ExpAAt05

Not sure which part(s) you are surprised at:

If you're talking generally about international standby (same day)? that's pretty common - I used to do it all the time from LHR.

The upgrade? to clarify, I was eVip'ed on the original flight - he just transferred it to the new one.

The fact that it was the day before? Well, this was the only time I tried and had no problem. Like I said, the load was pretty light and I'm guessing it was a discretionary decision that would probably not have worked for a non-EXP.

Or maybe since he was French, his coffee break time was approaching and he didn't want a long drawn argument

brp

Well, I did say my comment was unscientific and, as with most studies, it seems that there are reports on both sides. Bottom line seems to be:

It may work out, but don't expect it. Be willing to either make a trip to the airport in vain, or pay the fees if you simply have to go.

Cheers.

soitgoes

If there is availability in your booking class, no fare difference should be charged (just the change fee) for changing the return after the outbound has already been flown.

oklAAhoma

That's what surprised me.

aamilesslave

There must not have been. I've only done this on the advice of my (rather good) travel agent. At least one instance probably involved a fare-split connection which I was able turn into a non-stop.

pokergirl

The outbound flight on the itinerary isn't until tuesday. So I am better off just waiting, then showing up at the airport the day I need to fly? I will be departing from Omaha, NE... I don't expect any occupancy issues LOL I mean, who goes to Omaha in the dead of winter, besides junkie poker players.

I don't mind having to pay only a change fee when I get to the airport. I was checking out the AA website and they will allow to "change my flight" but I have to pay the new fare plus fees, etc. The cost to change it now online, is more than the original cost of the ticket.

oklAAhoma

Imo that would be your best hope, but keep in mind it's a long shot.

cawa

I haven't been able to get this to work with a telephone agent, either.

Normally, I can understand the policy, but one time I tried to come home a day early, the flight I was trying to switch to had only sold about 1/3 of its seats, and the flight I was trying to switch from was oversold--it would have seemed to be a win-win-win (me-AA-and someone on the next day's flight) if they had allowed me to switch.

Not a huge deal to me, but it doesn't make sense to me from a maximizing revenue standpoint.

ExpAAt05

There are lots of things in airline rules that do not make sense from a maximizing revenue standpoint if you look at them as an isolated case, but make sense from a long term perspective. MRs are a prime example - on the face of it, if I buy a ticket and decide not to go, why can't the airline give me the miles? There's never a loss to the airline and there's incremental gain (less food and fuel, some probability of reselling my seat if the flight sells out, etc..). So win-win, right? But of course they can't do it. Same goes with allowing free rebooking for earlier days - it would set a precedent that people here on FT (myself included) would figure out how to exploit

JDiver

Here's how it seems to work - from an independent consultant with many years and road miles under the belt.

For leisure travel of any sort, the lowest price works, as long as I build in "buffer" time - e.g. heading to PNG for diving, take a couple of days in Oz in case the dive gear gets extraviated; catching a cruise in Lisbon or Athens, or a safari in Nairobi or Windhoek, give a couple of buffer days to enjoy the local scenery and get over any possible jet lag. On the return, build in a couple of "buffer" days to play catch up. Understand that generally the airline will only permit "fault free" changes in case of passenger, traveling companion or family death or illness, or other extraordinary circumstances. (And if I may need to return early from a leisure trip make sure I have flexible fare just in case.

For business travel, get the client / employer to pay for a flexible fare (or to be prepared to pay the consequences.) Still build in some buffer time - if I train in Spain , I need even a bit more time to prepare and to repair - the time change and the requisite 10 PM "early dinner" with the cochinillo / suckling pig after an afternoon of "tapeando" make the early mornings setting up the training room and gear are local issues and conditions to plan for as well.

BTW, though WN may not charge change fees, they will still charge the difference between the fare purchased and the available fares on early (or late) returns.

While I empathize, I do not sympathize much - from my perspective, you purchased a ticket with known fares and restrictions, now you are blaming the airline for "some outrageous fee to return home a day early." Nope, they are merely doing what they said they would do in the Detailed Fare Rules you should have read before you "pulled the trigger" and purchased.

I'd not feel any better if a client of mine changed the terms and conditions we'd agreed with at the last minute. And I suspect, though I do not know this, that any AAgent who let this one slip by and didn't have enough titular power to waive the change fees and upfare charges on his / her own might be held accountable and be penalized for being nice to you but depriving her / his employer of revenue.

So, your best bet, as others have said, is probably to go to the airport ready to fly and be very, very nice. There's a good chance you might fly for no extra fees and fare differentials, but be prepared for the possibilities of 1) paying the charges you agreed to, or 2) calling your client / employer and explaining you will be unable to report to work as requested - particularly if loads are high.

Good luck.

AAaLot

I have gone directly to the GATE and been able to standby for an earlier day flight.

Trick is you have to have a boarding pass for the next day's flight.

When the agent printed the new boarding pass it still showed the wrong day, but she did not seem to care.

zman

How did u get past the TSA?

videomaker

Probably the same way I did at MSY recently--accidentally (really) gave the ID checker the boarding pass from the day before (the inbound flight). He initialed it and never noticed.

kazakie

Here's a twist along the similar theme:

Return flight is

XXX-YYY @8pm, Day 1 -> Overnight
YYY-ZZZ @7am, Day 2 ->Early morning

Can you go standby for XXX-ZZZ on Day 1?
Can you get confirmed standby for XXX-ZZZ on Day 1 (and US$50 fee)?

Deltahater

Me too... but hey if the OP said it happened...