fare downgrade problems
Aug 9, 2006 | 6:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: NW Plat, UA 2P, DL FO, HH Silver, Starwood Gold
Posts: 866
fare downgrade problems
OK i'm really confused because i've never had ticket go down in price on NW, so I don't know the logistics of what i'm being told on the phone. Last year I booked a ticket to LA and have made subsequent changes to the current itinerary of TPA-AMS. Now the ticket has gone down a couple hundred dollars and a front-line agent at NW is telling me I don't qualify for downgrade. I asked to speak to a supervisor, whom he contacted. She advised him I do qualify but the ticketing dept documented my PNR. Now he's telling me he thinks she's wrong and he won't set it up for ticketing. What on earth is going on with this airline?
Aug 10, 2006 | 12:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Nashua, NH USA
Programs: Seashore Trolley Museum "flight attendant"
Posts: 2,015
Inspect the fare rules for the itinerary as you originally booked it.
Have you done something (for example applied for a first class upgrade) that disqualifies you for the fare class you are trying to downgrade to?
Is the fare class you are trying to downgrade to available on all the flight segments of your itinerary?
Is the change fee greater than the savings you could realize?
Do keep in mind that many airlines no longer price match themselves. This adage from long ago re-applies: Wait for a fare war rather than book at their everyday low price.
Travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm
Have you done something (for example applied for a first class upgrade) that disqualifies you for the fare class you are trying to downgrade to?
Is the fare class you are trying to downgrade to available on all the flight segments of your itinerary?
Is the change fee greater than the savings you could realize?
Do keep in mind that many airlines no longer price match themselves. This adage from long ago re-applies: Wait for a fare war rather than book at their everyday low price.
Travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm
Aug 10, 2006 | 9:27 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2004
Location: formerly Gold now Diamond, formerly MSY, now LAX, formerly NW, now DL
Programs: Hyatt Plat, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Delta Diamond/1MM
Posts: 4,732
NW did price match themselves this past Feb, and in the past they would take the difference, subtract $25 admin and give the rest back as a credit voucher.
Aug 11, 2006 | 6:08 pm
#4
Original Poster
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: NW Plat, UA 2P, DL FO, HH Silver, Starwood Gold
Posts: 866
OK here's the scoop. Whether it's correct or not is beyond me, but they were stuck on it. Because my "original" ticket was TPA-LAX and i've made voluntary changes a few times (and paid each time), my new reservation TPA-AMS does not qualify for a fare downgrade because it does not match my "orignal" itinerary. This really doesn't make a bit of sense to me but apparently it is what it is. I must say the agent accused me of "manipulating" the system. I kindly reminded him had I been manipulating the system I would have figured out a way to make the two previous changes w/out paying a dime much less several hundred dollars.