No... or if they do, do not expect some random contractor at a Chinese outstation to know about it. ;)

My understanding is that there is such a policy but it's not public. That of course makes it less prudent to rely on, especially as no policy is enacted 100% of the time and a non-public policy is almost impossible to hold airline staff too if they aren't being co-operative.

There's a thread on this, the most useful post within which is probably this:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24573519-post87.html

Changing the date of a flight should not incur a penalty fee?! (TAM issuing airline)
 

Hi,
I booked a OneWorld RTW ticket, with TAM being the issuing airline. After having started the trip I wanted to change the date of one flight, from Lima to Santiago, so no change in destinations. According to my understanding of the RTW rules this should be free of charge if the fare is the same, and not lead to having to pay a fee of USD 125. As per the rules such a fee only applies when changing "ticketed points", which I understand are the destinations booked (so flying from A to B, which were the same in my case).
However, TAM insisted that there is a penalty fee of USD 125 for changing the date of the flight (same flight from Lima to Santiago, same fare, just a different day). I gave in at some point, as I really needed to change the flight date. However, I would think that all Oneworld airlines have to follow the RTW rules (as stated here http://travelagent.oneworld.com/e-learning-lessons/newLesson/Downloads/files/oneworld_Explorer_rule_sheet.pdf) and cannot "interpret" the rules to their liking to make more money.
I just wanted to get this confirmed by some more knowledgable and RTW-experienced people in this forum before starting to fight with TAM to get my money back.
Thanks!

Penalty fee for changing flight date (TAM issuing airline)?!
 

Hi,
I booked a OneWorld RTW ticket, with TAM being the issuing airline. After having started the trip I wanted to change the date of one flight, from Lima to Santiago, so no change in destinations. According to my understanding of the RTW rules this should be free of charge if the fare is the same, and not lead to having to pay a fee of USD 125. This fee only applies to changing "ticketed points", which I understand are the destinations defined in the booked route (so flying from A to B, which remanded the same in my case).
However, TAM insisted that there is a penalty fee of USD 125 for changing the date of the flight (same flight from Lima to Santiago, same fare, just a different day). I gave in at some point, as I really needed to change the flight date. However, I would think that all Oneworld airlines have to follow the RTW rules (as stated here http://travelagent.oneworld.com/e-learning-lessons/newLesson/Downloads/files/oneworld_Explorer_rule_sheet.pdf) and cannot "interpret" the rules to their liking to make more money.
I just wanted to get this confirmed by some more knowledgable and RTW-experienced people in this forum before starting to fight with TAM to get my money back.
Thanks!

"Ticket points" means anywhere a flight touches. If I book a LAX-JFK flight via DFW, I can't just change the connection to go via ORD.
Changing a connection to a stop over can also be considered to be changing "ticketed points". Were you in Lima for at least 24 hours after your previous flight?

Another thought, given that TAM issued the ticket.
Did the trip start in South America?

Generally, flight/date/time/carrier changes are fee, provided ticketed points remain the same.
However, turning a connection into a stopover or trying to change flights before the first intercontinental flight can cause issues. (eg, changing CBR-SYD-LAX on a trip starting in South West Pacific can be problematic.)

Hello HelenM and welcome to FlyerTalk.

The RTW rules are complicated and not everyone understands them very well. It may be a simple misunderstanding.

This thread is full of examples where we, or employees at the airline, have not understood the rules properly. Sometimes that works to our advantage!

It is an unfortunate fact of dealing with these itineraries.

As others have said, if a stopover was transformed into a connection or vice versa, that would be a change to a ticketed point.

I needed to change dates twice (so far) on my BA issued LONE4. A really helpful man on the LHR ticket desk in January was utterly brilliant, a sour faced LAN agent at the downtown office in Punta arenas a month later basically refused to help at all. A simple date change is free according to the rules, but that doesn't help if you're sat in front of somebody who either doesn't know the rules or doesn't want to know the rules.

A few years ago, I went to the MH downtown KUL ticketing office to get a flight on a DONE3 changed. It was a time/date change near the end of the trip. CX issued the ticket.
After disappearing into the back room a few times, the agent ended up refusing to touch the ticket and told me to go talk to SQ.

Agreed ... there are highly competent agents and completely incompetent agents and most agents sit somewhere in between.

SQ??

First, I'll echo Calchas. SQ?

Any particular reason that you didn't just call?

No idea. I was surprised by that comment as well. It was about 8 months after MH joined oneworld.

I don't like calling people to get things fixed/changed/etc. Find it much easier/faster to talk to someone in person when I can just show them what I want to do. The change I wanted to make was sorted out by JL at the next stop.

You should not have been charged. I can't advise on the process of a refund with TAM. Maybe there's a oneworld rep who can point you at someone at TAM who can resolve it.