Changing a RTW originating in IST
 

Hi:

I have a DONE4 ex-IST set to begin in April. I set it up and paid for it months ago. I now want to change a destination, replacing a ORD-SLC-ORD segment with a ORD-LAX-ORD segment.

I realize that such a change requires recalculation of taxes and, I believe, a $125 fee. I called the BA North America RTW desk to make the change. They said that if they made the change they would have to reprice the entire ticket at the ex-US fare rate (several thousand $$ more!).

Is this really true? Can changes (other than date changes) to an ex-IST ticket only be made through the IST office?

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

It is true if you try to change it prior to departure. Just wait until you have flown the first intercontinental segment, then you could change it without refaring. ;)

According to the rules you can cancel without penalty and then get a new ticket issued. If the ex-IST price hasn't changed since you booked the ticket then then the only additional cost would be any extra fuel surcharges imposed since then. You do not need to pay a change fee unless you wish to do so in order to avoid a new ticket.

But I think you do need to do this through the IST office. Why on earth did you issue it so far in advance if you weren't sure of the routing?

Pretty sure the ex-IST price has increased substantially; even if it has not, fuel surcharges have probably increased by more than USD 125 for the routing. Best bet is to change the ticket at AA after you reach the US. Changing before the first flight is not a change, it is refunding your original ticket and buying a new one from scratch (might cost the same, but it often costs more, plus you get new fare rules if they happen to have changed -- and those never change for the better).

ex-IST destinantion change
 

Thanks to all. I have a four month break in Boston between the first ten segments (asia and SWP) and the next ten segments that include the destination change. I have a four hour layover at LAX on the return from SWP. I suspect either the BA or AA ticket office at LAX can do the job.

Much easier than having IST make the change!!

ps. I booked it well in advance to make sure I got the flights I wanted and to hedge a fuel increase. I booked it ahead of the fuel surcharges.

See the posts about re-issues in LAX. I would not count on using the 4-hour layover for a reissue. Depends on day and time that you do it there. As it was issued by BA, you may have better luck with BA. I would not have AA reissue the ticket as I doubt that they can see the 'image' of a 20 segment ticket, so will refuse to do.

Set up the change with BA on the phone and they can do a reissue pretty much anywhere. I did one at SEA last year - got to the airport right when the counter opened (no crowds yet) and they did the reissue in about 40 minutes, 20 of which were spent with them trying to fix a printer that had gone tango. In the meantime I got clued in on lots of cool BA gossip (which has turned out to be largely wrong, BTW.)