Same Day Flight Change at Airport?
 

Hello,

I'm booked to fly from CGK to TPE on CX718 and CX470 this coming January. Unfortunately, it appears that there is an equipment change on both legs, both to the regional planes, which feature the admittedly, less desirable J product.

Having selected these flights solely to avoid the regional J, would it be possible to change to an earlier flight on the leg from HKG to TPE at the airport whether in CGK or TPE on the day of travel?

Has anybody got an experience with this?

Welcome to CX where nope, no one is getting a longhaul product regionally for sure unless you are flying to Tokyo! And at HKG, they are more than likely to stick to the rules and help you check what the change fees are upon your request.

That being said, it's likely that you will get quite a few more swaps down the road for flights that far out.

Thanks for the reply G-CIVC.

I've been lucky enough to always get the long haul product ex-Jakarta until this time around. I do hope they'll be changing the equipments around again.

Cheers!

Has anybody else got any more experience regarding this matter?

Equipment change is not an excuse CX will accept to waive fees if required. Sometimes they'll let you go on an earlier flight standby or they'll just give you a BP, other times they make you pay fee changes and/or say no.

You're also asking waaaay too early in the game, as said above swaps occur regionally very often. Sometimes multiple times before departure.

Your good longhaul product fortune thus far is unfortunately more a function of your good luck and probably not too frequent CX flights, instead of design.

Take, for example your flights which are 4 months out. Between now and then there is a significant change in the longhaul fleet deployments, happening in Oct-Nov time. So we really won't have any idea how regional patterns are affected until lec time, because there are a lot of new longhaul rotations starting in October which will change current patterns in the longhaul fleet (which cascade regionally). After that time it would be appropriate for the CX regular to start making educated guesses. It's possible longhaul birds will be more, not less, available regionally. But this far out to a regional destination like CGK, the schedule cannot be relied on. Sorry.

Hello QRC3288,

Thanks for you detailed reply. As you've mentioned, yes, I've only been flying CX more frequently this year and have more or less purchased my flights two or three weeks in advance thus far. So this time purchasing it waay in advance is definitely a mistake in my part.

Not that I mind the regional product, having flown on the same seat on KA several times, I'd rather avoid it if possible. That said, I was just wondering whether changing the TPE leg was possible, it being a destination served by the hour on CX. I've actually had successful experience changing my flight on standby at TPE and was wondering about any experiences of doing just that at HKG.

Seeing your reply as well as that of G-CIVC, I could now see that this is more or less a game of luck, if one were to put it that way.

Thanks!

I'm sure you will be fine even in regional J seats. The J service will be the same.

Actually LH J have better FA:pax ratios?

Yes, I understand. Like I've mentioned, I've flown on KA's J which is essentially the same product albeit with different catering. Additionally, I definitely do not anticipate service variations based solely on a different product.

Although the service may indeed be less personalised as is implied by percysmith, I don't suppose this is too much of a bother given how orchestrated CX's service concept is currently (although that may soon change with Dine on Demand offered on more routes).

You see, whilst I don't necessarily mind the regional seats, I would appreciate if I could indeed change to an earlier flight at HKG, considering how I booked (mistakenly early) the HKG to TPE segment on a 77W which was later changed to the 772. Having selected a flight with an extra hour in transit, intending to fly the 77W, I figured I'd rather fly on an earlier flight (which at the time of booking was served by a regional A330) should this be possible. Hence, I prompted the question regarding the possibility of same-day stand-bys to an earlier flights as the earlier flight would give more favourable timing in the end.

No, I don't actively detest and greatly go out of my way to avoid the regional seats, I'd just avoid it if I could do it with marginal time differences as was offered by the previously 77W scheduled flight.

Ok - I get it now. You intentionally added extra transit time at HKG to travel on the 77W and now - given that it is no longer a B77W - there is no reason to hang around @ HKG and you which to take the earlier flight to TPE. Your inquiry makes more sense now.

I guess all you will get from the this board is to go ahead and try to request the earlier flight. Whether it will be allowed or not is likely to depend on the agent you talk to - I doubt anyone in this forum will be able to confirm that you will be on the earlier flight.

Good luck! (I think you are going to need it with this one).

Unlike PVG or PEK that are known for waiving change fees just because
the delays are so serious that they are trying to squeeze all passengers
into flights that are actually flying, but it never hurts to give it a try.

Thanks SJ AAR! I'm happy you understand. I'll definitely give it a try, and perhaps report back (still a long time from now :p) should that be of any significance to anyone, or perhaps as a data point? haha

Thanks for your input asv2!

Cheers everyone!

I have always been able to change to earlier flights once at the airport, just ask nicely when you get to the lounge.

You will have less chance calling ahead especially as the aircraft will almost certainly change again between now and January.

I have always had success....if I want to pay the change fees.

A little late chiming in but a couple of thoughts:

1. If you get a long-haul a/c you're lucky... I fly TPE-CGK almost every week and it's 60:40 for me at best

2. I don't know at HKG but I've moved my flight earlier in TPE quite a few times without a problem. But maybe it also depends on the fare class booked (not quite sure). To be honest though, the flight from HKG-TPE is so short and the lounges in HKG or TPE so good that I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle.