Originally Posted by
ashill
The companion ticket is a discount code. Once ticketed, you each have your own tickets on the same reservation.
Spot on. I like to use the example of a buy-one-get-one-for-99-cents coupon at a grocery store. You walk out the store with two boxes of Cheerios. There's no difference between them except that one cost 99 cents.
Originally Posted by
ashill
The companion code cannot be returned, which (by my understanding) is the main mechanism for preventing you from misusing it by not traveling together. (If you want to cancel or change one ticket, fine; the companion fare is used and can't be used again, and you'll have to pay the fare difference up to the full going rate at the time of the change, plus change fee.)
I'm not clear on what you mean by saying the companion fare can't be used again. It is possible to change both tickets. The issue is that the companion discount has already been redeemed, and that's apparently too complicated for the website to figure out. To preserve the discount on the companion fare, you will need to call and change the reservation for both travelers on the phone and pay the fare difference for the primary traveler (or get credit for a cheaper flight). There's no fare difference for the companion fare (because it's still $99) but taxes might change.
Originally Posted by
ashill
I have never been asked about my traveling companion when boarding or checking in, and we don't always board together.
No one cares when checking in or clearing security. I've only flown once without my companion, and it wasn't mentioned. I have another upcoming trip where I know the companion won't be there for the return journey. I don't know what the airline would do if the primary traveler was missing. I think the most likely action would be to cancel the return journey. So, always pay attention to who gets classified as primary vs. companion.