Contradancer

Here's the scenario: Booked on a red eye alone, then a few hours after arrival the family is meeting me at the airport and the four of us are flying out on a different Delta reservation.

Does anyone have any experience volunteering for an oversold flight, in this case the red eye, and having the gate agent be willing to change a separate reservation, in this case the family reservation the next day, to accommodate a volunteer? In this case it would require changing the four of us to a later flight the next day.

Regardless of the answers here I understand that each gate agent is different and I will be sure to ask whomever ends up working the flight. I'm just curious if anyone here has tried this.

jing_canada

very unlikely GA will do you such a favour.

GBadger

Unlikely. I've found that GA's are willing to do a lot, but if it starts to become too much of a hassle, they will likely search for another volunteer.

jjglaze77

I have never had them change a res involving others, but they have done some pretty creative stuff for me including changing a return flight (to accomodate an immediate turn on an MR), combining 2 separate tickets (aka, had a ticket for AAA-ATL-BBB and a ticket for BBB-ATL-CCC, they made it AAA-ATL-CCC), and completely changing my destination.

fti

In one sense, I kind of hope they would NOT do that. How does the GA know that the people in the other reservation have given you the authority/permission to change their reservation (even if you have the same last name)? That is treading on VERY thin ice.

humanoid94

I have seen some creative stuff done if the gate agent was motivated enough. Years ago, I was scheduled to fly MSP-LGW on one ticket, connecting to LHR-AMS a day later on another ticket. I volunteered off MSP-LGW and was rebooked on MSP-AMS direct, but I still had the problem of no showing on the LHR-AMS roundtrip. (as I was ultimately flying back LGW-MSP). A few minutes on the helpline and the gate agent converted my LHR-AMS ticket to a paper ticket and told me not to worrying about no showing in LHR. $750 credit voucher, a free hotel room, free stopover in MSP, $40 or so in food, and direct to Amsterdam. It was a great deal.

GBadger

I think they CAN do it, but if there are other volunteers, they have no obligation to do so. Again, if you make it as easy as possible on the GA, you are more likely to get the bump. Make it difficult, and you are rolling the dice.

fpm

In ATL, a lot of gates are operating with one GA. Simple would make the choice easy for them.

bkmn

I agree.

Know what flights are available, make sure that the loads are not already high before you make any suggestions (check seatcounter). IROPs can change loads quickly, so be able to check loads at the airport.

Have the PNR for your second res handy. If the others in your party are not on one PNR, I would not recommend even thinking about making such a request.

Contradancer

I made the reservation, I'm on the reservation. How would this be different than voluntarily changing the reservation? I can do that alone online or on the phone or at the airport after paying the change fees and difference in fare.

You're right, the GA does not know for sure that the people traveling with me want to change their plans. But that is true no matter the circumstances of the change. Delta did not know for sure when I made the reservation in the first place that the people traveling with me want to go. Correct me if I'm wrong.

mtkeller

I think fti missed that you were on the same PNR as the family for the rest of the trip, instead thinking that you had one PNR for everything and the family was on a separate PNR. In that case, it would be sketch to let you change the reservation.

Contradancer

Thank you all for your replies. They give me some hope. I have a good relationship with the gate agents (they are not in ATL--red eyes arrive in ATL, they don't depart from ATL :-) ) that normally work the flight and a long track record of volunteering with them and being used in low-maintenance fashion (just give me the e-credit, hotel voucher, and rebook me on the next flight).

I would have asked them directly a few weeks ago when I was on the same flight but there is no guarantee they will be working the flight the one night I am a high-maintenance volunteer. So I asked here.

I will definitely come prepared with record locator and flights that we want. And I will be nice and understanding if they say too much work or no can do or whatever.

Thank you all again.

JFKSFOLAX_friend

I think the other posters here are too pessimistic. I have had GAs change other reservations as part of my compensation for volunteering. Not a big deal...though I do agree that they may move to another volunteer if that volunteer is easier. If you are the only one, you shouldn't have a huge problem.

libuser

dude even if they dont want to change the other reservation ask what is the compensation, and if it makes sence to pay the other $150 change fee then just do it.
I think you are getting too greedy...

JFKSFOLAX_friend

"dude":

I don't think the OP is greedy. What's the saying: "Never hurts to ask. The worst they can say is 'no'."