EmailKid

I've had something similar, but chose to take the train to city. Free stopover to visit a great city ^

mcmichi

I'm booked on a Business Class Award Ticket (I) from MUC-LHR(LH)-TPE(BR) .
I arrive in LHR at 20.25 and the flight leaving LHR is at 21.35, so I only have 70 min for the transfer.
I checked the LHR website and the MCT is 60 min, so technically is possible but I'm still worried, if anything goes wrong I'm stranded in LHR at such a late flight.
So I want to ask if any has any go show experience with LH.
Is it possible to go to MUC earlier and ask them if they can put me on an earlier flight if there's availability. Is the chance higher asking at checkin, lounge or gate?
I've only had go-show experiences with TPE-HKG, where they encourage you to take the earlier flight.

Air Rarotonga

Changes of your ticket depends on your fare bought. Maybe you could change flights against a rebooking fee.

In Europe same-day-changes are not done for free by the airlines, unless your originial flight is heavily overbooked. But else, your chances to be accepted on an earlier flight are slim to inexistent.

For the case, you should not make your connection at LHR, LH is responsable to rebook you to your final destionation of your ticket and they also have to arrange a hotel stay over night.

NewbieRunner

LH does not normally let you fly on an earlier flight if you turn up at the airport early. Whether you can change to an earlier flight depends on which airline's miles you used for the award. If you want to change your MUC-LHR to an earlier one you should contact the airline/FFP with whom you booked your award.

SK AAR

First of all I wouldn't worry too much about that connection. Most likely it will work out great for you as 70 min is plenty of time when no change of terminal is required.

Secondly, LH or BR at LHR will take good care of you in the unlikely event that you miss the BR flight at LHR.

Thirdly, for European carriers there is no such thing as "standby on earlier flight" and it is unlikely to happen (even if your current LH flight is sold out), in particular when you are on an award ticket (carriers hate to touch award tickets of other carriers and often can not do it). I wouldn't not show up at MUC airport for the earlier flight trying my luck to get on the earlier flight - it would be a waste of time as LH will keep you waiting for your booked flight and ask you to contact your FFP for rebooking if you would like to get on the earlier flight.

So my advice is to stop worrying and travel as you have planned.

chisquared

So, I know that the advice on this thread is basically that going on standby for an earlier flight depends on how flexible your ticket is, or how accommodating the gate staff at the flight you want to get on are.

I suspect the answer is going to be a no, but does the latter piece of advice also apply for carriers that are in the LH group, but are not LH? For example, LX or LO?

I have a long layover in FRA soon, and I was hoping to try my luck at getting on an earlier flight. The only LH-operated flight before my connection out of FRA is half an hour after I am scheduled to land, so I doubt I am even going to be around to ask the gate staff if they can accommodate me for that one. There is, however, an LO-operated flight I would like to see if I can make it on, and am thinking about trying my luck with the gate agents.

Has anyone had any experience with this?

YuropFlyer

LX is even more strikt than LH. Forget about switching to an earlier flight on them.

And yes, unless your ticket is flexible (or on semi-flex, you're willing to pay the difference), there isn't much chance they'll rebook you.

You can totally forget to be switched from an LH flight to anything else, especially LOT. You can try of course - and if for whatever reason "your" flight is massively overbooked, and there is a clear instruction in the system to find "volunteers", you might get lucky.

But overall, I would say your chance to get a free rebooking onto an earlier, Non-LH flight, is somewhere between 0 and 1%. Closer to 0%, actually

chisquared

What I thought. I'll give it a try if the relevant gate happens to be near where I am before they board, but I suppose I won't go out of my way for it.

I'll post an update here if I end up trying my luck.

htb

I doubt the LO agents at the LO gate will touch an LH ticket. Better luck trying at the transfer desk or in the lounge.

HTB.

Hotelsforlife

I am booking using Aeroplan miles via FRA to MXP. First then business class. I have a 4 hour layover because that was the earliest connecting option available with miles. Do you know if LH will allow me to standby for earlier flights?

Lack

On general principle - no.

SK AAR

Sorry, but no chance at all. LH doesn't apply the concept of standby as in the US - you need to rebook if you want to get on an earlier flight - and certainly not if you are on an award issued by other carrier (LH will refuse to touch these tickets)

oliver2002

If there is space LH will ask you to contact Aeroplan and change/reissue the underlying ticket.

NewbieRunner

Are you flying on LH on both legs? If arriving in F and connecting in FRA, some people intentionally arrange a longer layover to experience/enjoy the FCT or FCL.

greg99

Can I ask a related question? I have a bit different situation, in that I would *like* to reach my destination earlier.

I'm a UA 1K, so on UA I have the ability to make same day space available changes for free. Obviously, I recognize that LH isn't UA, but I was wondering whether LH allows pax to standby for earlier flights without incurring the change fee.

Thanks,
Greg