Same day changes at gate in Plus
 

I flew ARN-CPH-AAR this week on a Plus Pro ticket.

I managed to be able to catch an earlier flight and at ARN I was moved onto the earlier flight without issue and in no time. I even got to the gate at the very last minute and there was another flight in between that flight and the one I had booked.

At CPH I was told that that was not possible unless I had a Full Flex ticket and they refused to get me onto the earlier flight. It was a 4 hour wait so I challenged the decision even if the gate agent had already talked to someone on the phone. In the end they let me on but with a comment saying that the benefit had been removed and that they were not supposed to do it. I was at the gate when it opened and I was the very last person on the bus so it seemed very close and it took a very long time.

They could not explain why I was able to do it at ARN an hour before and they were very friendly and really made an effort. I’m EBG but that should not make any difference I guess. I’ve done this at the gate lots of times before without issue regardless of what kind of Plus ticket I was on.

Has anybody experienced something similar or have knowledge of any policy changes? Without this benefit there is not much reason to pay for the currently much more expensive Plus tickets…

An interesting experience. This was a very useful feature of Plus tickets. Have not used it for a long time, as I did not travel for work the last two years (and mostly my work takes me to places where there are enough connections so that this benefit can be used). More reports would be useful. Sounds like a silly move on SK side, given the cost of full flex tickets. (I never understood the full flex concept, which is typically more expensive than a change on a non-flex ticket, or an entirely new ticket).

Over the last few years, this had been a hit or miss for me to get moved without major discussion. At various airports. Once in HEL, I was on an Go ticket which I upgraded with points to Plus and the agent took a huge effort to get me on the earlier flight as the system said "no" whatever they tried. She just refused to give up and eventually I was moved to the earlier flight. Than I had the same experience like SASegments in CPH and OSL were I was told "no way, unless you have a full flex ticket" on a full bought Plus ticket. The CPH agent eventually gave in, but in OSL... no dice.

I think it was never a real published benefit and you are dependent on the good will of the gate agent. Anyhow, in the last like 5 years, I was refused just two times (once in OSL, once in CDG).

It may of course be down to some gate agents simply not knowing what they can/are allowed to do. I just didn't get that impression as she talked to someone several times.

I once tried it in Go at CPH arguing that the only reason I was not booked on the earlier flight was that the MCT was not long enough so it was not possible to book it. That did not work either and the gate agent told me that they are/were allowed to do it on all Plus tickets and for EBPs. EBG and EBD does not help. That was probably a little over two years ago.

A bit more than two years ago an agent at TRD told me that any PLUS ticket would do for an earlier flight with the same destination, same day.

The option to change flights showed up in the app when I upgraded to Plus using EB points.

AFAIR the change needs to be done in the DCS section of Altea, not the CRS, ie if the agents try to change the reservation the computer will say no. Instead they need to change the flight in the departure control system (or you can do it in the app using the checkin feature).

So you believe it is possible to do even without talking to an agent??

I actually said to the gate agent very explicitly that I was not trying to change the reservation but merely get on another flight. She said she understood that but I of course don’t know what she actually did.

I also once asked if they could do it in the lounge in CPH, to avoid the walk to the gate, but they said that they could only change the reservation.

Yes, it needs to be changed in the app or at the gate using the DCS.

It's a hit or miss, mostly a hit with Diamond status and the right approach. Unclear why SK and/or European Airlines still haven't been able to create a wait list setup like US carriers have had for decades as it opens up seats on later flights. An easy benefit that pleases customers at no incremental cost for the airlines but there seems to be an ideological sentiment against it. People who need flexibility or for those it adds value will continue to buy flexible tickets as long as the wait list isn't deterministic.

The system allows standby listing and airline employee travel is handled US style. Altea even clears the list using the PCV if so desired. Lufthansa allows you to 'flex' even in low booking classes if you are willing to pay a bit more (50-75€). The change is handled in the DCS, so the booking class etc doesn't matter.

Even on a Lufthansa flexible business class ticket, one needs to be persistent. More often than not for me, it required long discussions with fussy gate agents at FRA, who were telling me it was too late to change since meals had already been loaded; and it required quite a lot of cajoling to convince them that I would happily forgo the meal if it meant getting home sooner (in time for supper).

My strategy at FRA used to be booking, say, a 17:00 departure, and then leaving the office with enough buffer that I would normally arrive at the gate (just) in time for boarding of the 16:00 departure. But I then often had to argue with the agents for 5 minutes to let me on, despite this being an official benefit of the flexible ticket. They always did in the end, but often made it sound like they were doing me a favour.

This has been a great (unpublished?) benefit that I've used many times during the years. Yesterday I was told at CPH that this is no longer allowed, with a memo having been sent out 3 weeks ago. Apparently you're only allowed to stand-by if your booking class is C, which seems to be a moot point as you're then anyway already able to change to any flight with available seats.

To me this is a great degradation, being able to catch an earlier flight on standby when work ends early has helped many times. For me personally this means I can no longer justify buying a Plus-ticket to my employer, as it has no benefit anymore except that there is no change fee close to departure (but you still have to pay the fare difference, which can be pretty hefty and something you may not have time to do at the airport).

Any recent experiences with this?

Used to work in all Plus tickets but the last times that I have tried it has not worked. Once a year ago it worked at ARN but not CPH on the same ticket.

Tried today at ARN on Plus Pro ticket with very helpful agent that said ‘You will get on the flight’ and then realizing that due to ticket restrictions she could not get me on the flight.

I guess it has to be Full Flex - or is it still a hit or miss chance?

And I'm assuming being *G won't help with same day standby? I have a trip coming up next April LAX-CPH-MXP (all in Plus Smart) with a 7-hr layover in CPH but would like to get on the earlier flight to Milan.

No chance. You need to be EB diamond/Pandion.