Flex Ticket - earlier flight
 

I've a flex ticket this week, schedule to depart AMS around 4pm.

Ticket conditions say if an earlier or later flight is available and I'm able to make them, they will rebook me free of charge.

Standard changes are free plus fare difference. But of course I'd rather not pay ant fare difference :rolleyes:

I assume to take advantage of the earlier or later flight I must contact KLM on the day of travel? Can I do this over the phone? Potentially looking to take 8am flight rather than 4pm but don't fancy getting up at 5am for a lucky dip at the airport.

Looks like plenty of seat availability.

By phone or at the airport, or on the website, on the App, it doesn’t matter.

Thanks.

But only on the same day? So if agenda stays as it is, I could call 1230am and change to 8am flight?

Have you checked whether there is a fare difference?

No fare difference, if you do it online or at airport it's free on the same day. The flex fare of KLM is good thst way. The magic words are go show.

I wouldn’t be so sure about that. It was like that some years ago but now that have made the things very complicated in their fare structure. Nowadays, Flex means that you have no change fee, but you may have to pay a fare difference if your originally booked fare bucket is not available anymore. The go-show or after-show policies you mentioned are only available with the highest fares (I think). So, it could be as you said but it could be also with a fare difference to pay. It all depends on the exact fare purchased by OP and we don’t know that.

Well this didn't quite go to plan. Staff had no idea of the 'free earlier or later flight' and it didn't show on the flight conditions. But was clearly displayed on the app terms. Tried the app where 'flight change' button was clearly visible next to boarding pass button once check-in was open, but threw an error. Tried calling & twitter (could share screens) before, as a last resort, going to terminal.

Finally, the customer service rep at AMS put me on standby list 1hr before departure of earlier flight and I was able to board (20+ free seats).

Staff were very good, wasn't their fault. The systems didn't show it as eligible and their back office team wouldn't permit the change. Was recommended to pay fare difference and submit a complaint, not quite what I was after.

I've another similar ticket in a few weeks, hoping I don't want to use much of the flex!

Sound as if they need to get their house in order!

Johan

KLM only cares about their delft houses, I am afraid.

Curious to see what will happen next.
I am also guessing about this kind of tickets but I wouldn't pay Flex especially for intra-European flights if in reality doesn't work or things are so complicated.
And then what about the no-show policy if you don't catch your flight then? Do they will fully refund you or not because you had to advise them earlier?

I ended up also moving the day of the return leg of the original booking. No change fee with a €25 fare difference. But took 3 attempts by the call handler to change the ticket, then before the third attempt I was advise (and asked to accept) that once the flight was changed it wouldn't be able to be subsequently changed.

Perhaps easier sticking to EasyJet for flexibility in the future (AMS - EDI).

Noticed something amiss with my flex ticket (booking class Z). Although when I purchased it, and in the app, it said clearly that changes/cancellations are permitted at any time, once I attempted to change my return it threw an error saying that the ticket conditions don't allow it (and told me to go read them). I tried it on the AF website, and it just threw a very generic 'there was an error' message. I kinda shrugged it off, since what I wanted was to check out what other options I had, but this is definitely not ok.
On a couple of previous occasions however I was able to change flex tickets I had with KL. Assuming it was a glitch this time.

Could it be due to the recent 'messing around' of the AF and KL booking system? They are now both in parity with each other, but, no doubt at the expense of inducing bugs and glitches. Especially when their respective smartphone apps operate differently.

Glad it worked in the end. I think the systems problem is both about the fare conditions not being well considered and the agent seniority / authority. Young gate agents do have trouble. Senior ones do some tricks and get it done. I have also observed this. I have usually not had issues same day on the app but it was only once or twice so not much experience.