courtesy changes

[CaptBud330]

I'm a retired Airways pilot. My wife will not fly on passes. I purchased 2 non-refundable tickets on CO from TYS to EWR. The on time performance of the early afternoon flight is abysmal. I called CO reservations to see if they would offer a courtesy change to an earlier flight for another airline employee. No luck there so I asked a supervisor the same thing with the same result.
Can anyone out there give me some guidance on how to make the change without having to pay the fee to fly standby on the earlier flight?
Thanks,
Capt. Bud

 

[jimntx]

Not trying to be tacky, but did you know the on-time performance of that flight before you purchased the tickets? If so, did you purchase them anyway assuming that you could use the "interline courtesy" argument to change to a different flight? If you did not investigate such things as on-time performance in advance, why not? Were the tickets on that flight substantially cheaper? There might be a reason for that.

They ain't even being nice to those of us still working when it comes to changes on restricted tickets on our own airlines.

 

[CaptBud330]

Actually, I bought those tickets because I didn't want to wake up at 4am to catch a 6:05 flt. The afternoon one appealed to me so I could get a good nights sleep. The tickets were the same price and you're correct, I didn't check the on time performance of the flight I booked. I should have.

 

[hp_fa]

Two thoughts:

1. Think of it from the OAL's perspective. Anyone could call up an airline and say they were a retired airline employee.

2. You could go to the airport for the earlier flight and if there are seats I would imagine that a smart CSR would fill the seat and have room on the later flight if it becomes necessary. Of course it could mean a long wait at the airport. Do you feel lucky?

 

[CaptBud330]

There is plenty of room on both flights. I just want them to waive the change fee.

 

[Borescope]

Continental will let you standby without a change fee. You become a revenue standby and you will board after everyone booked on that flight and the people that have paid to change their tickets to that flight.

If you want to guarantee a seat on that flight you have to pay the change fee.

If there are plenty of seats on the flight you want to go on, then I would show up at the gate and let the agent know that you want to standby for the flight. If there are seats you will board after all the revenue, but before all non revs listed on the flight.

Good Luck