s0ssos

Anybody have issues using SDC when it was booked with another airline's miles? They are saying they have no control (within 24 I thought they take over the ticket anyway)

VegasGambler

It should work. Did you try on the app?

s0ssos

Hmm, app does not let me checkin but I can change the flight?
I called and they said they were unable, even speaking to a supervisor.
I will try later to just change it even though I cannot checkin

atcanobbio

I used to, and I did so a handful of times, book an AS flight using BA Avios and I'd successfully SDC on the app/online. However, something happened sometime last year where I tried to do the same and AS would not let me SDC online or through the app. They would tell me that the ticket was not issued by them so they could not make the change. I was seriously like what the heck?! I HUCA'd many times, messaged AS twitter to no avail.

I wonder if the same issue would happen if AS ticket is booked by third party OTAs

VegasGambler

I'm fairly sure I SDCed on a flight booked by a third party OTA last year (that's why I thought it should work). But if there's a recent change that might be irrelevant.

s0ssos

Some info, though it is hard to know when something is ticketed properly as I can only see (on my end) that I cannot do OLCI (which for a domestic makes me presume it is not done properly)
I used Cathay Asiamiles to book and put my AS number on there. Got upgraded to first on my first segment, Cathay calls to say they need to reissue. Still cannot checkin. Nor can I do SDC per phone agent (and supervisor).
At the suggestion of VegasGambler I used 'flight change' (top right on Android app) and it let me change the flight on my second segment (I presume would have let me do first if I wanted, it did not link the flights to change all at once though). To choose seats I had to checkin, which I could not do, but I can change the seats with the seat button, which then wants me to checkin and then fails (see agent at airport), but seat change stuck.
I called Alaska to ensure everything ok, they say no, to call Cathay. Cathay says they fixed it, I ask if they can wait while I patch in Alaska and Alaska says ok (again agent checking with someone else).
At airport I can only get a ticket for first segment, he writes something on the second segment for me to get 'ticketed' at connection city. I find an agent who has trouble but finally figures it out after 5 minutes.
So, I think you can do SDC on app, expect it to mess up your ticket (any change does) and most people are not familiar with how to fix it (phone agents saying ticket looks ok are useless, cause it was not ok. I think they simply lack the knowledge)

whitf00t

I'm going ORD-GEG next week and bought the ticket for the first flight of the day at 6 AM (thru SEA), as it was $120 cheaper than my desired 5 PM departure. Will SDC open up at midnight six hours before my flight, or when I check in 24 hours before? Additionally, if I am upgraded into F on the original flight, will I be moved into F for the SDC or just moved to waitlist? And regarding the waitlist, as MVPG, will I be at the bottom for last purchase time or will I still be with the other MVPG in the same fare bucket?

Thanks - hopefully, this makes sense.

Flying for Fun

You will have opportunity to do a SDC when you check-in for your original flight for any other flight the same day you are traveling. You will lose any complimentary upgrades you received on the original flight. You will be waitlisted for upgrades on the new flight. While I am not 100% sure, your position on the waitlist should be based on your original fare class and purchase date.

I have been upgraded on a SDC and never showed on the waitlist on the new flight but I have also recently enjoyed 25B on a pmVX Airbus when I changed to an earlier flight 10 minutes before boarding.

James

jrl767

ORD-SEA will be available for SDC when OLCI opens, but you may not be able to SDC the SEA-GEG flight until T-24 from its departure

timfountain

I don't understand the SDC WRT paid premium seat. I am just MVP so I pay for premium out of my own pocket.... Tomorrow I am on an early fight tomorrow PDX-SAN, which is packed. I paid for a premium seat a month ago. I wanted to change to a later flight, so I called them as I could not change the flight and select a premium seat, only regular economy. Was told that in addition to the change fee ($50, which I was prepared to spend) I would also loose the premium seat payment and would need to buy it again, even though there was plenty of availability of premium seats on the later AS572 flight, at least when I looked at 0800 today. I don't get why AS would do this, and as a result I am still on my original flight, which being the first of the day will go out oversold. Maybe I am missing something in the business model here?

NoLaGent

Well, you don't pay for premium as a MVP, unless you're on a Saver fare. Unfortunately, the same rule applies to MVPG and MVPG75k. This is one reason (the bigger one being F upgrades) that many consider the difference between Saver and Main fares an Elite Tax.

In regards to the premium seat charge and inability to transfer it to a new flight, AS is not alone in this policy. Whether it's E+ on UA, or MCE on AA, the rules are the same across the board. Seats are non-transferable and valid only on the flight purchased.

Flying for Fun

I haven't had issues doing a SDC on multi-segment itineraries when the subsequent segments are outside 24 hours. It wouldn't make sense to SDC ORD-SEA to a later time when that departure is after the subsequent segment SEA-GEG. Once the SDC is processed, you won't be able to check-in for the later itinerary until 24 hours before departure. If it is an earlier flight, you can continue with check-in.

Similarly, when you check-in, you are checking in for all segments on that date and will get boarding passes even for flights that aren't available for OLCI if they were O/D only as they are still outside 24 hours.

When I checked in Thursday for PHX-SEA-SFO-JFK at T-24 for the first segment I got boarding passes for all three segments even though the departure for the subsequent flights were well outside of 24 hours. On Friday, I checked-in once for the Saturday segments.

OLCI can only handle 4 segments so if you have 5 or more segments on the same calendar day, you will need to see an agent at the airport to check-in and get boarding passes. A kiosk will not work either.

James

jrl767

DL, however, treats Comfort+ as a separate cabin (W) for pricing purposes, and with a paid W ticket you can SDC onto any flight which has W availability ... caveat is that a “C+ seat upgrade” appears as S, and the SDC rules of the underlying coach fare apply

VegasGambler

This should not be an issue for an MVP.

If you are MVP you can select a premium seat for free when your upgrade window opens (48hr before your flight). I don't believe it's possible to SDC to a flight more than 48hr before it departs, so as soon as you SDC you can just select a premium seat for free, assuming one is available.

For someone without status, it would be an issue.

Did the agent you spoke to know you were MVP?

dparkinson

Given the light loads and corona concerns, anyone have any luck as an MVPG SDCing from a connection to a nonstop or changing connection city (thinking away from SEA given all the WA cases)