Antdenatale

So tomorrow I am traveling from BKK to DXB then on wards to LHR next week.

Book a First Flex Plus as need maximum flexibility to change flights when needed. As far as I was aware these are part of the F fare bucket.

Called up Emirates to amend the flight from BKK and was told actually these tickets are part of A class inventory and there would be an extra charge of around 2500 GBP to change the flight as there is only F Bucket available.

Fair to say not impressed at all with Emirates at the moment because as far as I was aware and reading the fare conditions I had a fully flex fare.

Just to warn you guys be careful in future when booking a fully flex ticket as there is not as my flexibility as Emirates would have you believe.

Think it is time I moved to the other airline down the road or Qatar now as I am starting get the the feeing that EK is taking the premium passenger for granted.

Sorry for the rant, just very angry today with EK!

ashivraj

I've always assumed a Flex Plus is 'no change fee', i.e. you'd still pay any applicable fare difference. Is that not the case?

pomkiwi

My impression is that EK have become increasingly expensive and less flexible over the past 18 months or so. I guess they are comfortable that they are now very well established. I am looking at alternatives who currently seem hungrier for business (and in time they too may well become less competitive).

eternaltransit

What's your fare calculation/basis, as I can't seem to find any Flex Plus fares that go into A class? Perhaps you have a clueless agent - the ticketing people at BKK tend to be quite switched on, so you might have better luck with them?

kuroko

HUCA!

Flex Plus are changeable FOC however there can be a fare difference as they'll reprice your itinerary.
As ET said, also do not see any Flex Plus in A class..

Antdenatale

It was booked with Emirates direct earlier this week.

I was always under the impression that flex plus books into F bucket but clearly this is wrong.

Normally the agents on the Platinum line are pretty clued up but on this occasion they have been pretty useless. Have called three times now and been quoted anything between 3000 and 17,000 AED to change.

Dave Noble

Flex Plus fares have no change fee and no cancellation penalty - it is not specified that these book into a specific inventory

From BKK-LHR there are fares that have no penalties that book in A class .

When making a purchase the site automatically gives the lowest fare for that fare type. If A class is unavailable for the desired new flight, then need to pay the fare difference to F class.

You have not lost any flexibility - just have to pay the F fare . Most people , I suggest, would not have wanted to have been charged the extra for an F fare rather than pay the A fare and then the fare difference should it be needed

eternaltransit

It sounds like you aren't being charged any change fees at all, but are just being repriced onto a different itinerary with a fare difference, given the massive difference in prices you are being quoted.

Have you got a fare calculation for the original itinerary we can take a look at?

Antdenatale

@enternal - I will hunt it out when I get to Dubai and post it in the morning.

Just off to enjoy the delights of a Thai Massage before I leave for the airport

eternaltransit

Oh, you are in BKK now? Head up to level 6 before security and pop into the ticketing office there - they are very switched on so if they can't do it, then you know it's a problem with the ticket you were sold rather than incompetent ticketing agents on the phone!

There is also a bit of a rip-off Chang massage next to the Concourse E/F/G junction on the shops level near the lounge if you don't have time for one in town!

skywardhunter

Flex Plus in any cabin means no change fee, that's literally the only promise EK makes and a lot of people occasionally assume this means they can change the flight for free.

Fare difference applies and you may have gotten a deal fare (but still Flex Plus) which booked into A. only if they're charging you a change fee are they actually ripping you off.

Antdenatale

Thanks everyone for your comments

So the lesson learned here from me is not to take the First Flex Plus option in future and just purchase a normal First if available

@enternal - Managed to get a massage in town, and ended up going to the airport feeling relaxed and chilled!

Dave Noble

If you had a "normal" 1st fare , then you would have also had a change fee on top of the fare difference. I am not sure how this would have been better

eternaltransit

I think on average if the OP switches all Flex Plus to Flex he could make significant savings over the course of a year, given the change fee for Flex is relatively trivial compared with the headline cost difference between Flex and Flex Plus usually and if the change is still in A class with no fare difference on one of those future occasions, then he comes out ahead.