a question about changing return date of flight

[laugh]

It's for my parents who came here to visit us.

It's open ticket with return date 01/10/03. But they plan to leave some time this month. Because it's international trip, it's too hard to have this done with the original travel agent now, and actually the agent suggested it's better to adjust the date in the States. However, I don't know what to do next. I checked Northwestern Airlines (my parents' flight) website but can't find its customer service number.

How can I have return date changed and confirmed?

Thanks!

 

[RossMAN]

Call Northwest Airlines and ask them, make sure to give them as much accurate information as possible so they can give you a correct answer instead of just guessing (which may cost your parents a lot of $).

1-800-225-2525

 

[pulse8]

If it's an open ticket, shouldn't it not cost them anything?

 

[tcsenter]

Good luck. I booked tickets through Cheap Tickets. Later, I wanted to change the return date so I called Northwest and they said the return date could not be changed. I would have to buy a new one-way ticket for a grand total of $563 (the original round trip ticket was $70 less than that).

It did say no departure/return changes on the ticket documentation when we received the tickets in the mail, despite the fact the Cheap Tickets AGENT said 'Sure no problem you can change the date with reasonable notice and it will only cost $75."

I specifically asked because I DID NOT KNOW for sure when I would be returning, he asked what return date I wanted and I said "I am not certain when I'll be returning" and he said "We've got to put you down for a return date, even if you want to change it later, we need a return date to book the tickets". So I insisted that it have an 'open' return date (which means you can change the return date but it will still cost $75). I've been through this before because I've changed the return date on a couple other flights I took.

But it was my word against the agent's and you nearly have to freaking record every conversation you have these days in case some ass denies he ever said anything.

So after many hours of bitching to both Cheap Tickets and Northwest, I got nowhere and had to pay $563 for a one-way ticket in order to return on the new date. Total cost: $1056 for air travel that should have only been a little less than $500.