SK AAR

Checked luggage is included - dont worry.

But your ticket for the SN flight is not flexible - the fare rules of your award ticket will apply rather than what you can read in the SN webpage (which only deals with SN tickets booked online/on the SN webpage). When you approach SN requesting to get on an earlier flight, you will asked to contact the issuing carrier for rebooking. SN will not touch award tickets issued by other carriers.

snic

Except this isn't quite true, because SN explicitly allows standby for most of the fare classes available for purchase on its website.

But can one check in a bag at, say, 8:00 am for a 5:00 pm flight?

That's what I suspected. But you see, if one had, say, a LH award ticket on a United flight, I think UA would allow you to standby (for a fee) even though LH doesn't allow standby on its own flights (and therefore there would be nothing at all about standby in the fare rules). As I understand it, the fare rules govern changing a ticket, canceling it, rebooking, etc. But I don't want to do any of those things. Unless I'm mistaken, standby is the perogative of the carrier that's actually flying you from A to B. Indeed, most European airlines have no voluntary standby policy, so this would be hopeless on LH, OS, etc - but because SN is a notable exception, it remains possible that they will allow it.

(Although I think the chances are small.)

oliver2002

The LH group migrated their systems and spend quite a bit of ressources in 2014 to make sure only tickets that have flex fares to be flexible on the day of departure. The European logic is that allowing same day changes even for a fee causes revenue loss as people would be buying cheap inflexible fares and change it on the day of departure. I've been in Brussels umpteen times where meetings were done earlier (EU Commission officials are a weird bunch) and we ended up at BRU 3-6 hours earlier than booked. The swissport people handling LH group flight are not authorised to change your booking even in the DCS as its linked to the revenue module. If you have a FLX or FF fare (BTW, LX/LH/OS and SN have the same fare structure they just call it something else at SN), no problem. If not, go to the lounge please and don't bother us. Same story at the gate. In the past two years I had only one agent who was able to override the system entering the required code because the flights to MUC were all running late.

Bottom line: unless you have weather irreg, the original flight is running late or is oversold, or you have actually paid for flexibility, you stay on the flight you booked.

SK AAR

OK - good luck. The chance that SN will allow pax on an award ticket (of a different carrier) on a earlier flight, is close to zero.

htb

In Europe your bags will be checked through to your final destination. You won't pick them Brussels anyway.

HTB.

snic

I wasn't clear: I have two separate tickets (to BRU and from BRU). Even if the airline allows bags to be checked to the final destination, I wouldn't do it because (a) in the past I've gotten burned several times trying to through-check bags when on separate tickets (invariably the bags don't get loaded), and (b) I want to try to get on an earlier flight from BRU, and having through-checked bags would just give them another excuse to not do it.

snic

I am happy to report that the SN check-in staff was happy to change my ticket to an early flight without the slightest fuss. Business class was available for all but one of the passengers on the reservation, so we accepted economy for that passenger (who was then allowed to sit in the middle seat between the others and share the meal).

Details: It was an intra-Europe business class flight booked with Etihad points.

(Of course, our bags didn't make it because we checked in 15 minutes before a 24 hr baggage handler strike began at BRU, so our flight departed without the bags. But that's a different story.)

oliver2002

Today all rules in BRU were suspended due to the swissport strike...

wfiring12

I'm ticketed on LH BCN-FRA-LAX. It's a First (A) revenue ticket with the BCN-FRA being in J, of course.

Currently, I have a 7pm departure from BCN on Wednesday with the overnight in FRA before flying to LAX in the Thursday morning. I deliberately booked it this way as to be able to relax at a hotel in FRA and enjoy the FCT in the morning before the last leg.

My question is if I can take an earlier flight from BCN (even just a few hours earlier) so I can enjoy a few more hours in FRA?

snic

I checked in just before the strike began. It's unlikely that the agent who helped me had any idea that there was going to be a strike.

dparkinson

What would you put the odds at fora successful standby on classic ticket as a *G flying ex-ZRH on LX?

mmff

If you're asking about taking an earlier flight without paying to change the ticket, the probability is close to zero.

wfiring12

What is the likelihood that I could take an earlier flight on the same day ex-BCN on LH to FRA on a Business (D) ticket without paying the fare difference? No status over than FT, onward flight from FRA is in First (A). Thanks!

mmff

Small probability but the fare difference shouldn't be too outrageous in this case.

gpb_croppers63

I had no issues hopping on an earlier flight in FCO 2 years ago on a D class fare. My connecting flight arrived into FCO early and I made it to the gate in plenty of time so asked there. They managed to get it confirmed but there was no meal loaded for me, as the aircraft had been catered in FRA and was already on its way. The purser managed to cobble together a meal from the veggie option and the remains from the previous flight so it was all good. I'd say you might just have a chance with that one but you'd have to ask at the airport and be prepared to sit around waiting for your booked flight if it didn't work (and be aware that you may not get a proper meal ).