United Airlines

Belfast_Bap

Hi Folks,

Apologies if this has been covered in a previous thread but hopefully someone may be able to provide some advice or has maybe been in this situation before.

I have a booking for myself and girlfriend to fly with United Airlines from Belfast to Newark in December this year. Unfortunately my girlfriend will no longer be travelling, however, I have a friend who is willing to travel in her place.

I have just spoken with United to find out how much it would cost to change the name on the ticket and have initially advised me that the tickets are non refundable and that the name cannot be changed. I was expecting a fee of around $150 but to be told that the name cannot be changed seems daylight robbery - essentially this ticket is now redundant and if my friend wishes to travel he will have to by a new ticket.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Belfast Bap

dannny_2

Belfast_Bap wrote: »

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

read the contract of carriage would be a good start.

https://www.united.com/web/format/pdf/Contract_of_Carriage.pdf

"Tickets are not transferable unless otherwise stated on the Ticket at the time it was issued."

Sure someone will give you more informative advice in a bit though that may help your current situation.

Caz3121

Belfast_Bap wrote: »

I have just spoken with United to find out how much it would cost to change the name on the ticket and have initially advised me that the tickets are non refundable and that the name cannot be changed. I was expecting a fee of around $150 but to be told that the name cannot be changed seems daylight robbery - essentially this ticket is now redundant and if my friend wishes to travel he will have to by a new ticket.

Common in most if not all full service airlines. Name change fees are something that occurs on low cost carriers.
You should be able to claim some of the airport taxes (APD) back from United
If the reason your girlfriend is no longer travelling is covered by her travel insurance they should pay out less the amount received from the airline

The only way round this would have been to buy a refundable ticket in the first place which would have cost you significantly more when you first purchased

_Andy_

Belfast_Bap wrote: »

Hi Folks,

Apologies if this has been covered in a previous thread but hopefully someone may be able to provide some advice or has maybe been in this situation before.

I have a booking for myself and girlfriend to fly with United Airlines from Belfast to Newark in December this year. Unfortunately my girlfriend will no longer be travelling, however, I have a friend who is willing to travel in her place.

I have just spoken with United to find out how much it would cost to change the name on the ticket and have initially advised me that the tickets are non refundable and that the name cannot be changed. I was expecting a fee of around $150 but to be told that the name cannot be changed seems daylight robbery - essentially this ticket is now redundant and if my friend wishes to travel he will have to by a new ticket.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Belfast Bap

It's not 'daylight robbery', it's standard practice and in accordance with the T&Cs you agreed to when you bought the ticket.
Fully refundable fares are available but presumably as they'd be £100s more you'd also consider those 'daylight robbery'

duchy

Sorry but it's standard booking condition with the legacy (rather than low cost) carriers. If you have taken out travel insurance which I'm guessing for a non refundable trip you would you may be able to claim but if it's just your girlfriend no longer wishes to go then it wouldn't be claimable.

A refundable fare would have been probably double what you paid. It really does pay to read the conditions of booking - I doubt you weren't told it is a non refundable fare at the point of booking - just that you hoped their meaning was more flexible but unfortunately it isn't. It's the same with BA, American etc - standard for these type of fares.

zerog

No, you are all wrong. For United (like other North American airlines, and unlike European airlines), non-refundable means you can't get the money back onto your card. However, for an extra US$150 fee you will be able to cancel and get the refund as a credit to use on another United flight within in the next 12 months. You will have to phone up to do this.

There may be a different charge when the ticket is issued in the UK, I think it might be £120 but check it yourself.

The new ticket must still be issued to the same passenger, so it is not possible to transfer it to someone else to fly.

marsman802

Yes yes I did just that!! Was a few yrs back and was $100 but I moved it twice in two weeks

jackieblack

zerog wrote: »

No, you are all wrong. For United (like other North American airlines, and unlike European airlines), non-refundable mean you can't get the money back onto your card.

:think: So 'Non-refundable' does means exactly that - you can't get a refund of the cost of the ticket.

zerog wrote: »

However, for an extra US$150 fee you will be able to cancel and get the refund as a credit to use on another United flight within in the next 12 months. You will have to phone up to do this.

There may be a different charge when the ticket is issued in the UK, I think it might be £120 but check it yourself.

The new ticket must still be issued to the same passenger, so it is not possible to transfer it to someone else to fly.

What you describe is the same passenger being able to change the date of the flight, within 12 months of the date of the original flight, for a fee.
Not the same thing as a refund at all.
Not able to transfer the ticket to an different passenger.
Not what the OP needs or wants to do.

zerog wrote: »

No, you are all wrong.

:huh: :cool:

jpsartre

Belfast_Bap wrote: »

I was expecting a fee of around $150 but to be told that the name cannot be changed seems daylight robbery

If only ticket terms were determined by what the passenger expects, not what they agree to at the time of booking...

signol

If you originally got a good deal, the base fare might have been very low. Even if you cancel and get no fare back, you should be able to get back the taxes paid, which might go some way towards a new ticket for your new friend.

signol