Can you change a Polish LOT airlines ECONOMY STANDARD ticket to a different route?

Question

Is it possible to change a Polish LOT airlines ECONOMY STANDARD ticket to a completely different route? The ticket is non-refundable, but changes are allowed for a penalty of 65 EUR.

  CHANGES

    ANY TIME
      PER TICKET CHARGE EUR 65.00 FOR REISSUE/REVALIDATION.
      CHILD/INFANT DISCOUNTS APPLY.
      WAIVED FOR DEATH OF PASSENGER OR FAMILY MEMBER.
         NOTE -
          CHARGE APPLIES PER TRANSACTION
          ------------------------------------
          WAIVERS MUST BE EVIDENCED BY DEATH
          CERTIFICATE.
          --------------
          FARE CAN BE REISSUED TO OTHER LO INTERNATIONAL
          FARES  WITHIN STANDARD/FLEX FARE FAMILY -
          OR PREMIUM/BUSINESS WHICH ARE EQUAL OR HIGHER
          THAN THE ORIGINAL FARES EXCLUDING FTC BRO ZRO
          ALL CONDITIONS OF THE NEW FARE MUST BE MET
          AND PASSENGER PAYS THE DIFFERENCE IN FARE PLUS
          CHANGE OF RESERVATION FEE IF ANY APPLIES.
          -----------------------------
          NO CHANGE FEE APPLIES WHEN REPRICING WITH HIGHER
          FARE FAMILY -FLX OR -FFX .
          -----------------------------
          CHANGES/REISSUE NOT PERMITTED IN CASE OF
          NO-SHOW.REFER TO REFUND SECTION.
           -----------------------------
          IN CASE OF FARE COMBINATIONS CHARGE THE HIGHEST
          FEE OF ALL CHANGED FARE COMPONENTS
          -------------------------------
          CHANGE OF FARE BREAK POINT PERMITTED - TICKET MUST
          BE EXCHANGED MANUALLY.
          --------------------------------------------------
          WHEN CHANGES ARE MADE AND THE ORIGINALLY TICKETED
          BOOKING CLASS CHANGED THE NEW FARE MAY ONLY BE
          EQUAL OR HIGHER.

I would want to change this intra-EU, ECONOMY STANDARD ticket, to an intercontinental ECONOMY SEMI FLEX ticket, is that possible, and if so maybe even "NO CHANGE FEE APPLIES"?

Additionally if this is a round-trip ticket, will the 65 EUR change fee be charged once or twice (if at all)?

I can probably find out by calling the call centre, but it would benefit if practical information regarding LOT changes would be easily available online. Especially changes can't be made online, only via a call centre.

Answer 1

I called LOT customer service, and was told that it is possible to change this ticket to another route, but only to an European route, as intercontinental routes have different tariffs, and its not possible to rebook an intra-European route to an intercontinental route or vice versa.

The 65 EUR change fee is paid only once even if both outgoing and incoming flights are changed, and indeed if I am changing from a STANDARD to a FLEX fare, no penalty is charged at all, so I now changed the ticket to a FLEX ticket almost a year forward paying just 5 EUR fare difference, and I think I will then be able to change for free to another route if I decide to fly somewhere intra-Europe during this time.

Also note, that at first the agent told me its not possible to change the route (without even knowing I want to change it to an intercontinental one), so I asked him again to confirm, and then he put me on hold to check something and then told me that yes, its actually possible to change the route, so then I told him I want to change to an intercontinental one, he didn't tell me its a problem, but transferred me to a cashier, who then told me its impossible to change to an intercontinental route. So it seems the call centre agents don't know very well, and if one tells you no, it can help to ask again or even call another time. Or maybe agents are taught to tell no at first, and only allow changing route if the customer insists.

This seems to be a nice loophole that makes a STANDARD ticket practically changeable without penalty. However on the new ticket, there is an annotation about an amount paid originally being non-refundable, so despite it being now a FLEX ticket (with FLEX fares having refunds possible), its not possible to obtain a refund, just change to another intra-European flight.

The date of the new flight must be not later then 12 months from the original ticket purchase date, not from the original date of the flight.