Award Itineraries Can't Be Changed!!
 

I just learned from Air Canada that itinerary changes (specifically flight dates) can no longer be changed on Star Alliance partner airlines once a reward has been booked.

Is this true for all Star Alliance members?

You members of United, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, etc., do you have the same limitation when using AC?

This is bad news for reward travel and is just one more perk loss that reduces the value of these programs.

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AC SE
BA Gold

Not a rule change and not a Star Alliance rule (varies by airline)--AC has been like this since I can remember. No changes on partners, although you can change on AC metal flights. In practice I have been able to change at the airport with partners but I would not rely on it. This is reward travel and given the blackout dates, restrictions, lack of inventory for reward seats, I try to stick to original travel plans for rewards on partners anyway since SE status does not guarantee me anything on non AC aircraft.

It would make it better to allow changes but you still might run into problems trying to actual get a seat on the flight you want.

I know UA allows changes on partners but I don't know how practically easy this is.

If you have book a trip with your SK EuroBonus points you can change that reservation until 7 days til departure. If there are still seats left then, thats a another story http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Prior to travel, there is a partial solution that has worked for me:

"tickets/certificates may be reinstated to your Aeroplan account, subject to a fee of $53.50CAD (no charge for SE/Elite members), taxes included, payable only by credit card at time of request, provided reservations are cancelled no later than 24 hours prior to departure. Return your unused and unexpired ticket/certificate with a letter outlining your request to Aeroplan Reward Department"

I then got Aeroplan to reissue tickets with the travel times I wanted (United Airlines).

This works OK when you have lots of miles in your account but could be problematical if you don't (ie have to wait until reward ticket(s) is received and credited before you can use those miles).

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BlondeBomber:
[B]Prior to travel, there is a partial solution that has worked for me:[UNQUOTE]

Yup, tried that one. However I'm trying to change a trip with NZ between Honolulu and Auckland and, starting from scratch, there is virtually nothing available all winter long.

One has to wonder how many award seats NZ maintains.

This is also not unusual in oneworld. Take Qantas' rules:

"Once a flight Award ticket for travel on Qantas has been issued,a date change may be made without any penalty; however,any date change is subject to capacity limitations. Flight awards on Partner Airlines, or a combination of Qantas and Partner Airlines, cannot be changed once ticketed."

Does AC ban date changes on partner airlines after ticketing or after booking?

As far as I know, NH and UA also do not allow for date changes, not to mention route changes, on award tickets with partner airlines. But this, if I am not wrong, is after they are ticketed.

As far as oneworld goes, AA and CX allows for date changes. This really is a great benefit.

(AA's oneworld multicarrier award, which of course allows for date changes, is an amazing award ticket.)

BA (for a Japan-resident member like me) also operates more like a Star carrier http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif. Very inflexible.

[This message has been edited by Chiangi (edited 02-11-2001).]

Yes this is after ticketing. AC requires ticketing within 7 days of making the booking.

I recently flew my husband on a free SQ biz ticket, San Diego to Karachi. I traded in 140K UA miles. My husband is affectionately known as the quarter million mile guy in our home due to two free award tickets I have recently gifted him - but I digress.

The day prior to travel, he decided he would like to return home with a stop in Tokyo. He was ticketed via Taipei (connection, no stopover). UA and SQ were magnificent in cooperating to reroute him, as well as opening up non-reward seats for him. I can't sign their praises enough for their kindness on this trip. He had to pay a change fee - $75? $100?

So there are two *alliance partners who DO allow changes after ticketing.

In my experience...:

1) AC FF program. No changes after ticketing except on AC/CP metal.

2) UA FF program. No changes after 1st travel except on UA metal.

3) AN FF program. No changes after 1st travel on all partners.

4) TG FF program. Changes are permitted on LH, TG only.

5) LH FF program. Changes permitted for a DM100 fee.

6) SQ FF program. No changes permitted except on SQ metal.

My experience using Ansett miles on South African (I know - not Star): when I booked they said "we'll put a note in the file allowing one date change" which I used (after taking the initial SAA flight) without any problem. I then needed to make another date change and they allowed it although they said that it wasn't really within the rules. The main thing that they were concerned about was that I could get the ticket to an Ansett ticket office to get the flight coupon changed to the new flight. I was very happy with their flexibility.

[This message has been edited by 3544quebec (edited 02-12-2001).]

When you say on carrier XX metal only, I assume you mean that you may change as long as you stay within that carriers metal, correct?

That's correct Gaucho.

Enjoying the roast--are you cooked yet? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Guy Betsy, could you give us a rundown of your experiences with oneworld? I am curious.

Not a problem with NZ.

I'm off on my honeymoon (Australian Grand Prix) in two weeks. Bernie Ecclestone decided to change date of race bringing it forward one week. So far, I've changed the date, class (Y to J) and my surname with only one NZ$50 fee!