Taking advantage of a sold out BF flight?
 

I am travelling CDG-IAH day after Turkey day. All 3 BF (BC) inventory buckets are showing 0, and the CO.com seat map shows all seats allocated. There are seats on the earlier CDG-EWR flight but it leaves some 3-4 hours earlier. Just wondering, assuming if everyone and more shows up, what's the best way to take advantage of this situation?

You're assuming the BusinessFirst cabin is overboked, yes?
Call CO to find out. Be advised: BF being oversold is rare.

If it is over capacity, go to the airport and present your case BEFORE the earlier flight leaves. This way you can attempt to be bumped ahead of time. (Again, the chances are slim, but you never know).

If not, you're at least first in line to volunteer your seat for your original flight--- and you can wait it out in the President's Club.

Good luck.

Do they ever bump forward? I would have expected not, since they assume there may be no-shows and they don't want to offer comp to someone that they end up not needing. I expect that they might let you volunteer to take the earlier flight, but prob with no additional comp.

Would CO tell you if BF is overbooked/sold, or merely fully booked? Not interested in getting to CDG at 9am when the flight I am on leaves at 1240. I'm flexible and can travel next day.

I have a confirmed (and paid albeit Z) BF seat. The back seems relatively wide open.

Thanks again

Remember this date falls in with CO's recent BF holiday sale fares of anywhere from $1000-1500, so there is a good chance all BF seats have been actually sold. So I wouldn't count on an upfront 'bump', more likely expect a very crowded coach section

Just don't sit next to the fat lady in coach! :D

Sorry, wrong thread!

Starr Jones? Oh-- Wrong thread again.

>
>Would CO tell you if BF is overbooked/sold, or merely fully booked?
>

Yes. According to its customer commitment, CO ---MUST--- tell you whether the flight is overbooked. The requirement if a YES or NO... not how much, how many, widely, narrowly, etc, etc, etc.

MissBumpMe! ususally asks it this way:
"Are there more seats sold than the aircraft seats in that cabin?"

...Get there early if it is overbooked.
Good Luck.

So I called CO......
 

and asked the agent if the flight was overbooked. He said no, there are seats available.... um wait, we set aside 4 seats for crew(rest) so it's right at capacity. I guess unless the EWR flight goes tech, not much chance of a bump at this time.

I have an Int'l BF bump question myself:
I'm flying paid Z fare in BF, EWR-HKG out 12/26 and return 1/2, and on both flights Y is all zeros--on 1/2, even Z is zero'd out already, 5 weeks before the flight. I rarely have heard of CO bumping unless there is an extenuating circumstance (eg, the strike in TLV), but it's fun to imagine:
12/26: J9 D8 Z4 Y0 H0 K0 N0 B0 V0 U0 Q0 I0 S0 W0
1/2: J8 D2 Z0 Y0 H0 K0 N0 B0 V0 U0 Q0 I0 S0 W0
Questions:
1) If you accept a bump, is there any chance CO will put you on another airline's flight? I have almost always ended up on the same airline as gave out the bump, since I assume if they paid you to get off the flight and then had to give away your fare to another carrier, they'd lose twice. I'm guessing CO would especially not want to pay CX, for example, for a J seat for me. :)
2) Also, what is a "normal" Int'l bump on CO worth? $700? That's what NW has always given for 24 hours
3) If I do it, I'd probably go for the return flight, since my outbound connects with an EK flight HKG-BKK. I assume since it's on another itinerary, I'm out of luck and on my own if I volunteer off the CO flight, and then miss my EK flight?
Has anyone ever gotten lucky and gotten flown to their final destination anyway? Come to think of it, what if CO Involuntarily DB'd someone who was connecting like that? Would they have any responsibility? I am guessing not, since, again, it's a separate itin, and they only have a contract to get you as far as the original destination.

Just because Z=0 does not mean the flight is oversold. They are still willing to sell atleast 8 full fare BF seats.

I have been on several completely oversold flights, on paid BF tickets, where they were looking for volunteers (mostly EWR-HNL-EWR). I have offered my seat on a few, and been told each time that they would not bump BF passengers, even voluntarily. Anyone here ever actually been able to take advantage of a bump in from BF?

Robin

I've mentioned 4 or 5 times that I'm willing, always to be told they don't bump BF unless BF itself is oversold.