Change Fee Waiver on FCFL Cabin Buy Up?

I had a FCFL (Fly Confirmed For Less) ticket that my son purchased for me for a pleasure trip.

In addition to being a Pass Rider as a parent, I’m also a Diamond Medallion due to my business travel. Medallion Status benefits apply to FCFL tickets so I get MQMs, MQDs, MQSs and Complimentary Upgrades.

A few days later I decided to do a Buy Up to F since it was a long flight and I didn’t want to take a chance on not getting a Complimentary Medallion Upgrade to First Class. This means that I pay the difference between the current First Class Ticket price and the ticket I already purchased. I called the Medallion Desk and the Agent had to call the Employee Ticket desk since it was a FCFL ticket. The employee desk insisted that they had to charge a $200 Change Fee even though Company Policy is to waive it on a regular full price ticket buy up.

I didn’t want to create a problem for my son by asking for a Supervisor or asking them to go back to the Employee Ticket Desk and ask them to recheck Corporate Policy or get Supervisor involved.

Is this worth pursuing for future situations or am I better off not asking my son to contact the Pass Bureau since I don’t want to create a problem for him?

Check with your son but it looks like 'Most fare rules apply, including non-refundable rule, cancellation fees and change fees' so that $200 would be united's cost for a change fee, then add on the difference in price between the two classes.
Best bet would be to take the chance on complimentary medallion upgrade.

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Originally Posted by offroader

Check with your son but it looks like 'Most fare rules apply, including non-refundable rule, cancellation fees and change fees' so that $200 would be united's cost for a change fee, then add on the difference in price between the two classes.
Best bet would be to take the chance on complimentary medallion upgrade.

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I do this regularly and never pay a change fee.

This is Delta's Policy

Rebooking from a Main Cabin fare to a Delta Comfort+, First Class, Business, or Delta One Fare
For travel within the U.S. 50 or for travel between 50 U.S./Canada and the Caribbean/Mexico/Central America	For travel between the 50 U.S./Canada and South America, Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Collect the fare difference; no change fee will apply	Collect either the fare difference or the Main Cabin fare change fee, whichever is greater