Other North & South America Frequent Flyer Programs - free standby on TAM domestic flights?

Arriving into GRU at 1:30AM, and bought a flight leaving for SSA at 11:30PM because it was dirt cheap. Naturally I don't want to sit at the airport for 20 hours. All the earlier flights were nearly 5x the price.

I was curious to know if TAM would let me jump on to an earlier flight if a seat was open? I'm Star Alliance Gold if that helps. How lenient is TAM regarding these things?

Arriving into GRU at 1:30AM, and bought a flight leaving for SSA at 11:30PM because it was dirt cheap. Naturally I don't want to sit at the airport for 20 hours. All the earlier flights were nearly 5x the price.

I was curious to know if TAM would let me jump on to an earlier flight if a seat was open? I'm Star Alliance Gold if that helps. How lenient is TAM regarding these things?


Depends on the fare Class In the lowest fare bucket, they tend to enforce the rule In other than the lowest fare bucket they tend to be flexible... iin general they are helpful but slow so please be patient... very patient....:)

But since you are a Star Gold you can play that card. ( I assume not on TAM) I suggest the following strategy

(1) Go to the TAM Vermelho and Star Gold check in at GRU on the first floor notto transfers (connexao) on the ground floor

(2) tell them you would like to travel on an earlier flight and that someone messed up your booking in your origin point ( South Africa ...is that where you get in from? thats the only longhaul arrival around that time AFAIK) Say nothing else at this point and look and act lioke you think your ticket is flexible... let them explain about fare buckets etc

Either they will do it or say you have to pay extra

(3) If the latter, ask nicely if they couild enquire whether this could not be done complimentary as you are Star Gold and that you are willing to wait closer to the time the first flight is about to close at check in -- (if you go to the gate then you cant come back and they wont do much IMO)

(4) if that does not work ask if they could do it if you purchased a comfort seat (assento comforto -- 20 US dollars or less this costs and gets you a front row seat or if you speak Portuguese an exit row seat))

(5) if that does not work, see if they can put you on a mid morning flight flight out of Congonhas the domestic airport, This is a pain in that it takes two hours on the bus between airports (but for TAM customers and *G the bus is free I think ) but still better than 20 hours in the horrible dump that is GRU and you have no lounge on the domestic sidfe either.

(5) if that does not work ask how much to change your ticket..and appeal to their spirit of Christmas...

If you speak Portuguese then all the better...


If all fails you can rent a cubicle by the hour at Fast Sleep at the airport tiny but functional.. dayroom at the Marriott also a possibility email the GRU Mariott to enquire...

Hope this helps

rathin100 pretty much covered everything. If you get to the last part, paying to change the ticket, my own experience in changing a ticket on TAM is that it generally is about 100 US dollars. I normally am buying the cheapest ticket available, but the 100 dollars should still be less than 5 times what you initially paid.