Best Strategy for a Zeroed out flight (all classes) knowing one pax won't fly
Dec 19, 2018, 8:33 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
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Best Strategy for a Zeroed out flight (all classes) knowing one pax won't fly
I am curious what everyone would do. I have an economy ticket on AA 68 this Saturday - MIA-MAD (connecting to IB) - I also have a ticket for my son who will not be flying. Everyone in his class was getting the flu and the teacher recommended not sending him in - so the young man ended up flying with his mom yesterday on LH
The ticket was insanely cheap (discounted but booked into M), I am perfectly fine losing the value of his ticket.
We are currently both waitlisted using SWUs. While that was a total long shot, it only takes a decent weather event and people missing a connection in MIA and something opens up - highly unlikely - but why not be on the upgrade list.
Now I am unsure what to do.
here are thoughts:
Call AA, break NPR, cancel his flight. Now I would be only one seat on the upgrade list slightly increasing odds - it would also give someone else a chance to buy the seat (his Y seat)
Not do anything, just check in myself on Saturday - given that he is not checked it, he shouldn't make the standby upgrade list - and I think the risk of both of us getting upgraded early is tiny - though of course not impossible. This might somewhat improve the odds of the seat next to me staying empty... Maybe not - who knows (his is now an MCE middle seat)
Check both of us in - he becomes a no-show. Possibly best odds of seat staying empty - though at this time of year there are probably some stand bys anyhow (right now, flight is J0 W0 Y0)
Any thoughts?
Thanks
The ticket was insanely cheap (discounted but booked into M), I am perfectly fine losing the value of his ticket.
We are currently both waitlisted using SWUs. While that was a total long shot, it only takes a decent weather event and people missing a connection in MIA and something opens up - highly unlikely - but why not be on the upgrade list.
Now I am unsure what to do.
here are thoughts:
Call AA, break NPR, cancel his flight. Now I would be only one seat on the upgrade list slightly increasing odds - it would also give someone else a chance to buy the seat (his Y seat)
Not do anything, just check in myself on Saturday - given that he is not checked it, he shouldn't make the standby upgrade list - and I think the risk of both of us getting upgraded early is tiny - though of course not impossible. This might somewhat improve the odds of the seat next to me staying empty... Maybe not - who knows (his is now an MCE middle seat)
Check both of us in - he becomes a no-show. Possibly best odds of seat staying empty - though at this time of year there are probably some stand bys anyhow (right now, flight is J0 W0 Y0)
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Dec 19, 2018, 11:22 pm
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,222
With the flight at J0 W0 Y0 the odds of the seat remaining empty are very small.
The odds of an upgrade clearing in advance are close to zero, so there's also really no need to separate the record, although there's probably no harm in doing that either.
So I probably would check him in and have him no-show (slightly increasing the odds the seat remains empty), but at the airport, I think you can tell the gate agent that you'll take one J seat if it becomes available. You can tell them at that point to split the record if they need to, and I guess you can volunteer that your son won't be making the flight.
The odds of an upgrade clearing in advance are close to zero, so there's also really no need to separate the record, although there's probably no harm in doing that either.
So I probably would check him in and have him no-show (slightly increasing the odds the seat remains empty), but at the airport, I think you can tell the gate agent that you'll take one J seat if it becomes available. You can tell them at that point to split the record if they need to, and I guess you can volunteer that your son won't be making the flight.
Dec 20, 2018, 6:27 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: MIA, VIE and DPS
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He is 8 years old, I don't think I can break the record and then check him in alone based on age? Can I?
J0, W0, Y2 now
J0, W0, Y2 now
Dec 20, 2018, 6:29 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: USA
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I would call AA and split the PNR, and then not check him in. I don't see much value in retaining his ticket. If the ticket is so cheap that there will be no residual value after the change fee, then there's no reason to cancel it. But the theory that somehow checking him in and then no-showing will increase the odds of an empty seat just seems wild. If the flight is zeroed out it is probably overbooked and even if not, that seat will be taken by a NRSA traveler.
Dec 20, 2018, 6:52 pm
#10
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Dec 20, 2018, 8:01 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Dec 20, 2018, 9:30 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Posts: 1,131
I'll probably just cancel his - looks like my wife forgot too many things and I'll have to bring a bag - they'd ask me where he is when dropping off the bag and I don't want to just lie
Dec 20, 2018, 10:23 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Alaska Gold 75K, AA EXP, United 1K
Posts: 472
I’ve done it before so either the system doesn’t automatically detect or it can be overridden. Actually had an infant under 2 separated into a different record locator before.
