Would there be an issue to fly stand by on yow-yyz on Air Canada but on a United number codeshare?

Does anyone know if the same-day airport change is only available for identical routings? For example, if my original booking is for DCA-YYZ-YOW, can I make a same-day change to DCA-YOW (still on AC)?

Or is that considered a ticketing change subject to the (higher) change fees?

Thanks

yes you can do it.

Can you do it the other way? (add an "unnecessary" connection)

Yes, but it would end up being a necessary connection if you were to make it to destination, no?

Resurrecting this for my education.

My brother is flying from YHZ-YUL tomorrow. He's booked on the 16:00 and has meetings that were delayed, so he can't make that flight. EF shows availability on the 20:45, but not in the same fare code as he is flying.

I've never done a SDC apart from at the airport, and he's not an SE so cannot use the concierge. I've never noticed where on the OLCI one can select a later flight. I also assume one needs to do this before the flight (i.e. you can't show up to the airport 2 hours after the flight and ask for a SDC).

Can someone walk me through it? Also, are there other 'non-airport' options, or if OLCI does not offer to do a SDC, he'll be forced to pay the change fee and fare diffference?

You do not need the same fare class to be available, but there needs to be space on the flight. A flight can be Y9 and be oversold.

I don't think you can do a SDC without going to the airport. Can he go in the morning? Any check-in agent should be able to process it.

OLCI might offer it after midnight, but I've never done a SDC or stand-by through OLCI.

Alternatively, pull a penguin, call reservations, and pay the change fee plus fare difference.

Thanks for the info. One can always count on the Cow.

I'll tell him to try OLCI after midnight and see what it says. If not, he'll have to bite the bullet and pay the fare difference +$50.

OK, I'll give this a whirl since he's on my side of the country and no one else has jumped in . Realize I haven't done this in a while though.

You are supposed to be able to do this through OLCI, but only on same day, ref. ac.com:

"You can use Web Check-in to: •Select a seat.[snip].•Make a same-day change to your flight (if eligible)."

When they say "eligible" my take is it means a few things: (a) that there needs to be space in the cabin that you were originally booked in. (just the cabin, not the specific fare class). EF only tells you what's being available for sale by fare class, but doesn't tell you if the flight is oversold. If it is oversold in Y (assuming that's what your brother is booked in) then they won't allow the switch; (b) all switches have to be on AC metal, otherwise they're not eligible to be switched; (c) you have to pay the SDC fee $150 for Tango and $75 for Flex; (d) they must be made the same day as the flight and either at OLCI or at the airport.

I would confirm in advance for sure, and no later than checkin cutoff for the original flight (15:15 tomorrow). Assuming he is "eligible" then no fare difference will apply, only the same day change fee.

Let me know if there are any clarifications required.

Edit: I guess I've been beaten to the punch by the cow...

Further to my last post, I just checked EF for the two flights in question and have a couple of other things to add in case it helps.

It could very wel be that 16:00 and 20:45 are both oversold (16:00 more so). EF is showing J2Y2 on the 16:00 and J3Y5 on the 20:45. If this is the case for the 20:45 flight, then the same day change will not be an option.

I have, however, had success in calling in and having ac make the change for free in advance and not even on the same day (on a flex fare), and they've agreed rather than them having to potentially ask for volunteers in an oversell situation at the airport. Hasn't worked extensively for me, but it has on a couple of occasions, so it might be worth a shot.

Also, if your brother was affected at all with flight delays during this trip, I've also had free changes provided for this reason--even on the return if the outbound was delayed for example.

He did what? How embarrassing.

I just did that, just now. My time is important, I'm not going to mill around hoping to get on a flight at peak time during Rapidair. Unless someone will pay me my hourly rate of $265/hour, then I'm happy to lounge around - otherwise my customer is paying for my time. If I get home quicker, I save them an exorbitant amount of money. Although I guess now "pulling a Penguin" is a term. That I like ^

Thou shalt not 'pull a Penguin' may end up as one of the 10 Cowmandments. Sorry... been a while since I've used that term and I couldn't resist.

That's odd. If someone told me you were 'pulling your penguin' the image that pops into my mind has nothing to do with changing a flight reservation....

Hahahahaha. Now that's funny. I think though in fairness, it's pulling "A" penguin, not "my" penguin, hahahaa literally LOLing in YUL right now