Originally Posted by
Mwenenzi
In my experience gate agents in the USA tend have more authority to make changes than in other countries. In many non USA countries the gate agent is for checking only. A ticketing counter or lounge personal is needed to ticket changes.
True. Some cultures have a very unempowering way of training front line employees; they would feel compelled to follow the rules and not ask a supervisor or take any initiative themselves.
Australia, USA, Austria iirc are at the top of the list where the opposite is true.
The best thing is to inquire at the ticket counter and then the gate agent. If the gate is particularly busy, even in the USA such a request is likelier to get shorts grift - though if they view granting the request as ridding themselves of an annoyance, they just might do it if there are several seats available.