Changing the TIME of the first sector?
 

I'm flying out from LHR on the BA846 @ 07:50 which then returns as the BA847 @ 12:20. At the moment I am booked and ticketed on the BA851 @ 17:50. Rather than hang around WAW for 7.5 hours I'd like to get on the earlier flight. I'll be travelling with hand baggage only and I already have my DONE4 ticket so I've no need to collect anything.

I've read the rules and I'm unsure whether I can change the time of the first sector without having to reissue. I'd rather not reissue and will probably leave things as they are and attempt to blag my way on to the earlier flight on arrival.

What is the boards reading of the rules?

This should be 100% clear, no reissue needed for time/date changes.

I know I can make unlimted date/time changes, the rules are quite clear, however, they are a bit vague about changing anything to do with the first international sector.

For Area 2 after departure the rules provide that you can't change the routing for the first international flight and preceding flights but you can make date/time changes. For an AONE originating in Area 2 I have changed the date of my first segment (which was also my first international flight).

My understanding is that if one changes anything on the 1st flight and you are in area 2/3, one gets a refund of the existing ticket and you start all over again. I believe others, perhaps number_6, have posted similiar comments. I suspect that the best way is to try and fly standby on the earlier flight and not change anything on the coupon.

I don't know where you got this but certainly not from the rules, I hope? :)

I've been following this thread with the same idea burned in my brain - I've been convinced all along that the first coupon cannot be changed, under penalty of re-issue. I suppose the answer is simple as calling twelve different rtw agents and averaging what they say, since in practice the likelihood of any two of them agreeing on almost anything seems to be zero.

I called AA RTW @ DFW today and made the change without any problem. No mention of having to have the ticket reissued. I've checked on aa.com and can see the change has been made.

In 2002 the rules were clear: any change in flights up to and including the first international flight requires recalculation of the fare (and in the case of WAW it is a rather large increase now). I haven't checked whether that rule is still in effect in 2005, but I was burned by it in 2002. Of course the RTW desk has no obligation to warn you that there will be an additional collection with your change; the BA agent at WAW will either accept your coupon or do the add collect. Which do you think BA is doing these days?

I don't know the answer, but I think there is significant risk, including the risk that you cannot reinstate your original booking and the ticket is now unusable (all you can do is refund it or reissue it at the new ex-WAW xONEx fare). I suppose a chat with the agent at WAW to induce them to accept your original flight coupon would be greatly to your advantage. WAW is known to be inducement friendly. Once you have flown the first coupon, no matter what the rules, the rest of the OWE is in the clear.

I found the rule that, in 2002, was interpretted as requiring reissue and recalculation of fare for a change in the first international departure from Area 2. The rule is ambiguous but my argument that it draws a distinction between Area 1 which requires reissue and Area 2/3 which do not require reissue fell on deaf ears then. Perhaps the airlines have reinterpretted this rule now; I hope so. Here is what it said then, quoted in full (ie. there were no additional rules specifed for Area 2/3):

21N CHANGES/ NOTE -
22N . FARES TICKETED AND ORIGINALY ISSUED
23N . ON/BEFORE 31MAY02 AND REISSUED ON/AFTER
24N . 01JUN02 MAY INCLUDE SECTORS FLOWN ON DI.
25N .
26N . 1.PRIOR TO DEPARTURE
27N . TRAVEL ORIGINATING AREA 1 -
28N . - BEFORE TKT DEADLINE - PERMITTED WITHOUT
29N . PENALTY. CHANGES TO THE 1ST INTL FLT OR
30N . PRECEDING FLTS REQUIRE TKT REISSUE.
31N . - AFTER TKT DEADLINE - CHANGES TO THE
32N . 1ST INTL FLT AND PRECEDING FLTS ARE NOT
33N . PERMITTED. DATE/TIME CHANGES TO OTHER
34N . FLTS PERMITTED AT NO CHARGE. TKT MUST
35N . BE REISSUED.
36N . - CHANGES OTHER THAN DATE/TIME PERMITTED
37N . FOR USD75 PER TRANSACTION. IF THE
38N . CURRENCY OF TICKET ORIGIN IS NOT USD,
39N . CONVERT THE USD AMOUNT AT THE BSR.
40N . TKT MUST BE REISSUED.
41N . - CERTIFIED DEATH/ILLNESS OF PSGR, PSGRS
42N . IMMEDIATE FAMILY OR ACCOMPANYING PSGR,
43N . REROUTING PERMITTED FREE.
44N . TRAVEL ORIGINATING AREA 2/3
45N . UNLIMITED CHANGES PERMITTED WITHOUT CHARGE.

I bought a DONE3 from CMB and changed the date for the first sector without any fees. They just placed a sticker on the first coupon. That's it.

Prasad

Where did you make the change?

I plan on going to AA in T3 on my way out to WAW and getting them to do the change.

I called the AA RTW desk to make a change to the date of my ex-CAI AONE3, they said it would require reissue. Although the fare has not changed since I issued the ticket, the EGP:USD exchange rate has decreased significantly (6.22:1$ now is 5.8:1$). If I reissue, will I get charged at the new exchange rate?. Or if I refund the ticket, will I get USD back at the new rate? :)

I think you will be charged the difference in EGP and that will then be converted to USD if you are not paying in EGP cash for example. A refund will be for the original USD amount and not for the EGP amount; no arbitraging the exchange rate, I'm afraid (at least this was the case with refunds that I have done in the past). I have no idea if TA issued tickets are different, these are for airline issued tickets (both AA and other airlines have been the same). I suppose you can always get it refunded in Cairo in EGP but then you have exchange controls to deal with (impossible to take the money out of Egypt, so this is a good idea only if you have EGP denominated expenditures coming up soon). Really not worth it for a 7% movement, particularly for a volatile currency like EGP, it is one bomb blast away from a 50% exchange rate movement.

While the fare hasn't changed, taxes and fuel surcharges have gone up, maybe a lot (depends on your routing and airline used); wouldn't be surprised that it is several hundred dollars additional now.