I bought tickets for my 12 yr old granddaughter and myself to fly to Singapore on March 22 with Flight Centre. She has just started secondary ,school, and although we are close, this was to be a bonding time. Due to coronavirus I refuse to expose her to the virus. In order to change the date to Sept is going to cost me $1400 on top of the $2400 already paid for flights and,accommodation. I do not want to cancel…I still want to,go with her, but will NOT pay an extra $1400 for the sake of changing the date on a computer.
People will no doubt say to try travel insurance which I bought in Dec before virus was known. I have been treated for lung cancer, which finished in Oct 2019. I know that they will use my respiratory condition loophole to get away with it.
My main btch about this whole situation is the $1400 flight centre wants to change the date. How can they justify this
Colly
Welcome to the forum @Colly
Airlines have long charged fees for changing anything about any reservation except a flexible one. The flexible ones obviously cost more than any of the non-refundable types.
Flight Centre than adds their own service fee on top of the airlines. Their T&C are here but do not seem to come close to $700 for each of you two. Question 1 is how much of the fee is from the airline, and whether any of it is from cancelled/rebooked/changed accommodation at your destination.
It might be self evident that might happen, but nothing ventured nothing gained. Never assume anything, good or bad, without having a go. Not wanting to expose your granddaughter might be considered whereas you fearing for your own wellbeing might not. I suspect whether or not you might have an ear would be whether there are travel advisories in effect for your original travel dates and itinerary.
While I empathise with your outlook it is more than just changing a date on a computer. It goes to the providers booking management. As an example the provider is concerned whether they can fill your now empty seats (and rooms) on 22 March, so it might be at cost to them rather than ‘just’ a computer entry as seen from your perspective.
If you have not, ring FlightCentre to ascertain where the fees are coming from and if any might be negotiable in any way. Good luck.
@PhilT has provided some great advice.
Also when approaching Flight Centre, tell them the whole story of why the flight needs to be changed and as it is potential health related impacts due to the coronavirus. The airline and Flightcentre may be sympathetic in relation to what fees are ultimately charged.
Also take a letter from your doctor as well advising of risks and recommendation to change planned March travel.
It may also be better to go to a Flightcentre store rather than doing it over the phone/internet. Being in front of an agent makes it more real and personal…and may have a different result.
Thank you for advice. I went back to Flight Centre and saw agent for 2 minutes as she needed to hear from “further up” as to the price of changing the dates. I am awaiting a rep to contact me to see what is the best outcome. This was done by phone.
As @PhilT advised, please don’t presume the travel insurer will knock you back because of your existing medical condition. Get in touch with them and explain your concerns with your grandaughter. You never know, you might find an empathetic insurer. And if you don’t, well at least you tried.
Hi Colly
I recently booked a European holiday via Flight Centre and its been a disaster. I have found Flight Centre impossible to deal with and will never use them again. In relation to your issue, the invoice should state what charges apply for date/time changes. In our case it it was “Airline fee $175USD per person plus FCTG fee of $75 per person per change, plus any fare and tax difference”. This is ridiculous as most airlines let you change your flights for much less if you book directly with them. Lesson learnt - do not go with Flight Centre again!!
Also did you happen to buy the Flight Centre Cover-More Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance. An overpriced travel insurance policy which Flight Centre slip into your invoice (in our case they tried to charge us $890 for a 4 week holiday!!!). If you have happened to take out this cover, this may be one rare occasion when you can use it to cancel your travel plans and get a refund. Check your invoice.
Good luck with your travel plans and I am sorry to hear about your health and wish you a speedy recovery. surely Flight Centre could be a bit flexible in your case - but from my experience they won’t.
I will be posting my own experience with Flight Centre in a separate post.
Apart from what has already been posted, another reason the price may be increased is that September is a more popular month to visit and therefore the accommodation and airfare prices may be higher. Have a look at When is the best time to visit Singapore? for the relative cost of flying to Singapore by month.
