Combining Records
 

What is the process for combining 2 separately booked records into one? Two tickets were purchased separately and now I want to combine them to be able to leverage my elite status for the person that I'm flying with. Do I just need to call nwa and ask them to combine the 2?

I have been told by a very competent-sounding Elite line rep that it cannot be done, but you can call and see if the person you talk to can do it. That would be the only way; no on-line possibilities.

In short: It's not possible. Airline PNRs can not be increased after a record locator (confirmation number) has been assigned. In other words, you can split a record and remove passengers from a reservation, or you can delete a passenger from a reservation, but you can not add them. Sorry :(

I have in the past been offered by Northwest reservations agents to cross-reference two PNRs. That's not the same as combining two bookings into one, but I was told that it provided protection from schedule changes that might affect the reservations in different ways. I generally ask for this whenever I have a trip with one purchased ticket and one award ticket, a scenario that requires two PNRs.

- Martin

Indeed, that process is sometimes referred to as "linking" the PNRs. As noted, though, this does not combine 2 records into 1, something that cannot be done.

you can declare your friend as a travelling companion at the gate prior to boarding to waitlist for standby upgrades ...

As others have pointed out, two or more records can be cross referenced, but they can't be combined. It's the law of entropy. :D

When my children were not Platinum, I often booked them each separately so that I could use E-Certs. We couldn't combine th records. I have cross referenced as many as 4 records each for two separate itineraries, one of them being on a different airline.

It offers you no such protection.

Cross-referencing is merely a notation in the record that these two people are travelling together. No systems are looking at it, and neither are agents, unless they specifically look for it.

Interesting. You may very well be right, but I have heard different information from the Northwest reservation agents.

- Martin

If it were me, I thnk that I would call several different agents and try. I am always amazed at how one person can find a task impossible and another seems readily able to fufill my request. It may well be impossible, but why not back that up with 3 or 4 refusals before accepting it?