Open Jaw

Does anyone have best advice re booking an open jaws (12 month) ticket with VS?

cheers,
RR

[Nottingham Nick]

Expensive tickets are not really my area [:I] but isn't just a case of booking your ticket in the more expensive fare classes... Y W or J?

That way, the tickets are fully flexible, and you can use the return portion when you want to.

Nick

Err.. if you really mean an open jaw ticket, i.e. fly to one location but back from another, then you can do this on the VS web site. If you mean an open return, then as Nick says you can buy a fully flexible ticket and just change the return date when you need to.

BC

Thanks--I do mean open return--and am pondering the dif between paying a change fee for a cheaper ticket rather than the fully flex...

If you change the date--and pay the fee--do you have to also pay the difference between what the ticket cost when purchased and price when actually used? I don't remember ever having been asked to do so except for changing the class ticket so have no experience in this. Have been trying to suss out fare rules on various options on Expert Flyer and am still no closer to knowing for certain. Booking a ticket with US FC, it is best to be knowledgeable prior to calling...

RR





RR

Hi Roadrunner,

This depends on the cabin of travel, and the country of origin.

The best thing would be to ring the contact centre and ask.

If you purchase 'likely' dates of travel on a lower, restricted fare, then, provided you travel OUTBOUND on the date you booked, in MOST cases, your return, if you change it, will just be for the required change fee, subject to availability of the booking class your ticket was booked into (ie: Q, B, L, M, S etc)

If your ticket were a UK originating Upper Class fare, then the only option you have for flexibilty is the full fare 'J' ticket, so it could be booked as OPEN or as an actual date.

Bear in mind that OPEN does not confirm a date, and is still subject to availability. Sometimes if you want to use it on a busy flight you cannot, unless you travel standby. (that is only if that flight is already sold out)

Hope that Helps,

Juliet

Thanks very much Juliet,

I took your advice and called US FC. All agents were busy. Tap, tap, tap, twirl pencil in old cup of tea whilst listening to same old, same old tape of cut glass voice promoting UC and Why Not Fully Flat Bed, Why Not OLCI, Why Not Book On Line, think about well, why not UC and Fully Flat Bed, remember just in time not to twirl hair with tea soaked pencil. Recall that may need pencil to record fare info and am just reaching for that bit of yesterday's paper across table when FC pick up--and tea cup chooses that moment to empty its contents on me, table and newspaper.

Most knowledgeable FC agent gives me S and W class fares whith S clearly being the winner although change fee at $150 seems same as K and don't I recall a $50 change fee on S just this past summer? FC agent very kindly offers to put these tix on hold (a new one for me!) for 48 hours so that I can have another look round, but will most likely book them, even thougham still scratching my head (yes, sadly with tea pencil) as there seems to be little correlation with these prices and online K fares and those listed with Expert Flyer. Where's that S20?

As FC is recording info, she asks me for seat preference. I pay little attention as am planning to use FCo points to upgrade until she offers seats --and I realize that we are talking 343. 343 from Boston??? Arrgghhh!

[:?] RR

Which part of the US are you in?

I can PM you a way to get through (a bit) quicker to someone who may be better able to assist.

Sorry you got 'tea-ed' and I hope your pencil has recovered, not least your hair, which I'm sure is a bit shinier due to its tea-bath. [:p]

There are Premium economy fully flexible S class fares, referred to as S2OW (fare basis) which can be booked as either one way or two returns, and some more restricted S and K class fares, all possible to use for up to 12 months from the date of outbound travel. **

** please be aware tickets are valid for 12 months from date of issue, first and foremost.
** once actually travelled on the outbound, THEN it is valid for 12 months from date of issue.

anyway, I hope you find what you want.

Hope this helps,

Juliet

All sorted--many thanks to [|:)] Juliet.

RR

No problems.

Glad it all worked out!

Juliet