<p>I should know the answer to the following question, but unfortunately, since I am not experienced with having recently traveled via air, I am not as familiar with the specific airline’s rules and regulations as I should be. Has anyone been able to change an airline ticket that was originally purchased using airline miles, if it’s in a lower-class level of service and travel using the ticket has already began? D is currently studying abroad and would like to change her date of departure to come home, but the airline is saying that she can’t do that unless it’s in the same class of service as what was originally booked. She originally departed via a higher level of service, but the return was booked in the lower class, one that is no longer available in terms of changing. I thought that as long as there was a seat available on the plane on the specific date of travel, then it would be possible to change, but apparently, that is incorrect.</p>
<p>The answer is probably ‘it depends’, on your frequent flyer plan. The ones which I’m familiar with would probably respond as yours did, and usually, an airline only allocates a certain number of seats on each flight as available for frequent flyer patrons. One of the plans that we use does, indeed, have the ‘every seat is available’ plan but only a few are available at a certain level of points/miles, etc. If those are already taken, then it will cost you more points/miles, often substantially more, to book a seat. Did you ask if a seat would be available if you contributed more points/miles?</p>
<p>Since you used airline miles, I think it would be difficult. If the only seat available is a higher class, they do not have to give it to her, but I would think if you spoke to them and proved that you are a repeat customer you might get them to budge. I will say that when Bullet and I took our family overseas 2 years ago, (we used pts to upgrade) and the upper class was booked solid. Since you have used your pts. they see you as a loss, maybe by speaking to them directly they will change their mind…Fine, I have X amt of pts., but obviously my loyalty means nothing sometimes threats in a kind and gentle voice can work wonders.</p>
<p>Also remember you are dealing with peak weeks right now. I believe that I read most airlines will overbook, knowing they will have no shows.</p>
<p>The other option is to fly standby, but not sure if that option is possible for an overseas flight.</p>
<p>I don’t think it is because when we went overseas you cannot get pass check in unless you have a ticket for that day.</p>
<p>Once travel has started, the ticket is no longer controlled by the whomever issues the FF miles but by the airline. Call the airline to determine their policy. Often there is a significant change fee ($50-100) plus the difference in the cost of the ticket.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your advice. I talked with 3 US Airways international reservationists, and one of them even ask her supervisor, and they said that they’re not even allowed to change the ticket once a flight segment has already taken place. I realize now that the mistake I made was not booking the ticket at a higher points level (in coach), but this was the only type of ticket using points that was available at the time the reservation was made. It is only now that my D would like to spend some extra time traveling and would like to change her return date. I’m going to continue to try to do what I can to get them to change her date. I offered more points/miles, etc., and they wouldn’t even take them! I also explained that she’s a student - but that didn’t seem to make any difference - they didn’t care.</p>
<p>Offer them cash. Just repeating above. Typically there is a rebooking fee plus the added fare. If the trip happens to be in the peak travel season, there may be a limited number of seats and which are reserved for high paying customers. </p>
<p>Never, Tell your seat mate how much you paid for your ticket. Never Ask.</p>
<p>The charge for a one-way ticket is $3,000+. I realize now that I was in error, because a 25,000 miles ticket was the only one being offered for that particular day, so I didn’t have a choice, since this was supposed to be the return day. Meanwhile, D was able to travel Envoy across the pond.</p>
<p>If you were able to get an international ticket for only 25,000 frequent flier miles, you got the deal of the century! Assuming you’ve got more USAir
miles–can you just start anew and see how many FF miles it would take for a one way ticket home on the date that she wants? Try this website–I found it helpful to get information about frequent flier rules/regs.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.webflyer.com/news/[/url]”>http://www.webflyer.com/news/</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the website - I’ll take a look at it. The 25,000 was only for the return portion of the flight. I had to use more points for the departure, since it was an upgrade to Envoy. US Air charges the same amount of points whether or not it’s one-way or round-trip, and it’s an excessive amount.</p>
<p>I would have to spend 100,000 points/miles in order to book the one-way return flight, plus the $100 change fee (which is a drop in the bucket). I guess that could work if they re-deposited the 25,000. I always booked at the higher rate (Premium or Envoy), and this was the first time that I ever booked one segment at one of the lower coach levels (25,000).</p>
<p>A few years ago I used H’s FF miles on USAir for a family emergency trip to Europe. I booked both ways, had to pay a minor fee for quick (less than 48 hours) redemption. Once I got there and the situation settled, it was clear I needed to get out of the way, and the return reservation was changeable for no fee. This was in October, so I do not know if that made a difference. It was a godsend at the time…and there were no hassles. What a shame that they do not just make it difficult, but impossible now. Consumers have not gained a thing, only lost every chance to just get on down the road, or rather across the pond, as painlessly as possible.</p>
<p>
For us a few years ago, when traveling to a close friend’s funeral, we found that seats opened (using FF miles) that would not have been made available if not for “bereavement” travel. Ditto with hotel rooms in a booked hotel. Kindness and help were everywhere. So the family emergency situation may have played in for lorelei as well. </p>
<p>Just sayin’.</p>
<p>Wait - what if you call and upgrade the return flight, then change the date at a later time? Once your ticket is in the higher class of service, it should be changeable with just a fee.</p>
<p>I already asked if I could do that, and they said that once a flight segment has already been used, it can’t be changed, because in this particular case, it was booked at an economy rate, not premium. The only way to upgrade (and I’ve done this several times) is to already start with a premium level ticket and then upgrade to envoy class. I did finally manage to get a sympathetic supervisor to listen to me, and she was able to change the ticket for $100 fee, but D is now traveling on a different airline and going out of her way in order to come home on a particular day. It’s not ideal but at least it’s something. If a better option becomes available, then we’ll consider it at the time.</p>