Is there a way to change our return flight that was booked using frequent flier miles?

Factual Questions
1

My wife booked us an Italy-Germany-France trip back in May that culminates on July 14/Bastille Day in Paris – which also doubles as my birthday, so it’s lookin’ like I can mark one item off the bucket list. :slight_smile:

However, due to restrictions/availabilities, etc. involved with using FF miles, the best we could get for our return flight for the 14th at 9pm, so while everyone will be doing the Can-can in the streets of Paris, we will be scurrying off to Charles DeGaulle Airport. My wife has called literally every single day since the booking to try to change the flights as the “customer service” agents for United Airlines continued to suggest calling back to check for newly released seats (in very broken English, of course), but she has had no luck. Oh, and the returning flight is out of Dublin (so we still need tickets for that leg) with a full day layover in Toronto – but that was the best we could do to get any flight back at the time.

We have sought the help of travel agents, pleaded our case, written emails, all to no avail. Does some have some sneaky way in mind or actually worked the system in the past to make something like this happen? Preferring not to fake an illness (or death), if possible.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

2

I hasten to add (as my wife has reminded me) that she booked the flights in February and has been calling daily since.

3

How about that! A kind representative working out of the call center in Poland got us a flight from London to Halifax on the 16th, Halifax to D.C. on the 17th, D.C. to L.A. on the 18th – and then it’s straight into the office for me (I’ll manage:cool:).