Mixed fares for outbound and inbound legs

[borism5]

I recently got burnt by booking a return flight with VA from Melbourne (via Auckland) to Rarotonga, for later this year. The outbound leg was a getaway fare and the return leg was a freedom fare (I was thinking of moving the return leg once I figure out my plans around that time). Now that I know what I want to do, I called the VA call centre and they calculated that I had to pay change fees as if I booked the getaway ticket (which were quite high). Apparently, regardless what you want to do with the ticket (change, cancel), the most restrictive fare rules apply. Now in the hindsight, it is there under the rules but I am used to this applying only to cancellation, not to changing a specific leg/sector of your trip.

Now, the interesting part, the customer service mentioned that once I get to Rarotonga( I've completed the outbound flight) I will have used the getaway part of the ticket, and then I can change me return leg according to the Freedom fare rules. Can anyone else confirm this, as I am always a bit suspicious about what the customer service says, and I can't find anything online in the rules?

 

[cqtiger]

i would also like to know the answer when you eventually travel

 

[Bagpuss]

I recently got burnt by booking a return flight with VA from Melbourne (via Auckland) to Rarotonga, for later this year. The outbound leg was a getaway fare and the return leg was a freedom fare (I was thinking of moving the return leg once I figure out my plans around that time). Now that I know what I want to do, I called the VA call centre and they calculated that I had to pay change fees as if I booked the getaway ticket (which were quite high). Apparently, regardless what you want to do with the ticket (change, cancel), the most restrictive fare rules apply. Now in the hindsight, it is there under the rules but I am used to this applying only to cancellation, not to changing a specific leg/sector of your trip.

Now, the interesting part, the customer service mentioned that once I get to Rarotonga( I've completed the outbound flight) I will have used the getaway part of the ticket, and then I can change me return leg according to the Freedom fare rules. Can anyone else confirm this, as I am always a bit suspicious about what the customer service says, and I can't find anything online in the rules?

They should be able to change both tickets now. The Getaway in terms of the Getaway rules and the Freedom as part of the freedom rules.

Waiting until a later stage, the fare may go up so you have to pay a higher fare difference.

 

[borism5]

They should be able to change both tickets now. The Getaway in terms of the Getaway rules and the Freedom as part of the freedom rules.

Waiting until a later stage, the fare may go up so you have to pay a higher fare difference.

Not sure what you mean by this NOW? Have they changed something recently.


In the meantime I did go to Rarotonga and managed to change my inbound flight back from there for free (which I wasn't able prior to flying the outbound as I was BOUND by GETAWAY rules on my outbound leg, at least in May/June when I called).