfully unlikely, since I bought the tix in a fantastic seat sale that ended Dec 24 (or so), and I haven't seen fares that low since then.

Seems a bit ridiculous to me to charge fare difference just to get the flight closer to my originally booked time. Not sure what fare bucket my tix are in, but definitely Tango, and KVS shows N9 availability, so it's not like I'm asking for even a bump to T+!

Thanks for any advice!

IluvSQ

An hour difference?
I would just treat it as though my original flight was delayed an hour, and write it off.

emcampbe

I'm not sure what the amount of time a change has to be in order for it to allow a free change to that segment. 60 minutes? 90 minutes?

You could always try calling and seeing if another agent allows you to make the change. Alternatively, if you have the old ticket showing original departure time, and check for space on the day of before leaving, you could try showing up with that for your original time, but maybe "40 minutes early," and when you "figure out" that they put you on the later flight, see if they will put you on the 7:00pm.

Shareholder

You've got to be kidding? The sked change is relatively minor. You booked a dirt cheap Tango fare. AC protected you on a flight a bit later so you wouldn't complain about having to get to the airport earlier and disrupt your plans. Live with what you've got and save the hassles for the really big stuff that matters, not such insignificant trivial ones like this.

28isGreat

Ooh! The "play dumb" approach... I like that. Not sure I'll try it, but thanks for the creative thinking.

Yeah I know this is small potatoes, but so is what I'm asking for (rebook in same fare type, same class, same routing, closer to original schedule). Not like I'm asking for compensation here, yeesh... to clarify, I'm not mad at AC for having made the change, I'm just not too thrilled with the resulting time.

ChrisA330

If they don't budge because the change in time is relatively small, you could always take advantage of the Same Day Confirmed Change for a fee.

Assuming the flight you prefer isn't full, you'll get on and there isn't any fare difference charged.

Stranger

Uh?

AC changed on him. They should accommodate his request, which is reasonable, period.

Talk to another agent. Remind them they AC changed on you, for something you don't like/cannot handle.

Fare difference should not come into play. I suspect the agent did not feel like dealing with the extra work and found this argument to send you away.

global happy traveller

i sweet talked once to have the GA take 2 SWU certs for an upgrade to J on a T+.....

but i always persuded GA to put me on earlier flights before long wkend rush hour starts

bakersdozen

No, what AC did is change the schedule on him and are not being reasonable to accommodate his request. Although the sked change is minor it is an hour later and could very well cause problems with future plans at his destination... It SHOULDN'T be a big deal for AC to allow him to take up a seat on an earlier plane since it was them who altered his original booking. Why should he be inconvenienced because AC screwed up and had to change their schedule after publishing it. AC isn't "protecting him" by making it a later flight they are probably trying to save money by merging two flights.

That said tell the agent the new time is unacceptable because you'll miss yadda yadda and request to be put on the earlier flight. If they refuse escalate it to their superior.

ciana

If the change of one hour is so inconvenient why did you wait from Feb to end of June to try for earlier flight? I can see why they say it is too late to make the change now.

Stranger

OP did not say that he was notified in February. From the context it would not appear that he was notified at all?

28isGreat

The good 'ol call again and try a different agent trick worked, no problem. The second agent didn't even question it, just said, "yup, there's room, let's get that changed for you."

Really just laziness and procrastination on my part. Considering that there are still Tango seats open, I don't think that should make a difference. If there were only higher cabin classes and/or fare types available at this time, then yes, I agree, that would be my problem.

I was notified properly, sorry if that wasn't clear. AC did not screw up anything here. They just guessed wrong at which change I would prefer.

guessaaa

Yeah, I was about to post that you should just say that you're missing something at your destination (like a business meeting) if you take the later flight they put you on, but I see you've taken care of it. One thing to remember is when they change schedules on you, you're in control over what you want to do.

beepyou

ditto - the meeting excuse always works... or u can say you have an interview. hehe

why fly

+1
come on guys AC made the change they can now put him on a flight thats close to his original flight.