Salutory lesson learned with Aer Lingus

kmmvb

:mad:
How can airlines justify charging exorbitant prices for changing a flight? I booked flights from Belfast to Faro for October. Obviously booked a low fare, so the £130 is not refundable. My plans changed and I could no longer travel on the original dates. Instead I tried to change the dates of travel, but at a cost of £35 per person per leg - it was going to come to £140, as well as an additional £167 - totalling £437!

If I cancel the original booking I'll still be £130 down and Aer Lingus can sell those seats again - strikes me that this transaction is heavily in favour of the carrier.

Feeling well and truly fleeced

Caz3121

People pay for flexibility so you can buy a flexible ticket on that route for £492 each so you have still saved money

Pay for 2 flexible tickets initially £984...changes £0 = total £984
Pay for low fare tickets £130 plus £437 = £567
abandon current tickets and purchase new £297 for tickets (assuming tickets are £167+£130) plus original £130 = £427

In this case, due to the type of tickets you chose, it is cheaper to buy new than pay change fees. (although not as cheap as sticking to the original dates)

If it was cheap to change the low fare tickets nobody would buy the flexible tickets

bagand96

Sorry to say you booked non-refundable tickets and didn't read/understand the terms and conditions? Fully flexible tickets are sold by Aer Lingus if that's what you needed.

As you say it's a lesson learned.

As an afterthought... Is the reason you wish to change the flights something that may be covered by travel insurance?