Why pay $100 per ticket??
 

My wife and I hold 2 round trip biz class tickets to Saigon, Vietnam we obtained as award travels from *Alliance. We are changing our minds and want to go to Europe instead... I talked to a *Alliance agent last night and he told me we'd have to pay $100 per ticket to return them (paper tix, ANA outbound, SQ return).

I did not get a good answer why I had to pay this $100 per ticket fee?
Can I simply exchange these tickets for European ones? Providing the are some... according to the agent, there's NOTHING open over Atlantic. :(

I am assuming you are redeeming UA miles for this award ticket through United. The $100 change fee is imposed by United, and they set their own rules. It has nothing to do with ANA or SQ (or star alliance in general).

"I talked to a *Alliance agent last night."
There is no such thing as *Alliance agent. You were talking to United agent, and it is United who ask you for the $100 fee.

Thank you, you are right, I think he was a United agent. I stand corrected.

What is the $100 for? just processing fee?

How can I exchange the current tickets for Europe tix?

Call the same place you booked them (the UA international awards desk). They'll let you know all the details (mailing them in, airport exchange, etc..).

And yes, the $100 is a 'processing fee'.

If you have paper tickets it is best to do at the airport where they can credit the miles back to your account on the spot and apply for the tax refund.

BTW the award fees are waived for 1K/UGS on United. Last week I was mistakenly charged the $100 fee for redepositing the miles but I have already disputed it with my credit card company. (Don't have time to call United refunds regarding this.)