This article is a walk-through of the ‘Change This Flight’ feature. Users can reference this article to help navigate this new feature and understand the expectations and limitations of its capability.
Completing an Exchange within FlightBridge
1. To begin the process, open the order that needs to be exchanged. If the order is in the correct FlightBridge status of ‘Ticketed’, the ‘Change this reservation’ button will display.
Press the ‘Change this reservation’ button
Once the change button is clicked, a modal will pop up that will either warn you that the order does not qualify, or ask if you would like to proceed.
2. Click ‘Yes, change reservation’
Once the button to proceed is clicked, the order will become locked and no other users will be able to initiate changes on the order from within FlightBridge until it is unlocked. This includes initiating ‘Change this flight’, or ‘Cancel’/ ‘Void’.
*Note: changes can still be made to an order via Sabre or the Airline website while the order is locked. If an order is stuck in the Locked status, please reach out to FlightBridge Support and they can assist in getting the order unlocked or completing the change for you.
Using the browser buttons will interrupt the exchange process AND the Order Locking Feature.
- The PNR may not be successfully Ignored/ session closed.
- The Order may remain locked.
A ‘Discard Changes’ button will be present on every page from the start of the exchange shop to the final confirmation page. You can Discard Changes at any step prior to final confirmation.
Once you have moved past the search results, there will also be a ‘Select New Flight’ button if you want to go back and see your search results again.
3. The details from the existing ticket will pre-populate on the next page. You will be able to edit the fields that are supported but may not be able to edit certain fields (like the ‘Refundable flights only’ check box or select certain Origin Airports) depending on the rules and restrictions of the current ticket.
The Existing reservation details will display on the top of the page on every subsequent step so the details are always accessible.
4. The Search results page will display any itineraries that Sabre has validated to the rules of the existing ticket. They should all be legal exchanges and conform to the existing ticket's Validating Carrier but not necessarily the Operating/Marketing Carrier so you may see multiple airlines available from the same Alliance.
The itinerary of the existing ticket should be identified and selectable so it can be used to upgrade the cabin.
5. On the next page, confirm/select the desired cabin. If the existing itinerary was selected, you must select a different cabin from the existing ticket in order to proceed.
On this page, you should also be able to see the refund/exchange penalties in greater detail.
Once you have selected your desired cabin/fare click ‘Continue Booking’
The system will warn you at this step if you are in danger of forfeiting a residual value.
If this is approved, click ‘Yes, continue booking’ to proceed.
6. On the next page, the passenger information will populate from the FlightBridge Traveler Profile (not from the Sabre record).
You will not be able to edit the Name fields, Date of Birth or Gender, but will be able to add email address, phone number, Known Traveler Number, Redress Number or Frequent Flyer Number.
*Note: If a Frequent Flyer Number already exists on the order, the new number will be rejected by Sabre. This will not generate an error, the information will just not make it into Sabre. For all other values, the new information will simply be added, but any old information from the original ticket will remain on the PNR.
The credit card can be changed on this page to cover the new booking fee and Add Collect only.
7. Once the order is confirmed, the original ticket number will disappear from the order display and the status will change to ‘Exchanged/Not Ticketed’ and Version 2 will display next to the Confirmation.
You should be able to see the applied credit information as you would on an instant apply credit and the exchange information should display in the Status History.
The order will be placed to the Auto-Ticketing Queue in Sabre and should ticket and update within 30min the same way a Standard booking does.
8. Once the order has ticketed, the Status will update to Ticketed and the new ticket number will populate. The Status History will update.
The receipt for the previous version of the order can still be accessed via the Status history.
Eligibility for ‘Change this reservation’
The initial rollout of ‘Change this reservation’ supports the following cases:
FlightBridge Validations:
- ✅The order must be Ticketed, you cannot make changes before the original booking is ticketed.
- ❌Non-ARC carriers like Spirit Airlines and Sun Country cannot be exchanged
- ❌A ticket cannot be exchanged if:
- the original ticket is still within the Void Window
- it has been canceled and turned into an unused eticket credit and is stored on the Unused eTicket Credits in FlightBridge
- itinerary is Roundtrip (only one-way is eligible)
- A credit has been applied (only tickets where no credit has been applied are eligible)
- Ticket has been exchanged at least once before or the ticket has been partially used
- ❌The following FlightBridge statuses are not eligible to be exchanged and ‘Change this reservation’ button will not display:
- Confirmed/Not Ticketed
- Review Required
- Exchanged/Not Ticketed
- Completed
- Never Ticketed
- Canceled/ Voided
General Exchange rules:
- The Base Currency used to purchase the original ticket must match the base currency on the exchange.
- FlightBridge will validate the airports for matching base currency and will not allow the user to shop for departing airports that do not match the base currency of the existing ticket.
- The Validating Carrier from the original ticket must be the validating Carrier on the exchange ticket (though the Operating carrier may be different).
- The Exchange Shop process should automatically validate the ticket rules and only return search results that are viable.
- Users may select the exact same flight but may only exchange for a different Cabin type than that of the original ticket (i.e. Economy cabin upgrade to Business Class)
Refundability:
-
✅Refundable > Non-Refundable It is possible for a Refundable ticket to be exchanged for an itinerary with a Nonrefundable fare.
- If attempted, the new endorsements from the Nonrefundable fare are retained and the old endorsements from the Refundable ticket no longer apply. User must accept the risk by acknowledging a disclaimer.
-
❌Non-Refundable > Refundable. It is not possible for a Nonrefundable ticket to be exchanged for an itinerary with a Refundable fare.
- FlightBridge will not allow user to select refundable as a search option on a non-refundable ticket.
Passenger Information:
- ❌Secure Passenger Flight Data cannot be changed during an exchange
- First Name
- Middle Name
- Last Name
- Date of Birth
- Gender
- ✅Non-Secure passenger information can be added but not replaced when exchanging a ticket.
- Phone
- Known Traveler Number
- Redress Number
- Frequent Flyer Number
- ✅Credit Card form of payment can be changed during the exchange. The new credit card will be applied to the new booking fee and any Add Collect.
- It will not update the credit card charged for the original ticket and booking fee.
If you run into any errors while booking or have any questions along the way, please reach out to FlightBridge Support at support@flightbridge.com or 404-835-5600. If it is after regular operating hours, you will have the option to be routed to our travel partner, Altour, for emergency assistance.
