In full disclosure, I've cross posted this on the Europe board...
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We aren't scheduled to go for about a week or so, but the bubble of hope has been popped. The news is worsening rather than improving with a new ash cloud imminent.

I spoke with USAirways. If a flight is cancelled today, they are re-booking about a week out - that is how bad this has disrupted the system.

We are scheduled to fly into London and then continue to Paris.

There are presently seats on the flights to Paris with days that would work. (this assumes the Paris airport would be open). However, by the time something happens to our flight (if it does), those seats would be gone. I was told that they are re-booking based on first come first serve and not class of service. They would allow us to fly into an 'alternate city' (which would include Paris).

So... I could book refundable seats. (Which are extremely expensive and we wouldn't use them.) If our original flight to London is canceled, we most likely wouldn't get out in time for the vacation assuming a week of re-booking time.

<b> However, could we cancel the fully refundable seats for the alternatve city and then grab them under the original fare ? </b> Is there a 'standby' queue for open seats that would prevent this from happening ? Is there anything in the system that would prevent us from doing it ?

I know it is a bit of working the system, but I've been on the wrong end of non-weather related problems too many times to count...

See if I understand what you're saying... You want to buy refundable tickets to Paris as a backup. If your flight to London is okay, you just refund the Paris tickets. Right?

But if the flight to London is canceled, you want to fly to Paris with your original fares to London and not put on a waitlist? That's not going to happen. You can get a full refund of your discount fare to London, but there's no way they'll let you just fly to Paris you book at the London fare without going on a waitlist.

thanks rkk. (btw, I got a new camera and love it!)

In the past, I was able to 'hold' seats for fares and then release them one by one and book ff seats. Essentially, I would be trying to do the same - 'hold' them with refundable fares, drop them one at a time and pick them up with other fares.

too good to be true, I know.

I guess there is another option:
book non-refundable seats to Paris. They are running about $800/seat right now. If our original flight goes, then we take those and get a credit to use within a year. If it doesn't, then we use them and get back our original booked flights.

Does that make any sense ?

I answered this on the other board (I agree with rkkwan).
When you say get a "credit" to use within a year, I assume that you mean that you could pay the change fee and travel to Paris within the year. They will not just give you a credit to use anywhere, it will have to be on the same route.

thanks lynn, I just saw the answer.

I'm sure the kids wouldn't be disappointed if we had to take them to Paris again in a year, but I'd rather take them somewhere else...

argh.

Depends on airline. Many will let you use the credit on other routes.

Whether to do it, I can't tell you. Sorry.

rkk, who has the most flexible 'non-refundable' fares ?

A second alternative would be to book non-refundable seats ... and know that if our original flight goes, then we can use the credit to go somewhere next year.

UsAir is same cities only. We could fly out of PHL, EWR, or any NYC airport (although all things being equal, I'd rather do EWR than JFK).

I had to cancel a trip to Europe on Delta a while back. I got to use the credit for ANY flights. (Used it for business trips in the US) So I would check around if you want to do this....