Air Berlin flight rebooking fiasco
 

So am I right to be angry? We booked flights to Italy for this summer on Air Berlin and, due to change in jobs and a move to another state, we can't go. I am happy to pay the change fee and thought we could rebook for next summer. After all, the policy says we have a year to reschedule. Well, Air Berlin flights are only scheduled through January and there is no such thing as a voucher for future travel. We can only reschedule for existing flights. We can't go anywhere until next summer. I think this violates their own change policies. What do you think? Do I have any recourse?

I know this sucks, but it's basically a case of <i>caveat emptor.</i> Your options are only those made possible by the detailed flight rules. If the rules say you can only rebook within the scheduled window, that's that. You should have received a copy (more likely a link) to the specific rules pertaining to your fare class; it might be worth looking for those.

If you can take the time during the window to fly, even if you don't want to go where the ticket states, and if AB doesn't allow swapping destinations, then look at flying to your original destinations then buying cheap tickets on some low-cost carrier to someplace nicer, then returning to your original departure point for the trip home.

But find and read the precise rules first; there might be wiggle room in them somewhere.

Thanks. All good advice!

Why don't you ask AB when they will release their schedule for next summer for your flight? If it operates this summer, it might operate next summer too but could be too early to rebook. Most airlines book up to 333 days ahead, AB being a low cost airline, they might book even less time ahead.

How about rebooking on a higher fare class that on a more expensive fare class that allows for no fee change then when flights for open up for next summer you can switch to what you really want? Would that work? it still would cost you, but better than having to eat the whole cost.

Air Berlin went bancrupt today.