Change Destination
May 9, 2019, 7:51 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 15
Change Destination
Hi,
Earlier this year I booked two standard economy tickets for a flight to Austin in September. Unfortunately my plans have now changed and I need to fly to Seattle. My fault entirely. I knew the tickets were not refundable and I should have waited until my plans were 100% certain not 99%! However, I understand that if you pay a fee you can make changes to your flight. Is there any chance this would include the destination and not just the date or time? If so, can this be done online or would I have a better chance trying my luck speaking to an agent. The dates and names will not change. I appreciate that if the fare was higher I would have to pay the difference.
If I cannot change the destination (which is my expectation) I will probably go ahead and cancel the flights. Can I assume I will get some of the taxes and fees refunded? The taxes and charges were greater than the base fare.
Grateful for any advice.
Earlier this year I booked two standard economy tickets for a flight to Austin in September. Unfortunately my plans have now changed and I need to fly to Seattle. My fault entirely. I knew the tickets were not refundable and I should have waited until my plans were 100% certain not 99%! However, I understand that if you pay a fee you can make changes to your flight. Is there any chance this would include the destination and not just the date or time? If so, can this be done online or would I have a better chance trying my luck speaking to an agent. The dates and names will not change. I appreciate that if the fare was higher I would have to pay the difference.
If I cannot change the destination (which is my expectation) I will probably go ahead and cancel the flights. Can I assume I will get some of the taxes and fees refunded? The taxes and charges were greater than the base fare.
Grateful for any advice.
May 9, 2019, 7:54 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: BA GGL, LH FTL
Posts: 3,577
Your only chance is to call and ask. This depends on the fare rules, some allow routing changes, others don't.
Assuming your ticket does not allow this change or it is prohibitively expensive, you may want to check fares between Austin and Seattle - might be cheaper to add a separate ticket than to buy a new ticket.
Assuming your ticket does not allow this change or it is prohibitively expensive, you may want to check fares between Austin and Seattle - might be cheaper to add a separate ticket than to buy a new ticket.
May 9, 2019, 7:58 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,176
If you cancelled you would be refunded proper Government taxes (such as UK APD and US transportation tax) and airport fees (but not the BA carrier surcharge element which really should be part of the base fare but that's an argument for another day) less the BA cancellation fee. You can do this cancellation on line.
To change your ticket you would need to speak to an agent anyway as this can't be done online.
To change your ticket you would need to speak to an agent anyway as this can't be done online.
May 9, 2019, 8:13 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,162
especially if you have any Avios spare - a reward flight Austin/Seattle on American would be pretty cheap!
in case there is any flex in the rules: if BA will not let you swap Austin for Seattle directly, see if they will let you swap Austin for Dallas instead (not sure if would make any difference...) - much more likely there is a direct American Airlines flight to Seattle from Dallas (AA hub) than Austin...tickets from Austin probably connect through Dallas anyway.
advantage of booking onward domestic travel on American over other airlines - AA will normally protect OneWorld to OneWorld connections even on separate tickets: so you would have some measure of protection to get re-booked even if your BA flight is late and causes you to miss the onward domestic to Seattle - worth bearing in mind
in case there is any flex in the rules: if BA will not let you swap Austin for Seattle directly, see if they will let you swap Austin for Dallas instead (not sure if would make any difference...) - much more likely there is a direct American Airlines flight to Seattle from Dallas (AA hub) than Austin...tickets from Austin probably connect through Dallas anyway.
advantage of booking onward domestic travel on American over other airlines - AA will normally protect OneWorld to OneWorld connections even on separate tickets: so you would have some measure of protection to get re-booked even if your BA flight is late and causes you to miss the onward domestic to Seattle - worth bearing in mind
May 9, 2019, 8:23 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
I think you'll find you can change destination, but the basic change fee is £150 and I believe they charge that per coupon ... i.e. each way. Do check what you'll get back if you cancel instead, as on a cheap ticket the fare element you forfeit may be surprisingly small (vs the taxes, some of which you'll recover).
If you were to connect instead with avios, AS fly direct AUS-SEA. You have to call to book it, but I believe you can check availability with a dummy award search on AA.com .
If you were to connect instead with avios, AS fly direct AUS-SEA. You have to call to book it, but I believe you can check availability with a dummy award search on AA.com .
May 9, 2019, 8:33 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 15
Thank you all for your prompt and very helpful replies. It is something I hadn't thought of.
Unfortunately though they are coming out a little on the expensive side. Especially when you include our luggage. And to be honest the prospect of two extra reasonably lengthy internal flights is soul destroying. If BA can't help I will just have to take it on the chin and book new flights. On the upside there are some decent deals out there at the moment for Seattle.
One more question if I may. Is there a "good" time to ring BA? With my bank they seem to switch over late afternoon from the overseas call centres to a UK based one. I find the UK based centres slightly easier to deal with.
Thanks once again.
Unfortunately though they are coming out a little on the expensive side. Especially when you include our luggage. And to be honest the prospect of two extra reasonably lengthy internal flights is soul destroying. If BA can't help I will just have to take it on the chin and book new flights. On the upside there are some decent deals out there at the moment for Seattle.
One more question if I may. Is there a "good" time to ring BA? With my bank they seem to switch over late afternoon from the overseas call centres to a UK based one. I find the UK based centres slightly easier to deal with.
Thanks once again.
May 9, 2019, 8:43 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 15
Thanks Paul. Sorry. Another question regarding a refund.
The total fare we paid for two economy returns was £950 (a bargain I thought), of which £420 was the base fares and £530 taxes/fees and charges. If I cancel my flights online (or over the phone) will they be able to tell me instantly what my refund will be. Does anybody know roughly how much I should get back?
Again, thanks for all the helpful advice.
The total fare we paid for two economy returns was £950 (a bargain I thought), of which £420 was the base fares and £530 taxes/fees and charges. If I cancel my flights online (or over the phone) will they be able to tell me instantly what my refund will be. Does anybody know roughly how much I should get back?
Again, thanks for all the helpful advice.
May 9, 2019, 9:01 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,176
Please see my reply above on what you'll get back.
The on line cancellation system should be able to tell you if it was a simple booking with no subsequent changes. If you call they may not be able to tell you as it might need to go to refunds to calculate
If you do a dummy booking and look at the fare breakdown you can estimate yourself what you'll get back - exclude the BA carrier surcharge though and take off the cancellation fee
The on line cancellation system should be able to tell you if it was a simple booking with no subsequent changes. If you call they may not be able to tell you as it might need to go to refunds to calculate
If you do a dummy booking and look at the fare breakdown you can estimate yourself what you'll get back - exclude the BA carrier surcharge though and take off the cancellation fee
Last edited by UKtravelbear; May 9, 2019 at 9:58 am
May 9, 2019, 9:26 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 538
Most BA tickets will permit destination change. This cannot be done online. You will need to pay the change fee plus any additional fare/taxes etc. Expect to be charged the telephone service fee . Any competent agent should also be able to tell you the value of any refund should you decide to cancel.
May 9, 2019, 9:50 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 858
If you end up deciding to cancel, don't do it until the last minute.
A schedule change or a delay may entitle you to cancel with a full refund!
(It makes no difference to the amount you get if you cancel now or shortly before the flight - and you can cancel online and not have to hold on the phone for hours with an agent)
A schedule change or a delay may entitle you to cancel with a full refund!
(It makes no difference to the amount you get if you cancel now or shortly before the flight - and you can cancel online and not have to hold on the phone for hours with an agent)
May 9, 2019, 11:08 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,577
Consider using Avios to book your domestic AUS-SEA connection, if there's availability. It's an Alaska Air route so availability might be a bit tight, but worth looking (would include checked bags too).
May 9, 2019, 11:37 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
No, the change fee is per person per transaction. Each person can change as many things as they want in one go for the £150 change fee, plus fare difference of course. So if you have LHR-AUS-LHR in economy both ways and you want to change to LHR-JFK-LGW in WT+ outbound and CW back, that's £150 plus fare difference.