Changing outbound leg only.

Apologies if this sounds similar to recent posts, but I've read a lot of forum posts here and nothing quite seems to match what I'm experiencing.

I'm flying to SFO next month on business and taking a well earned holiday in LAS immediately after my business has concluded. The good lady is currently flying in on a K fare into LAS and we are both departing from LAS a week later on Z's.

On Friday night, she suggested that, as she has more holiday from work than expected, she could change her flight and join me in SFO for a while. So I called Virgin to enquire about changing her outbound flight to SFO rather than LAS. I was being quoted some pretty high numbers and after the phone call, couldn't understand where they were getting these numbers from as I was told there are available K's on the new flight, so I called back.

The 2nd agent told me that as the return flight was a Z, which isn't changeable, in addition to the £100 change fee for the K, they would have to move the Z into another fare bucket to change the K. Is that something I totally missed and haven't known all these years I've been flying with Virgin?

The other question that comes to mind is that if a Z truly is non changeable in any circumstances, how can they change it to a higher fare class?

Any real facts here would be really useful, so either I can accept that is the case, or I go back to FC armed with some more ammunition.

Thanks all.

[Neil]

The agent is correct, a Z fare is not changeable at all, and when flying on a mixed fare itinerary then the most restrictive fare covers the whole journey.

The only way to change a Z is to upgrade it to a higher fare code which is less restrictive, but as you have found out that is very expensive.

You really don't have any other options I am afraid.

You really don't have any other options I am afraid.

Aside from telling the wife it's too expensive, and I'll have 9 days of peace before I go to Vegas!!

Thanks Neil

You really don't have any other options I am afraid.

Aside from telling the wife it's too expensive, and I'll have 9 days of peace before I go to Vegas!!

Thanks Neil

That was a lucky escape

There are plenty of low-cost direct flights from Vegas to SFO, why not just book an onward flight from Vegas separately. It may even work out cheaper than paying the £100 change fee even if Virgin would allow you to do this. a quick search for a random date in March (7th) pulled up multiple flights for less than £100 including one on united for £26!

There are plenty of low-cost direct flights from Vegas to SFO, why not just book an onward flight from Vegas separately. It may even work out cheaper than paying the £100 change fee even if Virgin would allow you to do this. a quick search for a random date in March (7th) pulled up multiple flights for less than £100 including one on united for £26!

Yeah, good thought. But she is already flying into Vegas about 20 minutes before my internal flight from SFO (Virgin America, naturally). Thus ensuring that at least one of our flights will be delayed!!

The idea was that she joined me in SFO and then we both went to Sin City and extended her holiday.

Ahh I see, you want to change the date as well as the destination. My misunderstanding, sorry.
Of course it has to be Virgin America Fantastic airline.