Question about changing a booking
 

Hello

I have purchased a return Business flex ticket from London to Sydney via HEL and HKG with overnight stops in HKG both ways. On the return I currently have an 8h 30 min wait in HEL. I want to move to the 8AM departure from HEL wihich gives a connection time of 2h 25 min. The contact centre staff say this is not possible. They can only change the entire journey not a single sector and they are not able to rebook my existing itinery. Is this correct? All I want to do is move to the earlier flight from HEL

Return 20.05.2026

Sydney Kingsford Smith - London Heathrow

Total duration 58 h 5 min


14:05
SYD https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?ur...vu7jODj8Yw--~D 21:30
HKG Sydney Kingsford Smith
(Terminal 1)
Hong Kong International
(Terminal 1)

AY5834

Business

Total duration 9 h 25 min

Operated by Cathay Pacific




Transfer

Transfer time 23 h 25 min



20:55
HKG https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?ur...vu7jODj8Yw--~D 05:35
HEL Hong Kong International
(Terminal 1)
Helsinki Vantaa

AY100

Business

Total duration 13 h 40 min

Operated by Finnair




Transfer

Transfer time 8 h 30 min



14:05
HEL https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?ur...vu7jODj8Yw--~D 15:10
LHR Helsinki Vantaa
London Heathrow
(Terminal 3)

AY1335

Business

Total duration 3 h 5 min

Operated by Finnair

Your ticket in detail

Ticket type: Business Flex

I can't see why you couldn't make this change, but they will reprice the ticket so it might cost a lot more.

Married segments = changing the HEL LHR means checking availability from HKG to LHR via HEL (or perhaps even SYD) so it depends on availability for these flights. Even if HEL LHR is available in I and you have HKG HEL already booked in I, if at the moment you request the change there is no I class available for (SYD) HKG HEL LHR, you'll need to pay for the fare difference.

Try to make the change after a first segment is flown.

OK thanks. I'm booked in D class as business flex. Agent didn't mention paying fare difference (although I suspect they might) they just said no not possible to change it and offered me a new itinery via DOH which I dont want and would cost a lot more. I thought the idea of a fully flexible / refundable ticket sounded to good to be true for the price I paid

Yeah, AY does not really sell old skool fully flexible tickets. You always need to pay the fare difference, whatever changes you make. The Flex ticket is refundable, though.

I had the same issue with SK around a year ago. No way to change the SH flight without changing the LH flight.