metoo

I am on an award ticket for CX . I will be flying CX business class from JNB to HKG with a 16 hours connection at HKG on first class from HKG to LAX. . Should there be an available first class seat on an earlier flight to LAX , could the counter at the pier one first class lounge issue reissue a ticket for me on an earlier flight or do I need to deal with Alaska airlines (. Award ticket from Alaska). . I will not have any checked baggage , only two carry ons.

tia

QRC3288

the fact you're in the first class lounge doesn't matter. (as is the fact you're flying J from JNB). it's not like it gives you preferred ability to change the ticket, if that's what you're hoping.

technically, Alaska needs to reissue the ticket for you. in practice, I think CX might allow you to standby if the flight is empty, however my gut says your priority would be very low. Those Alaska F tickets are worth less to CX than some Y fare buckets. For example, I'm quite certain there's no way you'll be swapping if there are 3 F seats open on the earlier flight, but J or Y class are full. Would be cutting it too tight and those Alaska tickets are just too cheap.

Audio

On 2 occasions, the lovely First Class lounge Attendants (Gate 63) had offered me options to join an earlier flight without me having to ask.

(Audio)

G-CIVC

No.

PST agent @ Wing/Pier types in PNR --> sees its AS stock --> 'Please deal with AS'

AS is effectively your 'travel agent'.

I connected from 748 to 880 before. Had a fun day @ HKG doing lounge hopping. It's not as bad as you think

txflyer77

Is that true once travel as commenced? I would think the ticket is under airport control at that point and out of AS's hands.

ermen

Actually yes they can do it for you if they want you - i.e. standby for earlier flight - but that will require waiting till flight closing so you will not know until very late.

Whether they will do it for you, I don't know. They do not have to do it for you. And I am not sure what your chances are as they don't really practice flow forwarding for that flight... maybe it depends on how nice you are to them...

To say that it can't be done is wrong though. At outports like PEK it can be done... and even at HKG.... I had a HKG-KUL Y redemption using Avios. Due to delay for 2hrs+, which will cause me to miss my KUL-JHB flight (separate ticket), i requested they rerouted me HKG-SIN which they did on standby. They knew the ticket stock was BA... though they did ask for a reason for change of flight - think they need to file that in a report.

But no harm asking.

MSPeconomist

With no checked bags, OP can go standby on the earlier flight if CX approves. He/she doesn't need to be confirmed until the flight is close to closing the door, assuming that FC is fully catered.

kaka

They could do it if they wish or if they have a reason to.

once i was gonna goshow (booked w asiamiles) for a flight and my gf booked one of the morning flights to kix using avios.

her flight was delayed n blocked out as we got to the airport. But the agent moved both of us to a later nondelayed flight. Her ticket was obviously a 125 stock but its possible.

seawolf

If AS wants, they can take control back. Under normal operations, operating carrier does not change/exchange the ticket issued by other airline at all even if operating carrier puts you on a different flight.

Under IRROPS, operating carrier can exchange ticket especially if they need to send you to another carrier.

As to OP question, under normal operations, success depends on agent/policy of CX if they allow for changing flight especially if award space is not available.

1010101

I would think it unlikely on a miles tickets issued by another carrier. If you were on a paid fare they will often move you if there is space, but they will be reluctant to touch anything issued by another airline. Your only chance imo is if airport ops proactively want your seat on the later flight and direct the counter staff to offer you a move. That has happened to me before.

QRC3288

yea, exactly.

Basically, this is close to as low a value ticket as it gets for CX.

I have no doubt in my mind CX will offer an earlier flight if they need it to happen, perhaps the OP's original flight is oversold or something and the earlier flight is wide open. And if it's no sweat off their back (aka, they can tell loading for the earlier flight is 0% chance going to be full, aka no waiting list and extremely light loading), they might do it. Otherwise, my guess is they'll either make you wait until the very last minute, or say no.

I think my main point is they won't accommodate it just because he/she is in F class. It's not all created equal. I saw a passenger absolutely ripping into the Wing F lounge check-in staff earlier this year, yelling this and that about "First Class from SFO....is this how you treat First Class passengers?" I don't know exactly what his problem was, although his behavior was extremely obnoxious and he was causing quite a ruckus. However, back at the check-in desk I heard one-side of a phone conversation in Cantonese between lounge staff and someone else presumably at CX, with the lounge staff verifying it wasn't their ticket, it was an award ticket issued by AA. So they can see those details, and I remember thinking somehow this factor was playing into CX's reaction, and presumably not giving this guy what he wanted. I wish I could remember it precisely.

If you're on a cash F ticket and there is A or F space available on the earlier flight, no problem you can switch operational reasons won't be considered. But just because you're in the F lounge won't get you special treatment, and in this case I think CX will consider all their operational reasons before releasing. Even if there is award space left, I could possibly see them denying.

1010101

The key point is the counter staff wont have access to any of the above information beyond a list of fares sold. If the OP requests a move they'll get a standard no, the counter staff at HK will almost certainly not call operations (i don't know if they even can, unlike at outstations). The only way it happens is if someone in ops who can see all the information asks the counter to find a volunteer.

ermen

Counter staff have no specific insight into whether it is a low value ticket or high value ticket. It simply does not play into their decision making process apart from the simple fact that it is a reward ticket issued on non-CX stock.

metoo

I am not inferring that I would have special treatment asking at the lounge as opposed to the transfer desk or other counter at HKG airport . It would be convenient for me . If I have a good chance of a changing to an earlier flight ,than I will not check my baggage through . My flight is August 16 th just after midnight from HKG to LAX. I would like to change it to an afternoon flight on August 15th.

A couple of years ago I was on Luthansa flight connecting at Frankfurt . I asked the lounge person if I could change to an earlier flight ( on avios redemption). And I was told I could if I only had carry on baggage. Thus I am asking about CX policy.

QRC3288

It's worth a try.

I think they'll do it if
1.) it's convenient for them, probably your original flight is oversold, or
2.) it's extremely obvious the earlier flight has no issue whatsoever, aka extremely light.

but they won't necessarily do it just because a seat is open.