Alitalia *******!!!!

My wife after months of saving and budgeting managed to buy my Mother-in-law, who lives on her own on a small Greek island called Kythera, a ticket to South Africa to visit her children and grand children. Being a widow, she has limited means and very few opportunities to visit her family.

My wife contacted Alitalia who had the best rate at the time to purchase the ticket, with the option to extend the trip once my Mother-in-law was in the country as we could only extend her Visa once she was here - we were informed that the ticket was an "open ticket" and that the option existed for us to change her flight for a later date once the visa had been granted - we confirmed this, and confirmed it again, and were comfortable with the penalty fee of 128 Euros to make it happen. This meant that we could spend Christmas together as well as Easter, which obviously would mean the world to her kids and grand children...

Finally after much back and forth, we have sorted the Visa, and called Alitalia to make the necessary arrangements, only to be informed that yes the 128 Euro fee does apply AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL PAYMENT bringing the total to ZAR8500-00..!!!! It is actually cheaper to cancel the return flight and buy a completely new ticket with another airline - this is ****************!!!!

Alitalia - Never again!

Surely a huge international airline would offer a solution, or a refund or in the very least a discounted rate!!!