CX have done nothing incorrectly. Not liking their response does not make it wrong and is perfectly normal

Perhaps the TA is less scared rather than not believing them to be wrong

Dave

Dave

What I don't like about their response is the fact that it goes against the published xONEx published rules. Furthermore the contract framed by oneworld states explicitly that I am bound by the xONEx rules.

One can only play by the rules as notified at the time of contract and not by rules imposed ex post facto.

It is all very clear. The IATA rules trump the xONEx rules. Communication could be better, but they are right. The agent that issued the AONE4 ticket was wrong and found a very interesting way to beat the computer system (assuming it really happened).

I can tell you why I am so sure it is impossible for agents to reissue like was suggested.

Recently I was delayed (by CX) on my way back to JNB (on an AONE6) by so much that I could no longer make the first flight of my next ticket (a DONE4). CX and AA are still fighting who will have to pay for the reissue since neither company is able to reissue without extra cost. It is in the computer system and there is no work around.

The only thing I know is that I will not be paying for it but after some interesting discussions with both AA, CX and even BA on the matter I know for a fact that the proposed reissue scenario is impossible.

Your problem is not with the rules, but with the communication of them.

The biggest rip off is the 180 pounds fuel surcharge they charged during the prmotion while the oil price was USD$40!!!!

What airline issued the ticket?

IB issued the LONE4 ticket!

Met a family on the weekend who booked and paid for a DONE4 in Jan 2009 for travel at end of Feb 2009.

When the anniversary offer was announced they approached CX and and asked them to rebook them so they could claim the lower fare - they even changed the dates without changing the routing. CX refused and told them the only way forward was to cancel the original booking with the 5% penalty (and wait for refund) and then make a new booking at the cheaper fare.

I thought IATA rules were that any change to the 1st coupon meant that the fare had to be that at the date of the change, which in this case would have been the 10% discounted fare.

That's correct. They should have been able to reissue the old ticket with date change, paying 5% fee, but less 10% discount, for a net savings of 5%.

From practical point of view, it is easier to refund the original ticket with 5% fee, then purchase a new one with 10% discount. Ticket reissueance can be very complicated and time consuming for long routings. It may also cause complications down the road if further changes become necessary.

But if the xONEX rules provide for changes to be made at anytime before the 1st flight (including sector 1), they should have just reissued the ticket together with the refund of 10% in accordance with the new fare.

Why did they have to cancel the original booking with the 5% penalty.

After all, if a 1st coupon is rebooked after a fare increase, the airline would simply demand an increase in fare and reissue.

In this case honesty (by the customer) wasn't the best policy. They should have simply changed either the first flight or part of the route and let nature have its course.

He/she was trying to change the first flight and get a 10% refund.@:-)

IATA rules apply to all international tickets issued by IATA member airlines. It supersedes fare rules.

Seems perfectly reasonable to me - after all the airlines are quick to take your cash if the fare has increased from when then booked to the date they amended the 1st coupon.

Surely has to work both ways.

Bold mine... Maybe they did eventually 'just rebooked' but if this is how they started out...

A route/first flight change should have been a $125 reissue fee + reissue against the going rate at the time.

I guess CX weren't too pleased with the explanation given. :)

I guess people have different definitions of what is reasonable. :p ;)

Which TOC is this from?

Why is reissuing so complicated and time consuming? What are the complications it can cause later?

I am still a bit confused wrt to reroute & reissue fee and/or recalculation of fare ... here is my understanding, would appreciate you guys to confirm/correct:

a. if I change date or reroute first sector - this leads to reissue fee of $125and recalculation of fare

b. if I have started my trip and need to reroute a couple of segments in the middle of the trip, this will result with a fee of $125 only

c. if I have not started my trip, but want to reroute a couple of segments in the middle of the trip - would this be the same as (a) or (b)?

A) Change of Routing on the first segment is not allowed.

B) The rest of the segments can be changed with the $125 free Plus Taxes for the new segments. Only the new segments will be recalulated. The entire ticket should NOT be repriced.

what about changing and rerouting segments e.g. 3, 4 before I start using segment 1? Does this just cost $125 only or this also leads to recalculate the fare?

The rules state the following:

In January or February of this year I successfully changed the first flight on a DONE4. AA insisted it wasn't possible but I insisted they direct me to the relevant section of the technical rule sheet for the oneworld explorer fare. They couldn't.

Strange, since AA showed me the relevant section without hesitation. It is in their rule sheet, in CX's rule sheet and in BA's rule sheet. Guess you lucked out.

Of course if you change the flight within a period where there is no price increase the reissue against current prices does not make any difference.

Or lucked in.

When I made the change I had a thorough look at the technical rule sheet and didn't see a rule prohibiting such a change. Admittedly, it the change was only delaying travel by one day on one flight but still a change nonetheless.

Trust me, it is there. There are two rule sheets by the way. The one published on the OneWorld website and the one by the issuing airline. The latter states the reissue first segment situation.

To illustrate: when CX made me miss my first flight of an DONE5 they had to reissue themselves against the new rate and reimburse me for the difference in order to stick to IATA rules. Silly, but true. (Money never changed hands, but my ticket does have the new price etc).

AA reissued a DONEx ticket without charge for me when CX cancelled the first flight. The AA agent noted that the reissue was due to a schedule change and didn't even have to go through the tariff desk.

Okay, I trust you. However, I don't believe it was in the rules (or at least explicitly clear) when I made my change earlier this year.

It has always been there as far as I know. Obviously the rule only kicks in when there actually is a price difference. Maybe if the difference is not so substantial they don't charge you? In my case the price difference was over $800,-.

And again: it is not in the ruile sheet on OW but the specific sheet from the airline. I posted a link to one in an earlier reply (#14) to this topic.

I have recently changed the departure date of a Aone4. The ticket WAS reissued but NOT repriced. I did not change the routing.

Was there a price difference?

If there was, I don't know what to tell you. The rules are clear but clearly not alwasy applied. The link to the rule sheet is in reply 14.

No change in price. I did the same with another Aone4 last year no change in price.

Here is the rule sheet:

http://www.oneworld.com/content/libr...rule_sheet.pdf

If there has been no change to the fares , then a repricing will just reprice the same as before so no impact; does't provide anything substantive to the repricing on a rebooking of the 1st flight

Dave

Who issued the ticket originally, and who reissued it? AA RTW desk both times?

When you say "No change in price" do you mean no change in price to you (that is, no re-price), or that the itinerary priced the same (that is, you could purchase the same itinerary at the same price on the date of the change)?

Once again: not that one, but the one in reply #14.

And I indeed meant was there a difference in price between the day you originally bought the ticket and the time you made the change to the first flight (e.g. was there a published price increase)?

yes both times.

To clarify.
two tickets
I just changed the date of the first segment.
Yes there had been a price change both times.
No RECALCULATION of the fare.

Who had originally issued the tickets, and who re-issued them?

AA CPT.

(my bolding)

I have a degree in law, with a major in air law.

This is the first I have heard that IATA rules are 'law of the air' - they're not.

Member airlines may choose to be bound by the rules as set down by IATA but that does not mean that these rules are incorporated into statue law in any country.

Also please note that IATA rules, or oneworld rules, or airline fare rules, do not overrule contract law, or consumer protection laws, of a particular country unless agreed by the parliament of that country.

So your advice that caveat emptor applies is not correct for many legal systems around the world. Certainly not in the complex area of contract and consumer laws.

My advice therefore to any poster with a problem is to seek proper advice.

With regards

lme ff