Last edit by: Maestro Ramen
FARE RULES:
I pulled down the DL fare rules (these are BUD-SEA but they all appeared nearly identical). I posted them on a share. We can easily grab the AF and KL variants if others need those.
Q: This is a fully flexible fare with free changes. Does that mean I can change the flight dates as I want without paying anything extra?
A: No. The airline simply doesn't charge a change fee. But depending on the fare rules, you will still need to pay the difference to the new price.
Q: But I read that some people could change their flights for free...?
A: The rules for this fare (linked to above) specify that historical pricing shall be used if either at least one flight from the ticket has been taken or the outbound remains the same. In other words, in order to be able to change your flights for free, you must have flown at least one flight from your booking. Otherwise, you can only change the inbound. The outbound has to remain the same or you will be charged the fare difference.
Q: Can I change the rest of the itinerary after flying the first segment without any other charges or additional fare differences?
A: Yes this is possible according to the fare rules where after completing the first segment, you can change the rest of the flights for free (with the condition that the same fare class is available- I-class - in this case. According to the fare rules, after flying the FIRST segment (in the case here BUD-XXX) the historical fare is used. Possible to use the first stopover at AMS or CDG (see post #830).
Q: But some people could change their outbound flights for free!
A: They got lucky. It was probably a bug on the website/in the app. When no flight from the ticket has been flown, the fare rules do not allow changing the outbound without repricing.
Q: Ok, ok, so I can only change the inbound for free. How do I do that?
A: You search for availability for alternative flights on ITA Matrix using "F ..I2FFHU" in the extension codes. You must search for round trip flights as this is a round trip fare. Then you ignore the outbound result (as long as you haven't flown at least one flight from your ticket) and just try to rebook your inbound on the website/app.
Q: I have found availability on ITA Matrix, but the app/website doesn't show me those flights!
A: Keep trying. Sometimes you may have to serach in a different way (split up the searches, e.g. HNL-LAX and LAX-BUD), sometimes you just have to repeat the search several times. But that's no guarantee the desired results will turn up (and without repricing).
Q: It doesn't work. Can I just call the airline to make the changes?
A: Please don't unless you need to. Calling can increase the risk for all of us that they'll change their mind and disallow all further changes, or simply cancel everyone's tickets. However, as this fare has now been running for months and has seen many calls made about it, it is reasonable to expect that calling will not cause issues at this stage. As best practice, avoid attracting attention on the low price paid, and avoid making additional demands or tempting your luck. Remember you get to fly a J ticket for the cost of a Y fare.
Q: How many times can I make changes?
A: In theory, as often as you like, but you can't make more than two changes online/in the app. After that, you'd have to call, which we are trying to avoid.
Q: I've changed my mind. Can I get a refund?
A: Yes, the fare was fully refundable. Just contact the airline or fill out a refund form online.
Q: Due to Coronavirus, I need to extend my travel plan beyond the original expiry date. What can I do?
A: For Delta tickets (starting with 006) you can travel at any point until December 2022. Changes to flights within a 10 month window can be done at any point on the app, following the rules above. If you want to fly later than 10 months from now, you can call Delta and ask them to "park" your ticket. You will receive a ticket number that ties to an eCredit which can be used later to buy tickets. As long as you keep the original itinerary, or if you have flown at least a segment, you will not be charged a fare difference. Bear in mind that the eCredit may only be refundable if your original flight was cancelled (which is very likely in those day and times). Note that only Delta in the US are able to do this so do not call the EU numbers (use Skype to save money on international calls). According to user feedback: iMessage agents seem to also be able to do this, but twitter agents not.
I pulled down the DL fare rules (these are BUD-SEA but they all appeared nearly identical). I posted them on a share. We can easily grab the AF and KL variants if others need those.
Q: This is a fully flexible fare with free changes. Does that mean I can change the flight dates as I want without paying anything extra?
A: No. The airline simply doesn't charge a change fee. But depending on the fare rules, you will still need to pay the difference to the new price.
Q: But I read that some people could change their flights for free...?
A: The rules for this fare (linked to above) specify that historical pricing shall be used if either at least one flight from the ticket has been taken or the outbound remains the same. In other words, in order to be able to change your flights for free, you must have flown at least one flight from your booking. Otherwise, you can only change the inbound. The outbound has to remain the same or you will be charged the fare difference.
Q: Can I change the rest of the itinerary after flying the first segment without any other charges or additional fare differences?
A: Yes this is possible according to the fare rules where after completing the first segment, you can change the rest of the flights for free (with the condition that the same fare class is available- I-class - in this case. According to the fare rules, after flying the FIRST segment (in the case here BUD-XXX) the historical fare is used. Possible to use the first stopover at AMS or CDG (see post #830).
Q: But some people could change their outbound flights for free!
A: They got lucky. It was probably a bug on the website/in the app. When no flight from the ticket has been flown, the fare rules do not allow changing the outbound without repricing.
Q: Ok, ok, so I can only change the inbound for free. How do I do that?
A: You search for availability for alternative flights on ITA Matrix using "F ..I2FFHU" in the extension codes. You must search for round trip flights as this is a round trip fare. Then you ignore the outbound result (as long as you haven't flown at least one flight from your ticket) and just try to rebook your inbound on the website/app.
Q: I have found availability on ITA Matrix, but the app/website doesn't show me those flights!
A: Keep trying. Sometimes you may have to serach in a different way (split up the searches, e.g. HNL-LAX and LAX-BUD), sometimes you just have to repeat the search several times. But that's no guarantee the desired results will turn up (and without repricing).
Q: It doesn't work. Can I just call the airline to make the changes?
A: Please don't unless you need to. Calling can increase the risk for all of us that they'll change their mind and disallow all further changes, or simply cancel everyone's tickets. However, as this fare has now been running for months and has seen many calls made about it, it is reasonable to expect that calling will not cause issues at this stage. As best practice, avoid attracting attention on the low price paid, and avoid making additional demands or tempting your luck. Remember you get to fly a J ticket for the cost of a Y fare.
Q: How many times can I make changes?
A: In theory, as often as you like, but you can't make more than two changes online/in the app. After that, you'd have to call, which we are trying to avoid.
Q: I've changed my mind. Can I get a refund?
A: Yes, the fare was fully refundable. Just contact the airline or fill out a refund form online.
Q: Due to Coronavirus, I need to extend my travel plan beyond the original expiry date. What can I do?
A: For Delta tickets (starting with 006) you can travel at any point until December 2022. Changes to flights within a 10 month window can be done at any point on the app, following the rules above. If you want to fly later than 10 months from now, you can call Delta and ask them to "park" your ticket. You will receive a ticket number that ties to an eCredit which can be used later to buy tickets. As long as you keep the original itinerary, or if you have flown at least a segment, you will not be charged a fare difference. Bear in mind that the eCredit may only be refundable if your original flight was cancelled (which is very likely in those day and times). Note that only Delta in the US are able to do this so do not call the EU numbers (use Skype to save money on international calls). According to user feedback: iMessage agents seem to also be able to do this, but twitter agents not.
{prem fare gone}: AF/KL/DL/VS: BUD-US from $750 R/T
#706
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: VIE/PRG
Programs: FB Platinum, Marriott Platinum Elite
Posts: 1,592
Could anyone shed some light on lounge access with skyteam/delta?
I have no status and am flying the following route:
- BUD-AMS-LAX with first flight on KLM and second flight on Delta One Suites. Will I have access to a lounge in BUD? Which lounge will I have access to in AMS?
- LAX-OGG in Delta First. I guess no lounge for domestic first, correct?
- LIH-LAX-CDG-BUD with first flight in Delta first (so no lounge?) and the transatlantic in Delta One Suites so SkyClub access in LAX? Will I get lounge access in CDG?
I have no status and am flying the following route:
- BUD-AMS-LAX with first flight on KLM and second flight on Delta One Suites. Will I have access to a lounge in BUD? Which lounge will I have access to in AMS?
- LAX-OGG in Delta First. I guess no lounge for domestic first, correct?
- LIH-LAX-CDG-BUD with first flight in Delta first (so no lounge?) and the transatlantic in Delta One Suites so SkyClub access in LAX? Will I get lounge access in CDG?
#707
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: SE+, OWS
Posts: 373
#709
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,485
For those with HA flights: how do you access them on the Hawaiian website/App? I ... might have one? [Long story!]
#710
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DXB
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 2,812
#711
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Western Europe
Posts: 205
edit: BUD-HNL / HNL-LAX / JFK-BUD works too. Yet, ... / SFO - JFK / JFK - BUD does not.
edit 2: wow, this is interesting. It does work, for instance, from Charleston or Nashville or Cleveland etc. to New York and then New York to BUD. It does not work from SFO.
Last edited by altalk08; Apr 7, 2020 at 1:51 pm
#712
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Belgium
Posts: 270
I can't seem to access the HA flights on either the website nor the app...
#713
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: AF/KL FB Plat ; A3 Gold ; HH Gold ; IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 2,380
Thanks, I modified the code (f ..I2FFHU) but still it gives me an error "No flights found". It works with BUD-HNL-LAX-SFO-BUD though.
edit: BUD-HNL / HNL-LAX / JFK-BUD works too. Yet, ... / SFO - JFK / JFK - BUD does not.
edit 2: wow, this is interesting. It does work, for instance, from Charleston or Nashville or Cleveland etc. to New York and then New York to BUD. It does not work from SFO.
edit: BUD-HNL / HNL-LAX / JFK-BUD works too. Yet, ... / SFO - JFK / JFK - BUD does not.
edit 2: wow, this is interesting. It does work, for instance, from Charleston or Nashville or Cleveland etc. to New York and then New York to BUD. It does not work from SFO.
#714
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,485
Separate PNR, had to ask Delta. Mine is showing up as not ticketed according to HA - which is not a surprise as this was the result of a half done change (they couldn’t price it, but I was doing two reservations). Will give it a few days.
#716
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: SE+, OWS
Posts: 373
i just received refund of 290 USD per person on my bank account.. this is crazy.. making this BUD HNL RT for 530 USD.. crazy!
#717
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PlatMM, BA and Alaska Emerald, HHonors DIA, Accor, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat Amb, UA Silver, AA
Posts: 4,516
Changed outbound on Delta.com today.
I ended up finding (not available when I booked) BUD-FCO-JFK-STT two days earlier, so now I have 5 nights at STT.
Interestingly, the only options offered on this 006 (Delta flight numbers on Alitalia metal) on any day I looked were BUD-PRG-JFK-STT or what I booked. Never anything via AMS or CDG?
Anyway, happy with the Alitalia if they're still in business July 28th.
Immediately ticketed, also getting a HUF9,500 refund ($30ish)
I ended up finding (not available when I booked) BUD-FCO-JFK-STT two days earlier, so now I have 5 nights at STT.
Interestingly, the only options offered on this 006 (Delta flight numbers on Alitalia metal) on any day I looked were BUD-PRG-JFK-STT or what I booked. Never anything via AMS or CDG?
Anyway, happy with the Alitalia if they're still in business July 28th.
Immediately ticketed, also getting a HUF9,500 refund ($30ish)
#718
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
Seems like people are getting a CoVID19 bonus on rebooking, which is allowing the historical fares to be (1) pulled for same destination but different outbound date and even (2) Different destinations. Wow
#720
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 21
or even J for two legs and no fare difference required! So just keep trying