flyAF

hello Flyertalk !

I was trying to modify a Flex Fare ticket on AF website, and the new ticket that I want to book is less expansive than the first on (orignal price was 210 euros instead of 180 euros). When I try to modify though my AF account, the price for the new flight is 0 euro, but do you think AF is supposed to refund the price difference between the 2 tickets ?

Thanks in advance,

ranskis

I think the rules go as follows:
- if you change to a lower booking class, the new fare must be equal to or higher than the ticketed fare.
- if you keep the same booking class, you can get a refund for the price difference (like you have CDG ATH in U at 300 EUR and change it for CDG FRA in U at 200 EUR, you can get 100 EUR back, or if you fly CDG YUL during the weekend and change it to a midweek flight in the same booking class, you can get the 25 EUR or so weekend charge refunded).
- if you change to a higher booking class, technically you could get a refund for the price difference, but perhaps it needs to be done in two steps: a "dummy" change to a flight with the same booking class that gives you a refund, and then pay the difference to the flight you want in the higher booking class that would be cheaper than the original flight.

What puzzles me is that I sometimes see availability in Europe like J2C2D0Z1, meaning that if you have a D fare, you can only change by paying the difference with C (+ possible change fee), but if you have a Z fare, you can change for free (+ possible change fee), this means that the booking class hierarchy is not really a perfect hierarchy.

brunos

I have never been able to get a refund on a flight change via the website.
On all airline websites I used, they might charge you for positive fare difference but not credit you for negative ones. I tink that the description of the AF FLEX fare also suggests it.

i suggest that you call AF to see if the agent can do it directly. Otherwise you would have to cancel the initial ticket and buy a new one.

flyAF

Thank you for your answers.

I called AF to see if a modification of the ticket was possible, they just refused. I was told that they were unable to do it by phone because there were fees, and when I ask why I was not able to get a refund online they had no answer, whereas the day I've bought my first ticket I rang AF and I was told that I would get a refund if I had to modify for a cheaper ticket (actually I didn't know my travel date when I booked but I just wanted to keep a seat, I'll travel in august which is quite a busy month...)

ajeleonard

Cancel and rebook?

flyAF

I just wanted to rebook on another flight but I think I will have to cancel it and to buy a new one

brunos

I remember reading a post (other forum) by an apparently knowledgeable poster.
He stressed that the refund system was separate from the booking/pay system. In part because that is money coming out of the airline and susceptible to fraud.It also requires a different payment authorization system. I am not aware of airlines that would give you a partial refund if you move to a cheaper flight.

I think that AF is careful to say in its advertising of FLEX that you can change your flight without fee (and pay the fare difference if the new flight is more expensive). It never states that you can get a partial refund as you want to get.

As suggested above. Get a full refund and buy a new ticket.