FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Basic Economy Fare as of 2017 (also AY, BA, IB), incl. elite benefits (Master thread)
Old Oct 18, 2017 | 10:19 pm
  #544  
jay_dubya
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Join Date: Jun 2016
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Originally Posted by andresmdn
Thanks for the reminder to update. Check-in counter denied changing the seat to anything else period. But gate agent changed to MCE without batting an eyelash.

I had just finished writing a decent length report of what happened on the return flight, but when I went to hit submit, I had been logged out of flyertalk and lost the whole response. How irritating.

I'll summarize. Basically it was a "flat tire" situation on a BE fare, arrived T-25, last flight out of the day, checkin counter stated because of BE fare, I was SOL if I missed the flight and that the "system" would not let them do anything to rebook for next day. Ended up missing, but the gate agent issued a boarding pass for morning of next day without even making a mention of the BE fare.

The next day I boarded close to last, no risk of missing, was just in restroom. Gate agent remarked that she was glad I made it, because of the fare I was flying, "you know you can't miss your flight!" Don't know exactly what to make of that comment. I suppose unlike the previous day's agent, she would NOT have re-accommodated if I had missed?

The takeaways here are that the general "flat tire" policy does not apply consistently with BE fares. It is however possible for the airport to do flat tire accommodations with BE fares, so the thing to do is if you find yourself in that situation, know that it is possible for them to do, and play the numbers game by talking to several agents.
Helpful info. Thanks for posting
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