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Do airlines change non-refundable tickets? Sometimes, yes
It's happened to most of us at some point. You purchased a non-refundable plane ticket, but for unforseen reasons, you need to change it. "Sorry" the airline tells you, "you bought a non-refundable ticket". Unless you part with a pint of blood and the full price of a new ticket, there's nothing they can do. Or is there? According this story from frequent traveler Paul Karl Lukacs, airlines do occasionally make exceptions to this rule. You just need to know how to ask.Lukacs recently purchased a one-way non-refundable ticket from Paris to Hong Kong and needed to change his date of travel. He was willing to pay a change fee and any difference in ticket price. Predictably, the customer service team at Qatar Airways denied his request. Sorry, said the ticket agent, "I can't change the date of the ticket. You'll have to buy an entirely new ticket if you want to leave earlier." Familiar story. But Lukacs wasn't giving up easily. Using an executive email technique he discovered at consumer advocate site Consumerist.com, he contacted seven of Qatar Airways' senior executives pleading his case and mentioned the other recent flights he'd taken with the airline. It worked. Two executives emailed him back, and within 24 hours, Lukacs only had to pay the fare difference - goodbye change fee.
Sweet! Does this mean we've discovered a hidden loophole in the dreaded non-refundable ticket policy? Not quite. Lukacs' strategy is clever, no doubt, but it won't work in all cases. Don't expect that simply by writing a complaint letter to an airline's executive team you're going to get your way. That said, Lukacs does outline some smart tips for those looking for options:
- Find the right executive - Lukacs suggests only certain executive level employees are able (or willing) to make exceptions. Do your research on which executive to contact.
- Be polite - if you start your note or phone call with anger, you're not getting anywhere
- Mention your status - if you're a frequent flier or small business owner, mention it in support of your case.
Filed under: Airlines, News, Consumer Activism, Travel Deals
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Alan D Jan 22nd 2011 6:02PM
The standard policy at Southwest is that "non-refundables" can be canceled and the funds are available for another flight, within 12 months from when the original ticket was purchased. They also do not charge for changing reservations online, or the first luggage, or carry-ons.
I am always amazed when other airlines are considered "nice" for doing what Southwest does all the time.
Mary Jan 22nd 2011 8:01PM
And sometimes you just talk to the right person! As a family, we fly Continental regularly for its nonstop San Diego-Newark flight. Last summer we moved our daughter to New York for college, but each of us had a slightly different itinerary. The night before my husband and I were due to fly home, I tried to print my boarding pass and couldn't. I called CO, and the agent said, "You can only print 24 hours before your flight." Me, "I know, I'm flying tomorrow at 10 am." Agent, "No, you're flying the following day at 10 am." Me, "*%&!" I explained that clearly I'd made a mistake while booking the three tickets, but I needed to be at work Tuesday, when 800 children would be clamoring for their school library to open. The agent worked on it for a bit, then asked if I wanted a middle seat next to my husband or the aisle across from him. No charge, and we were on the cheapest tickets available.
They also switched my husband and daughter to my flight at no charge when we were returning from a funeral, and my daughter's ticket to fly home at Christmas when her final exam schedule changed. We average about 4 trips a year on Continental, so this had nothing to do with our frequent flier status. I like to think it's my pleasant phone personality, but I think these CO agents have some lee-way in dealing with issues like this. Whatever it is, I'm sticking with them!
Lena Charles Jan 23rd 2011 11:00AM
I am a former travel agent who was laid off last year. I can attest, that if you purchase a ticket from a travel agent who's company has a good relationship with that particular airline, it can be relatively easy to get free changes/refunds. In the industry, we call it "waivers and favors". If we know the sales rep from that airline we can call in a favor. We usually only do it in extreme circumstances, and if I pulled off a "hail Mary" refund I would definately still charge a service fee. But, it's better than losing the entire value of the ticket.
J.J. Lasne Jan 23rd 2011 12:35AM
There is a difference between non refundable and non changeable airfares. Depending on the fare basis, most non refundeable tickets are changeable for a fee plus the difference in the fare (between the one you paid and the one now in effect). Non refundable fares remain non refundable unless you die before the flight... I suggest to ones who qualify for it to buy student, youth or faculty tickets. They afford a longer validity and the change fee is minimal.