Passmethesickbag

Two of us flying LHR-MAD tonight — me (OWE) in restricted economy, and companion on reward in business class (booked from my AA account) 80 minutes earlier (my flight was not available at the time of booking).

We'll be arriving at the airport together, both of us with hand luggage only. I just received an e-mail from BA saying my flight is so full that they will check everybody's bags for free (his flight is J6Y9, mine J3Y0). I've never had any joy in the past with asking BA to move me proactively from sold-out flights to earlier flights with more space, because apparently protecting the sanctity of ticket restrictions is paramount, so I'm a bit reluctant to try again — but it would be nice and practical to travel together. So, should we:

1. Ask ticketing in First Class check-in if they can move us to the same flight?
2. Go to the ticketing desk in the C lounge and ask if they can do anything?
3. Try 1 and then 2?
4. Just forget about it, relax and enjoy the GFL?

710 77345

What do you mean by restricted economy? Is your ticket part of a wider booking, and does it have a luggage allowance?

sunshinebob

Normally all these flights are pretty much rammed.. I did it Monday and both the Ba and Iberia flights were chocka block. You can ask if its possible for one of you to swap to join the other but I doubt it will happen. Enjoy the lounge.

Passmethesickbag

N fare, HBO. Although strangely enough I was offered to check up to 2 bags when checking in online; maybe IB (who operates it) are more generous to OWEs.

Passmethesickbag

I now realise that, if I don't try to change, I have a theoretical chance of an OpUp on the A340, so there's always a silver lining of desperate hope if they don't let me move.

710 77345

By all means ask, but expect to be knocked back - as I was a few days ago.

corporate-wage-slave

Anyone not on a Basic fare (point to point) can do a Same Day Change, so if someone is on a Plus fare (one with checked luggage allowance) then they can invoke the Same Day Change facility. Alternatively you can upgrade the Basic fare to Plus - probably won't be cheap - to get the same facility, otherwise pay what may be a Ł60 change fee and fare difference to go direct to the preferred service (but no further flexibility). Usually the difference between Basic and Plus is fairly small so it's worth bearing in mind if there is any chance of a change to plans. AA may (or may not) be amenable to changing their ticket, I can't see BA being willing to change the AA ticket unless there is force majeure.

frb98mf

If my powers of deduction are correct, you are on the BA522 at 18.35 and he is on the BA520 at 17.10. I looked up Avios redemption options - your flight shows J1, his shows J1 Y9. So why don't you pay a small fee to just have him move to your flight, or if your ticket is a single with nothing riding on it, if they won't change it at the airport, throw it away and blow a few miles and book yourself onto his? You have to be ticketed 1h before take-off, I think, so you'd have to be there quite early.

Yllanes

IB always offers free seat selection and checked baggage for elites on HBO fares.

Passmethesickbag

I am pleased to report that option 2 was successful. I sailed past a lovely C lounge dragon who asked me "You're OWE, what are you doing here?", and was probably helped by a subsequent flight having been cancelled, increasing the likelihood of them being able to use my original seat. On the occasions I've dealt with these agents, they've always been extraordinarily helpful and extraordinarily competent, and this was no exception — they're a credit to their employer.

irishguy28

By way of comparison, during my last trip to London (on KLM), I got a text the day before the return advising me that the flight was full and that baggage exeptionally could be checked for free.

I arrived at the Skyteam lounge in T4 [I had no luggage to check in so didn't meet any check-in/KLM staff at all], handed my boarding pass over, and after a bit of to-and-fro between the ladies [in what sounded like Russian], they told me to head to Gate 20 and that I would be accepted on the flight that was just about to close.

So I headed down to the gate and they put me on the earlier flight.

It's surprising that any airline, facing the likelihood of bumping pax and paying compensation, would not allow such requests in this circumstance!

NeverFirst

PWOZUK

Good to hear it worked out.
Did you try option 1 and fail, or just go straight to option 2?

sorry - just realised that was option3!

Passmethesickbag

You're right, I actually tried the F ticket office first, and was politely turned down. Whether that reflected a matter of difference in attitude or authority, or simply that the situation had developed between my attempts with the cancellation of a later flight, I couldn't tell you.