What If I'm HOPING to get bumped?
 

So I'm unable to travel to London from LAX on 4-23 as originally planned. My ticket on ANZ is non-refundable, and it's not even subject to a change fee. So I'm stuck with it.

But I was wondering if I should go ahead and make the hour long trip to LAX and check in anyway, and then just hope I hear an announcement for volunteers to give up their seats? I'd only be hoping to score an airline credit for the ticket. Obviously, just simply putting me on later flight isn't going to work either.

Just thought I'd check with the members here.

Thanks.

It is extremely unlikely you will get bumped in NZ long haul, they might do it for delayed connections. A better approach I would do is pay the change fee and fare difference to a date that suits you. It won't be cheap but better than a no show

Your chances are somewhere between incredibly unlikely and completely non existent.

Air NZ (and most airlines) outside the US don't operate like US carriers who oversell vast quantities of seats because they know they'll always find people they can bump.

When I called ANZ a month ago about cancelling my flight, they said it couldn't be cancelled. Only changed for a future flight, plus the change fee, plus any additional cost. I like how American does it. You simply cancel the flight. Then that ticket's value is good for travel for a year after you initially bought it. Only when you re-book do you pay the fee. I don't know when I'll be able to go to London again, so it looks like the ANZ ticket is gone.

Yes, I figured as much.

Oh well, someone will enjoy my aisle seat.

If you wait long enough, they might have to change the flights slightly at which point you could get an email that will let you make changes for free.

Sounds like there are three options

1) insurance, if there is a valid reason for you being unable to travel that falls under your policy (you do have a policy, right?)
2) Pay change fee (though you hint this is not possible on this fare?)
3) Learning experience. If you travel enough, always booking at the lowest fare class well in advance pays off (averaged over time) as these cancellation scenarios are generally infrequent. Now and again though you do need to change..... and you lose the lot. Put it down to experience, don't sweat it. This will balance out in the future for you :) Business travel however is a different matter, changes happen all the time and flexibility is all.

Like sbiddle advises, your chance of being offered to get off are non existent. I've certainly never seen it on any long haul sector with NZ.

Similar to what Georgie mentioned, check the CC you used. Chase Sapphire Reserve offers their own insurance and you'll just need a Dr's note. Your CC may be similar.

Very unlikely on this route NZ 1/2 is an daily LHR/LAX service that starts/ends . in AKL. It has been timed the same for years (around the LHR slot), there is very little chance of any changes on this flight.

The only major change in recent years for this service was the change to 77W from the 744.

Are the rules different in the US?

I've always got some money back on a non-refundable ticket.

That would be the govt fees and taxes which total about USD$55 on Lax-Akl

Edit: whoops, OP is going Lax-Lhr. Fees that way are only $26. Not worth a lot of effort for such a tiny return.

Sounds like you have a "sweet deals" fare if you purchased directly from air NZ. (May be different fare rules if you went through a travel agent)

https://m.airnz.com/sweet-deals-fare-conditions

I'd phone again and make sure they are aware that you'd like the credit and not a refund. If you ask for a refund they are correct to say no.. but you should be able to get a credit to spend later as per above.

As I mentioned, I simply can't cancel the flight, which is what I'd prefer. I can get a credit, IF I'm booking a new flight to replace it, plus the $200 change fee. The thing is that I don't know when I'll be able to go again. On American, I could simply cancel, then use that credit within a year of purchasing the original ticket.

I did do a preliminary change on their website to see what the prices were. If I was to fly out in late September, the price would only be the change fee of $200. But I don't know if that will be good for me. I think it's best to just cut my loses and lose this and plan better next time.

Isn't cutting your loses taking the credit and then seeing if you can use it in the future? Not just leaving it to become completely worthless?

Strange, I managed to get $1800 back last year on a YVR - ALK (L) ALK - BNE (V) for two passengers, they just charged me a $300 cancellation fee per customer. It clearly says on the bottom of the ticket NONREF/NONEND.

I must have gotten lucky.