Standby for earlier departure - LH Group [merged sameday standby Q&A thread]
Mar 13, 2011, 1:15 am
#136
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,859
I am flying intra-europe on a Z fare to FRA. My flight is at 4pm, but I'd like to catch an earlier flight instead. Of course, I don't want to pay the $400 change fee if I can avoid it. Can I standby for an earlier flight to FRA without a $400 change fee? It sounds like LH is pretty anti-standby unless they overbook our flight. I am in business on a Z fare. Does that make a difference? Thanks!
Mar 13, 2011, 1:19 am
#137
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: PRN
Programs: LH HON* || HH Diamond || Accor Gold
Posts: 1,272
I am flying intra-europe on a Z fare to FRA. My flight is at 4pm, but I'd like to catch an earlier flight instead. Of course, I don't want to pay the $400 change fee if I can avoid it. Can I standby for an earlier flight to FRA without a $400 change fee? It sounds like LH is pretty anti-standby unless they overbook our flight. I am in business on a Z fare. Does that make a difference? Thanks!
1) the flight you are originally booked is overbooked;
2) LH knows in advance that your originally booked flight will not operate or there will be a very serious delay;
3) you will find an agent who, due to your charm or his/her absent-mindedness, will waive the change fee.
Also, be advised that since Z is the lowest business class fare basis, in addition to charging 400 USD, LH is supposed to charge the fare difference to the next available fare basis (D->C->J), which can add up between 200 to 1000 USD on top.
Mar 13, 2011, 10:06 am
#138
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BRU
Programs: LH SEN, SN Gold, Eurostar Carte Blanche, BA, QF, AF
Posts: 6,856
There are (some) fully flexible Z fares though (at least there were). So if you have one of those, and booking class Z is available on the desired flight, you can change for free.
Jan 9, 2012, 12:56 pm
#139
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: DTW, ICN and HAJ
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 118
Standby for an earlier flight
I will fly next week from HAJ to LAX via MUC. I have a business class flight in booking class Z. Instead of killing time in HAJ, I would like rather spent some more time at the airport in Munich.
Will Lufthansa take me on an earlier flight to MUC without additional charges?
Thanks for your response!
Will Lufthansa take me on an earlier flight to MUC without additional charges?
Thanks for your response!
Jan 9, 2012, 1:38 pm
#140
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: PRN
Programs: LH HON* || HH Diamond || Accor Gold
Posts: 1,272
Normally, not. If you want to take an earlier flight, you will have to pay any fare difference between what you booked and what's available on the day when you fly. LH may be flexible if there are serious reasons in HAJ that may disrupt your connecting to LAX-bound flight, such as weather or severe overbooking of your domestic segment. It does not hurt to ask, however in general LH is very adamant about abiding by the rules.
Jan 9, 2012, 2:03 pm
#141
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Switzerland
Programs: SEN, Platinum Ambassador PC
Posts: 144
I was last week ( 05th january ) arriving to frankfurt from cape town with LH at 05:40am and my conecting flight was at 08:25am to Zurich , so Ijust went to the ticket desk in the A terminal near to my gate and I was asking a LH lady if I can take the early flight to Zurich, and I was waiting for the price diferent ( I have a economy class V ) and I was travelling with other 2pax also in the same booking, so the lady take 5 min to give me the new boarding pass for all of us and rebooked us in the early flight at 07:35am to Zurich without any charge....! She say that it was possible to reebooked us, and I never pay any...!
Yo can try at the ticket desk with a big smile...! and I think that will be fine.
Yo can try at the ticket desk with a big smile...! and I think that will be fine.
Jan 9, 2012, 3:24 pm
#142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,203
I was last week ( 05th january ) arriving to frankfurt from cape town with LH at 05:40am and my conecting flight was at 08:25am to Zurich , so Ijust went to the ticket desk in the A terminal near to my gate and I was asking a LH lady if I can take the early flight to Zurich, and I was waiting for the price diferent ( I have a economy class V ) and I was travelling with other 2pax also in the same booking, so the lady take 5 min to give me the new boarding pass for all of us and rebooked us in the early flight at 07:35am to Zurich without any charge....! She say that it was possible to reebooked us, and I never pay any...!
Yo can try at the ticket desk with a big smile...! and I think that will be fine.
Yo can try at the ticket desk with a big smile...! and I think that will be fine.
And no a smile dosen't always work!
May 3, 2012, 11:56 am
#144
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Victoria BC
Programs: AC *50K MM; WS Platinum; Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 811
Question about standing by for an earlier FRA-AMS flight
A question for the Lufthansa regulars:
I am flying YYC-FRA-AMS in business class with the FRA-AMS leg on Lufthansa. My presently have a 5 hour layover in FRA, but there is an earlier flight FRA-AMS that I could easily connect on. However, there is a significant price differential so I am leaning towards booking the later connection.
Is it likely that I will get on the earlier flight if I ask when I arrive to standby? I won't have any checked bags. And, if the answer is yes, will there be a fee?
Many thanks!
I am flying YYC-FRA-AMS in business class with the FRA-AMS leg on Lufthansa. My presently have a 5 hour layover in FRA, but there is an earlier flight FRA-AMS that I could easily connect on. However, there is a significant price differential so I am leaning towards booking the later connection.
Is it likely that I will get on the earlier flight if I ask when I arrive to standby? I won't have any checked bags. And, if the answer is yes, will there be a fee?
Many thanks!
May 3, 2012, 3:36 pm
#148
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,744
No European airline normally does standby. They accommodate you on the service for which you hold a confirmed, paid seat. If you didn't want to pay for the service you actually want to travel on, they won't just shrug their shoulders and put you on it anyway.
May 4, 2012, 8:41 pm
#150
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, AA Plat Pro, DL Gold, UA*S, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 631
Anyone know if I would be able to standby for a more direct connection on LX? I'm flying on a UA award ticket LX F ZRH-YUL-ORD, was hoping to switch to ZRH-ORD direct as I'm sure F won't be full. (I'll keep an eye out for close-in F availability, of course, and will change through UMP if I find anything.) ZRH-ORD departs five minutes after ZRH-YUL. I'm an LH SEN, and the status is in my reservation. I will be checking a bag. What are my chances of getting this changed at first class checkin at ZRH?