PZ

Does anyone know the rules for having a ticket endorsed?

My company travel people insist that they can only give me a NW ticket, even though NW offers only a lousy routing for this trip.

With NW I have to change planes and waste a whole lot of time. Meanwhile, Delta has a perfectly convenient direct flight to my final destination in Europe.

Any chance NW would endorse the ticket to Delta? Any tips on how to make this happen?

Thanks all

IndustrialPatent

Your company purchased you a ticket on NW. You prefer to fly DL. So you want NW to give up the revenue from the ticket by endorsing it to DL. Do you really think this is going to happen? 'Oh please take our money Delta, we don't want it.'

NW accepts other airlines' tickets without endorsment (as previously pointed out by a fellow FTer). Maybe DL does the same. Your question would best be answered in the DL fourm, to which you have already posted.

[This message has been edited by IndustrialPatent (edited 11-23-2002).]

Vegas Agent

Depending on the type of fare, an endorsement is not required for a US-flag carrier to another US-flag carrier. If it is a restrictive fare, the endorsement box in the upper-left portion of the ticket will state "non-end" or "non-endorsable" and possibly "non-reroutable" -- some even are restricted to rebooking on NW only if the flight were to cancel (although these are mainly bulk fares from Europe).

Best thing to do is to take it to a Delta agent and ask if they will accept it without endorsement...if not, good luck...without a good case to plead, it's unlikely NW will sign it over. It is very possible that your company has a corporate account set up with NW which gives the company a volume-based discount...basically they have promised to book X number of tickets or X amount of $ on NW they are given a % discount on each ticket they issue...you might check into the program a bit more before using the ticket on another carrier as to not jeapordize the contract.

richard

I've done used other airlines tix many times without endorsement.

Once I had to get an endorsement from US and I just went over to the US counter and they endorsed. Most of the time no endorsement required. It's a random thing but your chances are very high at the airport, I would say even higher at the gate. That's my experience.

Radiocycle

Aren't paper ticket a "cash equivilent" to the airlines. They send in the coupons to a clearinghouse (like people do with checks) and their account gets credited with the funds due from the flight coupon.

Is this how it works with paper tickets?

-----------------------------------------

How can you change airlines (using an unendorsed eticket)and the airline get e-coupon credit in a situation such as this?

richard

Yes it is. The coupon is lifted when you board and it goes through a clearing proces. E-tix are treated similarly though electronically.

Technically, an airline can refuse to honor any coupons that are "non endorseable" or "NW only" but I don't think this happens too often. And by then the flight has long since carried you to your destination.

jsy9999

Please see this thread as well:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum35/HTML/004100.html

ralfkrippner

VegasAgent may I ask you if those endorsement rules and the BUMP program are still in place after the recent changes to standby rules and change fees?

How would you handle a situation where a fullfare F/J pax on a ticket of another airline shows up and wants to check-in for a NW flight where you have space available but the full-fare on NW would have been significantly higher?

PARSpro

A memo recently was put into our computer system indicating that the BUMP program is still in effect.

NW will accept any other N. American based airline (with which NW has a ticketing agreement) for travel on NW as long as there is a dollar value to the ticket.

Examples of tickets NW will not accept without being reissued are BULK tickets, frequent flyer tickets and Industry Discount (non-rev) tickets.

Even if NW does not get the full face value of revenue on the ticket, the customer will usually think of NW first the next time (s)he needs to fly.

jsy9999

What North American airlines does NWA have ticketing agreement with?

Thanks,

jsy9999

TravelLover

PARSPro -

I have a few quick questions about the BUMP program. The answers are probably obvious but I just want to check.

First, does the routing have to be the same or just the origin/destination. For example, if I have a UA ticket from MSN-ORD-AUS will Northwest accept this even though my routing would be MSN-MSP-AUS?

Second, does the BUMP program apply to e-tickets? In my earlier example if my ticket on UA is an e-ticket will NW accept it?

Third, if I'd like to try to use the BUMP program, how do I do it? Do I go to the ticket counter at the airport just before the flight? Do I call reservations?

Thanks. I appreciate all of the insight you give us into a whole variety of things. It's nice to have a way to peek behind the curtain.

BlueHonu

A couple questions from me as well as I am still slightly confused about how this works?
If I bring a full-fare ticket to NW and fly on a NW flight will I be able to earn miles on NW?
Also if I am elite on NW, will I be considered at the gate for complimentary upgrade if on another carrier's original ticket?
Th

Rocheflyer

I would love to make use of the BUMP program! Too often I'm forced to fly American or United due to my company's travel partnerships. Unfortunately, I'm always issued E Tickets. Any thoughts on how to get an E ticket turned into a paper ticket so that I can BUMP?

Vegas Agent

If you have the e-ticket receipt or at least the ticket number, we can access the ticket and print it or link it to your new reservation on NW or you can have the other carrier print the ticket (but some are now charging for this). As interline e-ticketing is fairly new, many agents are not familiar with accessing, taking control and linking another carriers ticket to a reservation but it can be done. The "BUMP" program is geared to capture revenue from other carriers and of course fill up empty seats, it's idea is not for someone to regularly book on another carrier because the fare is less and then fly NW...but I suppose their is nothing prohibiting this, one is taking a chance in trying this on a routine basis and if it was noticed, I suppose we could then refuse the ticket/passenger...that would be a tough call.
To answer another post: yes, your frequent flyer miles can be applied and should you have Elite status, you should be granted the privledge of standby for first class.
A MSN-ORD-LAX ticket on UA is acceptable for a MSP connection on NW...the origin and destination are the key.

Vegas Agent

Practically every major North American carrier and international carrier. Some exceptions that come to mind are: Southwest, Sun Country, Spirit,AirTran and JetBlue. The majority of the low-cost/low-fare carriers do not have ticketing agreements with any other airlines (one way to keep their costs lower).