Flight change fees

[maipenrai]

So I had to contact Cathay Pacific to change my return flight - I had originally booked for a return in late January to fit my 60 day visa after hearing of problems others have had elsewhere when their flight schedules do not fit their visa terms, with the intention of changing it later to allow for a 30 day extension. Now the original ticket stated that there was no charge for re-booking until December 31 so on my arrival day I figured I'd go up to CP's office in the Ploenchit Tower in BKK and sort things out - I go there and guess what, the office is "temporarily closed", yet all their info online suggests that it is open for business. 

I found it impossible to do this on their website - it just sits there and spins its wheels; I tried on WhatsApp, which didn't work; and LINE, which went to a Thai language page that I could not change to English. Finally I just picked up the phone and called them, and surprisingly I didn't have to wait at all before I reached an agent - just punched in my membership number and bingo. I tell the agent that I wish to move the ticket to the end of February or beginning of March and he tells me that there is a "fare difference" of $903 CDN (543 GBP) - I tell him that he's gotta be joking - I've already paid through the nose for this ticket months ago and I'm not going to pay this additional exorbitant sum. I end up having to downgrade myself to economy and paying $304 (183 GBP) just for this, and vowing that I won't be using Cathay Pacific in the future - I flew PE with EVA for years and loved their service but they no longer do PE out of Vancouver, damn them...I'll be looking at other alternatives next time. 

[Derek Dangleberries]

18 minutes ago, maipenrai said:

I flew PE with EVA for years and loved their service but they no longer do PE out of Vancouver, damn them.

For the first time in decades I am gonna fly economy EVA rather than PE but will pay extra for my preferred seat. Whenever I have wandered back to the galley from PE to get refills there seemed no problem getting what you want other than the Baileys and Port from PE. So no real hardship.

However, I may extend my visit due to the "extra" bank holiday for the Coronation or if my sons haven't resorted to strangling me, chopping up my body and sending the bits back in a suitcase!!

I'll give feedback here of any costs involved changing my ticket next year!

[Horizondave]

4 hours ago, maipenrai said:

So I had to contact Cathay Pacific to change my return flight - I had originally booked for a return in late January to fit my 60 day visa after hearing of problems others have had elsewhere when their flight schedules do not fit their visa terms, with the intention of changing it later to allow for a 30 day extension. Now the original ticket stated that there was no charge for re-booking until December 31 so on my arrival day I figured I'd go up to CP's office in the Ploenchit Tower in BKK and sort things out - I go there and guess what, the office is "temporarily closed", yet all their info online suggests that it is open for business. 

I found it impossible to do this on their website - it just sits there and spins its wheels; I tried on WhatsApp, which didn't work; and LINE, which went to a Thai language page that I could not change to English. Finally I just picked up the phone and called them, and surprisingly I didn't have to wait at all before I reached an agent - just punched in my membership number and bingo. I tell the agent that I wish to move the ticket to the end of February or beginning of March and he tells me that there is a "fare difference" of $903 CDN (543 GBP) - I tell him that he's gotta be joking - I've already paid through the nose for this ticket months ago and I'm not going to pay this additional exorbitant sum. I end up having to downgrade myself to economy and paying $304 (183 GBP) just for this, and vowing that I won't be using Cathay Pacific in the future - I flew PE with EVA for years and loved their service but they no longer do PE out of Vancouver, damn them...I'll be looking at other alternatives next time. 

This is an issue that a lot of flyers don't understand or don't get told. 

When you buy a ticket it may allow a change at a fee or for free and this is where it goes wrong. Passengers believe for say a small fee or for free they can change their flight at no cost!. No, you can change the flight for a small fee or without a fee (that's a fee to change only) but you would need to pay the difference for the actual fare of the new flight if it is significantly higher than the original return flight.

The only way you would not pay is if the flight return was cancelled and the next flight offered was a higher fare. You would not then pay the difference as the airline will be responsible for the change. If you voluntarily change a lower priced flight to a higher priced flight you need to pay the difference, if it is more (and trust me, it is always more as most have purchased the cheapest flights in the first place). 

[forcebwithu]

Too late now, but it might have been worth checking the cost difference in changing the return over the coming weeks. As the travel date gets closer airlines will reduce the price to try and sell open seats.

[boydeste]

On 12/20/2022 at 11:23 AM, maipenrai said:

So I had to contact Cathay Pacific to change my return flight - I had originally booked for a return in late January to fit my 60 day visa after hearing of problems others have had elsewhere when their flight schedules do not fit their visa terms, with the intention of changing it later to allow for a 30 day extension. Now the original ticket stated that there was no charge for re-booking until December 31 so on my arrival day I figured I'd go up to CP's office in the Ploenchit Tower in BKK and sort things out - I go there and guess what, the office is "temporarily closed", yet all their info online suggests that it is open for business. 

I found it impossible to do this on their website - it just sits there and spins its wheels; I tried on WhatsApp, which didn't work; and LINE, which went to a Thai language page that I could not change to English. Finally I just picked up the phone and called them, and surprisingly I didn't have to wait at all before I reached an agent - just punched in my membership number and bingo. I tell the agent that I wish to move the ticket to the end of February or beginning of March and he tells me that there is a "fare difference" of $903 CDN (543 GBP) - I tell him that he's gotta be joking - I've already paid through the nose for this ticket months ago and I'm not going to pay this additional exorbitant sum. I end up having to downgrade myself to economy and paying $304 (183 GBP) just for this, and vowing that I won't be using Cathay Pacific in the future - I flew PE with EVA for years and loved their service but they no longer do PE out of Vancouver, damn them...I'll be looking at other alternatives next time. 

I have only ever done that the once during covid last trip under the Thai pass. Fortunately there was no extra cost.

Never ever had it questioned at check in or arrival.

 

[Horizondave]

Just looked on the Cathay website for a fictitious trip in business class and the notes below are shown: 

• Flexibility
• Flight change fee 

  GBP$200 + Potential fare difference
• Cancellation fee 

  GBP$300
• No show fee 

  GBP$300

   

  For info: This is for a journey I looked at for London to Bangkok via Hong Kong; it could be different for other fares. For info I noted that for a fully flexible economy fare there is no charge for a change to your flight but you still need to pay the 'Potential Fare Difference'

   

  In the old days it was usually just a change fee as most fares for other flights were basically the same, except at peak periods. Nowadays fares change daily and one must be aware that changing a flight can incur a higher difference to pay, including any base change fees.

[Smiler]

I was due to come back from UK 15th of November but changed to the 29th, flying Thai. This was the return leg of the ticket I bought in July. 

Closer it gets to Christmas the more expensive flights are to Thailand so I had to pay an extra £100 (ish). 

Another expensive time of year is of course the 2-3 weeks before Songkran. I am looking at around 20k baht to fly over to the UK end of January, then 35k return end of March, again with Thai. The prices in 2nd week of April LHR - BKK are just stupid. 

[Stillearly]

4 minutes ago, Smiler said:

The prices in 2nd week of April LHR - BKK are just stupid. 

Easter 

[Binlid]

1 hour ago, Smiler said:

I was due to come back from UK 15th of November but changed to the 29th, flying Thai. This was the return leg of the ticket I bought in July. 

Closer it gets to Christmas the more expensive flights are to Thailand so I had to pay an extra £100 (ish). 

Another expensive time of year is of course the 2-3 weeks before Songkran. I am looking at around 20k baht to fly over to the UK end of January, then 35k return end of March, again with Thai. The prices in 2nd week of April LHR - BKK are just stupid. 

Paid £780 each return with Thai Air for me and the wife LHR-BKK departing 11th April

[Binlid]

Just been charged 1990bht to change our Air Asia flight from Don Mueang to Loei from the morning flight to the afternoon flight on 12th April.

[Smiler]

12 hours ago, Binlid said:

Paid £780 each return with Thai Air for me and the wife LHR-BKK departing 11th April

How long ago did you book if you don't mind me asking? My nephew has a similar price and departure date but they booked back in August. 

[Binlid]

2 hours ago, Smiler said:

How long ago did you book if you don't mind me asking? My nephew has a similar price and departure date but they booked back in August. 

Bought on 22nd September mate.

[boydeste]

17 hours ago, Binlid said:

Just been charged 1990bht to change our Air Asia flight from Don Mueang to Loei from the morning flight to the afternoon flight on 12th April.

Worth it for no stress mate.

[bob lt]

19 hours ago, Binlid said:

Just been charged 1990bht to change our Air Asia flight from Don Mueang to Loei from the morning flight to the afternoon flight on 12th April.

How much was the flight?

[Binlid]

4 hours ago, bob lt said:

How much was the flight?

For the two of us returning to Bangkok on the 16th April, a basic 8400 bht plus 2200 add- ons for cases and seats.