EK Covid-19 Rebooking Policy for Voluntary Changes
 

It seems like both EK and QR have put in place quite generous rebooking policies.
EK: https://onemileatatime.com/emirates-rebooking-policy/
QR: https://onemileatatime.com/qatar-air...oking-success/

While QR's rebooking policy is being discussed here, I found no such thread on EK.
Does anybody have any experience with that? I have been looking for flights from Europe to Africa on EK - and it seems like they're not even selling LON-CPT in December?!

I have no problem at all finding LHR to CPT in December on the EK website. By then I would normal rebooking policies, which would be fare class dependent to apply.

I tried to use this.

I don't think this policy can be abused at all. Agents have all been very difficult, haven't been able to get any PNR to change free of cost. The policy back in March was much better.

Thank you!

I accept that the 'same region policy' can't (and should not) be abused.
But I have the following real example: a few days ago, my CPT/DXB/AMS//LGW/DXB/CPT was cancelled, actually only the outward leg which would have been on 8 June. The return is only by the end of October. But all flights have now been removed from the ticket and it has become one of these 'book later' ones.
My plan was to go to AMS, do whatever needed to be done there, get to my base in the UK via an AMS/LGW flight (I do this several times a year) and then back to CPT. But the reason to go to AMS will have disappeared by the time I can fly (whenever that may be, it depends mostly on opening up South African airports), so I want to change the flight to a 'regular' CPT/DXB/LHR (no LGW for quite a while) // LGW (if possible, otherwise LHR)/DXB/CPT. My expectation was (is) that this change from AMS to LHR would be free of charge under the 'same region' concession. Am I wrong? And if so, which of the new rules would it be in contravention of?

technically yes, but i was charged both yq (substantial for ex-UK) and taxes - despite what is said online. tried a few different agents, same answer every time. EK's policy really is nothing compared to QR's. For my tickets issued between Mar 7 and 31 haven't had any problems.

Interesting data point. One would guess that the policy is written very clearly, so I wonder what reason agents were giving when denying your request? They can't just say "No", can they? I would try to escalate it, and if that doesn't help, that is just asking for lawsuits about misleading marketing.

I assume the charge was for tickets after the 31st?

yes, tickets issued between 7 and 31mar were fine.

Seems odd as they're not in the same region.

Exactly but as my flight only included one segment I had to change it for one segment too and the only option was dubai and of course I took it. I wanted to change it bkk-hnd but it was two segments and they couldn't change it

BKK-DXB always change aircraft with 2-class or cancel the flight that you book, put you in next one.