Continental Airlines relaxes restrictions for changes to non refundable tickets

Effective immediately Continental Airlines customers with nonrefundable tickets that allow changes will have a full year from the date the original ticket was issued to reschedule their travel plans without losing that ticket's value.

Under the relaxed policy, customers must cancel their reservations prior to the scheduled departure time of the flight for which they were originally scheduled in order to apply the value of that ticket to future travel.

"We recognize that unexpected circumstances may cause some customers who fully intend to satisfy the conditions on our deeply discounted tickets to act quickly and make changes," said a Continental spokesperson. "This change will give them the flexibility they need, while enabling us to open up seats that normally would be lost to no-shows."

Change fees and any applicable difference in fare will apply to the new itinerary. Tickets must be reissued and travel must begin within one year of the date the original ticket was issued.