Question about changing a non-refundable fare
 

Sorry if this has been asked before, but couldn't find an answer. Here's my situation: I booked the following itinerary:

IAH-CLE Class Y
CLE-IAH Class Q
IAH-GRU (Sao Paulo, Brazil) Class Q
GRU-IAH Class U

I flew the first 3 legs, but had to change my routing home. CO didn't have any flights available when I needed to come home, so I cancelled the GRU-IAH leg & flew Copa on a new ticket. I called my travel department & asked how much $$ I had available from the GRU-IAH cancelled leg to apply to a future (domestic) ticket. My TA said that Continental will only offer a voucher for the same routing in the future, and I'd pay the change fare too, so it would probably be useless for me to even try to use it.

I totally understand that it's non-refundable and I have a change fee. But can't I use the residual amount of the ticket for another ticket other than GRU-IAH? Also, any way of finding out the change-fee for the ticket? I looked at my booking on CO and my reservation from the TA and cannot find it.

Thanks!

If I remember correctly had you not flown any segment then you would have been able to use the voucher for any flight, of cause the change fee applies. Thats besides any additional $$$ if the same fare basis doesnt exist if using it for the same routing.

Since you have a few different fares I dont know if it simply defaults to the lowest fare T&Cs or in your case what the T&Cs was for the fare back on the segment not flown.

Once you start your travel then basically its only good on the routing it was tkted for or GRU-IAH in your case.

Im abit surprised that a call to CO and giving the CSR your info that they werent able to tell you how much the change fee is.

There have been a few threads on this. I would do a search on Vouchers or Travel Certificates and see what you find.

As I understand the rule, your ticket is put into a voucher which you can use to purchase a future CO flight (at any fare class for any pair of cities). The only catch is that the ticket must be in your name.

As for the change fee it will depend on your particular ticket I would guess $200.00 or so.

The only thing that could be a wrench is that in your case this is a part of a ticket you already used half of. So that might change the rule and maybe your TA was right. I would double check and call CO

Thanks for the response! I have yet to call the platinum line... I'm in the office & my plat card is at home, and I couldn't find the 'temp card' online. I called my company's travel department, which is next to useless. Can you (or someone) PM me the plat # or a way to find it through my account?

Thanks!

I believe if you sign into your co.com account then look under reward desk the number will appear. You have to be signed on inorder for the number to come up.

The phone number can be found on this page.

I also believe that craz might be right w/r/t using the value of the ticket. Once travel has started you might not be able to change the routing on the ticket, leaving that "extra" value sacrificed. Otherwise you could constantly book r/t tickets, fly one way and then use the residual value to book another "r/t" ticket. Even with the change fees you'd likely end up paying way less than buying all one way flights.

Being a Plat doesnt do anything in this case. You can simply call the reg CO 800#; 525-0280

You just need to give the CSR your name etc and they should beable to find it. Then hopefully retrive your PNR for that trip and then look at the T&Cs that govern it.

Your link does not supply any phone #s only which # to press for which option

Good point. I think he is stuck as well since travel had already started.

Duh, I realized I have the # in my phone and just called.

You all are right (unfortunately for me): Since I flew part of the trip, the residual value is only available for GRU-IAH, plus the $150 change fee.

Thanks again!

The number magically appears if you are logged in with an elite account. :cool:

Nice to know, but didnt the OP say they didnt know their acct #? So they wouldnt beable to find out the Plat# since they cant log in to COOL.

One can also log in with a user name/password, or maybe they have it saved on their computer. Without that they aren't getting the information anyways. The OP said they don't have their card, not that they don't know their number. They were able to review their account online, which would be sufficient. Nonetheless, I assumed more information than was given. Mea culpa.

150 change fee is not too bad, maybe you can get lucky with a random OW to GRU...wierd things can always happen :)