Originally Posted by
Momohime
Thanks for the replies everyone, now I'm a lot more at ease =) There is one more question though...
I understand that the CO99 flight would most likely be full since there is only one of them each day, so what if we do miss the flight, and the next day's flight is full as well?? Can we be stranded for a few days straight until 2 spots open up? x_X Or can we request to be put on another airline's flight to HK that has spots if we really have to make it to HK on time for an important event?
As per the Star Alliance IRROPS policy, you certainly can be reaccomodated on another airline's flight. The order of preference for reaccomodation is:
CO ---> Star partners (with AC/UA/LH having heightened preference in CO-land because CO can instantly confirm segments on their flights) ---> Other airlines.
My suggestions if IRROPS comes to pass:
1. If you know early enough in the day that YYZ-EWR has a good chance of misconnecting, try to get on the Air Canada nonstop YYZ-HKG.
2. From YYZ, there are also good reroute options going via ORD on UA, or via PEK or NRT on AC.
3. If you get as far as EWR and see CO99 pushing off without you, the best ways to keep yourselves moving is to: (1) get on a late afternoon or evening CO flight to SFO, then pick up SQ001 SFO-HKG which departs around midnight, (2) get on CO's EWR-DEL or EWR-BOM flights connecting onto Cathay Pacific for HKG, (3) using CO/UA flights to either ORD or LAX to pick up late night flights to ICN and then HKG on Asiana (OZ), or (4) getting on a Cathay Pacific flight from JFK, or using CO to pick up a Cathay flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco.
But keep in mind that loads for international flights generally get extremely heavy during that time period, so there will very few flights with seats open to reaccomodate you. You will do well to go on the internet the day before your trip and map out some potential options with seats available, the informed traveler gets to keep moving while the traveler waiting on a company to take care of them, well, stays waiting.