Adam Smith

Hi all,

I'm supposed to fly AF for the first time on Sunday, FCO-CDG. The return is a few days later, CDG-MXP. Due to the coronavirus issues in northern Italy, I'd like to take advantage of the waiver to change my flights to do FCO-CDG-LYS instead.

When I try to do this online, it will only allow me to change MXP for another Italian airport, so that's no good. Same whether I do it on the desktop or mobile site (on desktop it's a dropdown menu; on mobile it lets you type in a search box, but only allows airports in Italy).

The waiver also offers cancellation, although only for future travel credit. Since I would use it immediately to book the FCO-CDG-LYS itinerary, I could live with that. But when I try to cancel my itinerary online, it tells me that I'll forfeit the entire fare and only get back the taxes - i.e. it's clearly not taking in to account the waiver.

Is there some way to do this online that I'm missing? Or do I have no choice but to phone in for this?

Thanks!

asiantraveler60

It's really clear in Air France announcement:
"You may also choose to postpone your departure after 31 May 2020, change your destination or cancel your trip via your travel agent. In these cases, we will provide you with a voucher that will be valid for 1 year and can be used on AIR FRANCE, KLM flights. This voucher will be non-refundable."

mikem004

I think the waiver only applies for northern Italy airports.
Are you trying to change the FCO- departure leg?

Adam Smith

Actually, it's not clear, because the headline of the page says "AIR FRANCE AUTHORIZES RE-BOOKING AND CANCELLATION AT NO EXTRA COST", and I see no logical reason why customers who bought tickets through travel agents should be treated better than those who bought directly via AF.

I agree it's possible to interpret it the way you have, but that just seems bizarre.

I'm only trying to change CDG-MXP for CDG-LYS, so I don't think that's the issue. That being said, the waiver policy makes any distinction between northern Italy and the rest of Italy, it just refers to Italy as a whole.

asiantraveler60

By travel agents, they mean any physical point of sale ("point de vente" in french version), including Air France network. So it just means that refund or change of destination can't be done through online channel.

The waiver policy is for the entire Air France network, nothing referring to Italy. For avoidance of doubt, here is the full announcement:

"AIR FRANCE AUTHORIZES RE-BOOKING AND CANCELLATION AT NO EXTRA COST THROUGHOUT ITS NETWORK FOR FLIGHTS BOOKED ON AND BEFORE 31 MARCH, 2020

Update on 3 March 2020, 10:00 PM Paris local time

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, we have been doing everything possible to assist our customers and allow them to postpone or cancel trips planned to/from areas with a risk of exposure.

We are now going further and extending these measures to our entire network, for reservations to come and bookings already made. You can thus book your next trip with minimum stress, with the guarantee of being able to modify your booking at no extra cost if you so wish.

If you have an Air France ticket, issued on or before 31 March, 2020, and valid for a flight scheduled between 3 March and 31 May, 2020, regardless of the destination, you can postpone your trip at no extra cost onto a later flight to the same destination until 31 may, 2020 included, in the same booking class.

Save time by changing your booking directly online, in the "Your reservations" section of the website or in the mobile app. You can also contact your travel agent.

You may also choose to postpone your departure after 31 May 2020, change your destination or cancel your trip via your travel agent. In these cases, we will provide you with a voucher that will be valid for 1 year and can be used on AIR FRANCE, KLM flights. This voucher will be non-refundable."

brunos

it seems that this has not been publicized enough:
https://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/commo...air-france.htm

Since 3 March, AF allows for rebooking or free cancellation on ANY ticket to ANYWHERE booked before 31 March.

Of course, they would have to reprogram their IT system. Whether the free online cancellation is fully operational is another issue. But AF says it should be working.

irishguy28

Applies also to KL bookings, and indeed, the bookings I have can be changed easily on the website (though not to destinations outside the country of the original ticket).

EXCEPT for a Flying Blue redemption which also falls within the affected period - calling up this booking doesn't show the notice regarding the waiver of change fees, nor does the website offer any facility to change the flight in any way. (I'm sure a call to FB would allow this, though. I've not yet decided if I will change that particular flight).

Adam Smith

I juat pulled up my booking online and it still tells me I'll forfeit the fare plus surcharges if I cancel (i.e. only refund the taxes), so it seems they haven't gotten the website up to date with the policies.

I presume that's on the KL website though?

brunos

The text that I was linking has been updated tonight. Now there is no more option of a free cash refund, only a voucher valid one year.

Adam Smith

In the end, AF cancelled the CDG-MXP flight that I wanted to change, which may have made life easier for me. Nothing was working online still (and the flight was still showing as "confirmed" even though they e-mailed me that it was cancelled), but when I phoned in, it was relatively easy to get CDG-MXP switched to CDG-LYS. Required availability in the same booking class, so I couldn't get exactly the flight I wanted, but I got one that's okay, so I'll live.

jimbo29

I just checked my tickets and the online system has been updated to allow changes for free, citing special conditions.

walkermom

I always use the AF twitter account to make changes. Due to fly Sunday to South Africa, cancelled through them today as I couldn’t do anything online, and got full refund. It’s already been processed and confirmed by another dept. The tickets were originally refundable and cancellable for a fee. Their customer service on Twitter has always been excellent and it’s even better now despite the current circumstances.

mikem004

Is the option to *cancel* a trip and get a travel voucher only available via a travel agent?
It looks like it is:
- The AF web site only allows me to *postpone* my trip to Italy until a later date.
- The AF web site does not allow me to *cancel* my trip to Italy.
- The AF web site does not allow me to rebook to another contry, such as Germany. (But KLM now allow this, for any trip)

I think I'm going to have to leave this for a couple of days. Hopefully, it will be clearer by then and any web site issues have been sorted out.

KL803

My family had a total of three upcoming flights with AF:

• ZRH-CDG-ZRH on 3/15-3/30: would've been possible to change online, I called in explaining the situation and was able to cancel (receiving a voucher)
• 2x ZRH-CDG-OTP on 3/15 mix of AF and RO: not possible to change online, OTA-booking, conference call with OTA and AF, choice of rebooking over the phone or cancel (receiving voucher -> I chose voucher)

Spent about 90 minutes on Skype yesterday, but I'm happy with the outcome.