Change fee not refunded.
Aug 28, 2020, 10:49 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 40
Change fee not refunded.
Hi all,
i booked a flight with KLM, then decided to change the flight for around £500pp (change fee plus flight difference).
KLM cancelled the new flight (and the original one) due to Covid.
I accepted the voucher on the understanding it would cover the change. They've issued the voucher but it is only for the original flight, plus the fare difference. it doesn't include the change fee?
What are my rights with this?
The flights were flying J class for 2 people so we are out of pocket considerably.
i booked a flight with KLM, then decided to change the flight for around £500pp (change fee plus flight difference).
KLM cancelled the new flight (and the original one) due to Covid.
I accepted the voucher on the understanding it would cover the change. They've issued the voucher but it is only for the original flight, plus the fare difference. it doesn't include the change fee?
What are my rights with this?
The flights were flying J class for 2 people so we are out of pocket considerably.
Aug 28, 2020, 11:03 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 151
I wouldn't expect the refund, personally. They DID change your flight like they were paid to...the fact that both flights were cancelled due to Covid is irrelevant. The voucher should include the difference in fare, but I would have been shocked if they included the change fee.
Aug 28, 2020, 11:05 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 40
I wouldn't expect the refund, personally. They DID change your flight like they were paid to...the fact that both flights were cancelled due to Covid is irrelevant. The voucher should include the difference in fare, but I would have been shocked if they included the change fee.
Still believe I can cancel the voucher to get the money back.
Thanks again
Aug 28, 2020, 11:25 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 151
Sure! If you can cancel the voucher for a refund and not let them hold your cash, I'd say go for it!
Aug 29, 2020, 8:12 am
#5
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,338
The change fee is not a value that is added to your ticket. It's an administrative fee which is paid for the service of changing your ticket. That service has been given, your ticket was changed and the change fee covered the effort of the employee making that change.
Therefore airlines generally do not refund change fees. Its a fee paid for a service that has already been rendered.
Therefore airlines generally do not refund change fees. Its a fee paid for a service that has already been rendered.
Aug 29, 2020, 9:18 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,909
The change fee is not a value that is added to your ticket. It's an administrative fee which is paid for the service of changing your ticket. That service has been given, your ticket was changed and the change fee covered the effort of the employee making that change.
Therefore airlines generally do not refund change fees. Its a fee paid for a service that has already been rendered.
Therefore airlines generally do not refund change fees. Its a fee paid for a service that has already been rendered.
Sep 4, 2020, 9:15 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,362
The change fee is not a value that is added to your ticket. It's an administrative fee which is paid for the service of changing your ticket. That service has been given, your ticket was changed and the change fee covered the effort of the employee making that change.
Therefore airlines generally do not refund change fees. Its a fee paid for a service that has already been rendered.
Therefore airlines generally do not refund change fees. Its a fee paid for a service that has already been rendered.
Sep 4, 2020, 10:40 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2020
Programs: FlyingBlue
Posts: 2,418
We had that discussion a while ago on the BA board (see this thread and, as I said in that thread, "it is totally artificial to separate out the change fee from the booking of a seat on the new flight. One does not pay an abstract change fee independently of rebooking on a given flight. Both operations are inherently and unavoidably linked, and if the flight is cancelled, the purpose of the change fee disappears completely." One could also take the analogy of a booking fee or credit card fee when booking a flight: they would have to be reimbursed if the flight is cancelled as they are inextricably linked to the booking of a seat of the cancelled flight. IMO, a change fee is no different. As I said in the other thread, however, it seems to me that both positions are defensible and I am not aware of judicial pronouncements that would settle the matter either way.
Mind you, it's only 1€ per ticket so it's not worth arguing over, but it does look like they agree with you and treat booking fees like change fees... in the sense that they refund neither.
Last edited by maalloc; Sep 4, 2020 at 3:33 pm