What chances of getting ticket return date changed.
Sep 4, 2019, 11:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum
Posts: 222
What chances of getting ticket return date changed.
My wife and I are due to head to Barcelona this coming weekend for a relaxing week before our upcoming son’s wedding. Booked business class and both platinum if that makes any difference.
However, due to serious (and terminal) health issue with a close relative of the bride, the actual wedding ceremony has been brought forward a week to allow her relative to attend which obviously means we now have an issue with our return date on our ticket.
Our travel insurance does not cover this so was wondering if there might be any chance of AF doing a date change on the ticket for a decent or even no price change. I had similar happen about 5 years ago and KLM lady was very obliging and changed the date with no issue or cost.
I am flying through Schiphol tomorrow so had planned to go and talk direct to KLM rep in lounge rather than phoning. Hoping my charm can work again
Anybody had a similar incident with a low cost outcome?
However, due to serious (and terminal) health issue with a close relative of the bride, the actual wedding ceremony has been brought forward a week to allow her relative to attend which obviously means we now have an issue with our return date on our ticket.
Our travel insurance does not cover this so was wondering if there might be any chance of AF doing a date change on the ticket for a decent or even no price change. I had similar happen about 5 years ago and KLM lady was very obliging and changed the date with no issue or cost.
I am flying through Schiphol tomorrow so had planned to go and talk direct to KLM rep in lounge rather than phoning. Hoping my charm can work again
Anybody had a similar incident with a low cost outcome?
Sep 5, 2019, 12:14 am
#2
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I don't think they will but there is never any risk to ask. I am even surprised that KL did it 5 years ago. This was very nice from them for sure.
But if you are in J, don't you have some kind of flexibility with your ticket ? Is that long-haul or medium-haul ?
But if you are in J, don't you have some kind of flexibility with your ticket ? Is that long-haul or medium-haul ?
Sep 5, 2019, 2:19 am
#3
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The ticket can be changed. The OP can do so online; I suspect it will be a €70 change fee per ticket, plus the fare difference.
It's not clear if the OP has checked this, and doesn't like the price ("Anybody had a similar incident with a low cost outcome?") and wants to see if KL will use some discretion to move the ticket for free, or whether the OP has even attempted to change the return flights online.
Sep 5, 2019, 2:04 pm
#4
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Short-haul - it's to BCN.
The ticket can be changed. The OP can do so online; I suspect it will be a €70 change fee per ticket, plus the fare difference.
It's not clear if the OP has checked this, and doesn't like the price ("Anybody had a similar incident with a low cost outcome?") and wants to see if KL will use some discretion to move the ticket for free, or whether the OP has even attempted to change the return flights online.
The ticket can be changed. The OP can do so online; I suspect it will be a €70 change fee per ticket, plus the fare difference.
It's not clear if the OP has checked this, and doesn't like the price ("Anybody had a similar incident with a low cost outcome?") and wants to see if KL will use some discretion to move the ticket for free, or whether the OP has even attempted to change the return flights online.
Sep 6, 2019, 1:17 pm
#5
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Depending on the fare rules, changing the return leg before departure of the first flight segment could result in a re-faring at current prices (likely to be high) or at historical prices (effectively no fare difference as long as the same inventory is available). However, even if the rules allow historical pricing, IME, sometimes agents still try to reprice at current higher fares. The "easy" way around this is to wait until after the outbound is flown, in which case it becomes easier to reprice the return at the historical fares, which again, usually means no fare difference as long as the same booking class is available. Then the "trick" will be getting the airline to waive any change fee, although €70/ticket isn't terrible.
Sep 6, 2019, 4:36 pm
#6
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Depending on the fare rules, changing the return leg before departure of the first flight segment could result in a re-faring at current prices (likely to be high) or at historical prices (effectively no fare difference as long as the same inventory is available). However, even if the rules allow historical pricing, IME, sometimes agents still try to reprice at current higher fares.
Sep 6, 2019, 8:48 pm
#7
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Billyfergus is FB Plat (and his wife Gold). He is an experienced traveler and knows about fare rules and his ticket is probably inflexible or with hefty change fee.
The question is whether AF (or KL?) is open to waive change fee/repricing because an event has been rescheduled. Some airlines are more "flexible" than others.
Personally, I believe that the story of a wedding moved a week forward might be a weak case. But Billyfergus is a charmer, so look forward to KL answer at AMS on 6 September.
The question is whether AF (or KL?) is open to waive change fee/repricing because an event has been rescheduled. Some airlines are more "flexible" than others.
Personally, I believe that the story of a wedding moved a week forward might be a weak case. But Billyfergus is a charmer, so look forward to KL answer at AMS on 6 September.
Sep 8, 2019, 2:59 am
#8
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If Billyfergus would fly short haul within Europe..consider just dropping the return leg. .With Veuling or Easyjet you may be back home to many places in Europe for less than the 70 Euro change fee you have on the original ticket . So I guess he has long-haul business class and then things look more complicated if that is indeed an inflexible one or will be repriced.
Sep 8, 2019, 3:03 am
#9
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If Billyfergus would fly short haul within Europe..consider just dropping the return leg. .With Veuling or Easyjet you may be back home to many places in Europe for less than the 70 Euro change fee you have on the original ticket . So I guess he has long-haul business class and then things look more complicated if that is indeed an inflexible one or will be repriced.
Sep 10, 2019, 3:25 am
#10
Original Poster
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Posts: 222
Just an update on how I got on. Went to lounge on Friday in Schiphol and ended up talking to a very efficient KLM lady. After a few phone calls and much typing into her keyboard, we managed to get our tickets changed so the return date was tomorrow (11th) with the only cost being the change fee per ticket of approx. £75 per ticket. I was quite surprised as I when I did check the price to change ticket online, it was coming up at approx £600 each.
I thanked the lady very much for her help so a very satisfied customer. Pretty sure our platinum cards and my XP’s (798 so far this year) helped in solving the issue. I had also just paid for a business class upgrade on their morning flight from Moscow to AMS ($130) so maybe that also helped.
I thanked the lady very much for her help so a very satisfied customer. Pretty sure our platinum cards and my XP’s (798 so far this year) helped in solving the issue. I had also just paid for a business class upgrade on their morning flight from Moscow to AMS ($130) so maybe that also helped.