With our daughter in Eretz Yisroel in Seminary, and not having a choice to bring her back, we were told that we can book a one-way ticket for $1,600 for a Charter Flight.
We were told by the travel agent that booked our end-of-year group ticket that we could not use that ticket for the flight we needed now.
However, we called the airline directly and gave them the reservation number, and they changed the return date for tomorrow at no cost!
If you have a return ticket booked for your child in Eretz Yisroel for the end of the year, even if it was made through a group ticket, call the airline if you want to change for an earlier flight. There could either be a minimum fee or no fee at all.
Many people are being told they can’t use that return ticket and it’s not true.
El Al # 1-800-766-3525
(NOTE: TLS has confirmed the above with the writer.)
Of course you can change it but there is no seats huge waiting list. If there is no capacity how will you get on the flight?
El AL says no seats before 03/24
The letter writer may have gotten lucky that a seat became available the next day. Most flights leaving E”Y are booked, but people are cancelling those as their needs change as well. If someone cancels, you might get lucky too. But you can’t bet on that. So for many it’s more reassuring to book a definite flight, and deal with the monetary loss later…
We also were told that ElAl wouldn’t let us use our open ticket. After calling numerous times, leaving our number and never reaching a person, we almost gave up and assumed it was impossible. But our daughter told us tonight that her friend booked a seat to LA so we tried again. The ElAl agent was ever so nice and said she could try to book it but it depends on availability. They found her a seat on the next day’s flight to JFK! Certainly for a chance to save $1500 (our charter flight was 1800) it is worth calling a few times…you never know
Firstly, wanted to thank the letter writer. I called El Al and was told that there is no availability this week to move up her ticket. They encouraged us to go to the airport 3 hours prior to flight time (12am,1am) for standby. My daughter and her friend both were able to use their end of year ticket (you can’t alter the destination though -JFK/EWR) and are currently in flight. Boruch Hashem! We are extremely grateful!
Firstly, I’d like to thank the letter writer. I had a closed ticket on a group flight for my daughter, for end of year.
I called El Al, they told me there was no availability for this week. They suggested I send her to the airport by 8:30 in advance of the midnight and 1am flight, to see if they can fly standby. One thing to note is that you can’t alter the destination of the original ticket. B’chasdei Hashem my daughter and her friend are both on their way home. We are extremely grateful. BH!
I advise going directly to the airline desk at the airport of u are unable to reach by phone. Alternatively you can keep your end of the year ticket and get a round trip new ticket home for Pesach through us 832 370 5210.