bookemjano

I'm getting myself so confused now with flights prices. Going over on a visitor's visa, I know we have to have return tickets, but how do you go about getting open tickets - ie if you get tickets to return in six months, but decide to stay for the extra 3 months, what do you do about your return flight tickets? Can you change dates, and if so, I assume there's some ridiculous charge? Hopefully this won't happen to us, we should have PR long before the six months is up, but just in case .....

Also, on a visitors visa do you actually have to possess return tickets, or can you just prove you've got money to fly back? (Psst - everyone who's not Caroline, bet she can find this info in minutes even though I've spent days looking for it. Don't tell her I said that! )

uk+kiwi

Hi Jan,

You will need return tickets on a visitors visa.

As far as I know you will have to book a return date and ask the specific airline as to any restrictions that apply re: changing dates. These will vary depending on the 'class' of ticket that you buy - and I do not mean economy vs business, but I think BA for example has 5 different economy class fares which would vary from say £650 + taxes to c. £3000 return for full economy. They all have their own codes such as 'W' etc. Thus the cheaper the fare, the less likely changes will be allowable/free.

I would imagine it will be cheaper to book a non-changeable, non-returnable return ticket (if these even exist which I doubt, usually a £50? admin fee applies) where you have to forego the 'return' element and thus buy twice than booking a flexible ticket which will be much more expensive - ie more than twice the price could well be the case.

Hope that helps.

Panda_Pops

Hi,

Could you use the final flight on a round-the-world type ticket?

We're probably going to have to go on a visitors visa ourselves unless my OH can secure a job before leaving, so we thought about having a few stop-overs on our way to NZ.

Do you think that type of ticket would be classed as a return portion?

PP
x

jjennings

Be very careful about where you buy your ticket. I would recommend buying directly from the airline even if it costs a bit more. We flew out here on Cathay Pacific with tickets we bought on the web (from a company I had used many times before with no problems). As we were planning to get the return section refunded we treated ourselves to a bit of luxury and booked business class (nice.....). I kept printouts of all the small-print when I made the booking.

No problem in cancelling the return flight and Cathay Pacific were very helpful. However, they had to pay the refund back to the agent and the agent then told me that I was not entitled to the money, even though all my paperwork said I was and Cathay had actually made the refund. No amount of letters, phone calls or email helped. They probably thought I couldn't do much from half way around the world, so I contacted my solicitor back in the UK and took action against them. Got my money and costs refunded. Still a pain though.

uk+kiwi

PP - That would be fine. As long as there is a flight taking you back to England, or from NZ's point of view OUT OF NZ within the 6 months that is fine. Or looking at it another way, I don't know what else they would be needing So where are you visiting, there are so many places we want to visit!

uk+kiwi

Glad it all worked out in the end - so who is the online agent we should avoid?

Panda_Pops

Hi,

We were thinking of making the following stops :

- Fly from London to Calgary
- Hire car and drive through Rockies to Vancouver
- Drive from Vancouver to Seattle
- Fly from Seattle to Hawaii
- Fly from Hawaii to Auckland

Sounds fanciful I know, but it's certainly achievable with a bit of planning

How about you?

PP
x

bookemjano

Wow! That sounds fantastic.

uk+kiwi

Sounds great. If you get a chance, pop over to Vashan Island from Seattle. We went a long time ago now, but it was our favourite place in the US when we travelled through it (post uni and pre-kids!!!), and it is so tranquil and beautiful. We stayed at a 'camp site' that has mid west style wagons instead of tents! Bit of a backpackers haunt, although we in fact hired the only double bedroom I think which was up in the eaves of a house with traditional American quilt etc, it was lovely, as is the setting, pancakes for breakfast and beautiful countryside to spend a day cycling around. They lend you the bikes too. Gorgeous.

Love Hawaii too (got engaged on Waikeke beach), haven't been to Canda but Vancouver would be where we would go too.

Ooo sounds so lovely, must get on with planning our hol in NZ soon!

Panda_Pops

We're going to spend about six weeks travelling, so we should have enough time to see most things.

jjennings

It was Airline Network. Don't get me wrong, I had used them many times in the past (I flew on business almost every week) and their prices and service was always excellent, but I had never needed to make a cancellation before.

Cheers,

John