We give advice to new companion pass holders
Jan 25, 2017, 3:18 pm
#31
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,570
OK, it's been a few years since I had a CP, and I forget if I had this situation before.
I have an upcoming reservation for my wife and I, made a few months back, one-way LAX-MCI. $109 per ticket. Stupidly, I put them in one PNR...I had no intention of obtaining a CP this year, nor was I thinking of any other reason I'd split the PNRs. (So often I'm using points for her and cash for me that we're *usually* on separate PNRs. But not this time.)
Then came the 3/31 news, so I pulled the trigger on one last CP. The problem is that I cannot figure out any way to either cancel just her segment or somehow change just hers to either a Companion seat or to some future flight that I can cancel after we fly this itin. I can change the whole itin or cancel the whole itin - but I can't split us apart.
The one-way segment is now $197 per person, so canceling the whole thing doesn't really buy me anything.
Is there some trick, or am I just SOL on this one? Not a huge deal either way, but if I had the $109 back she'd quickly burn it on her next solo trip somewhere... Figure I might as well try!
I have an upcoming reservation for my wife and I, made a few months back, one-way LAX-MCI. $109 per ticket. Stupidly, I put them in one PNR...I had no intention of obtaining a CP this year, nor was I thinking of any other reason I'd split the PNRs. (So often I'm using points for her and cash for me that we're *usually* on separate PNRs. But not this time.)
Then came the 3/31 news, so I pulled the trigger on one last CP. The problem is that I cannot figure out any way to either cancel just her segment or somehow change just hers to either a Companion seat or to some future flight that I can cancel after we fly this itin. I can change the whole itin or cancel the whole itin - but I can't split us apart.
The one-way segment is now $197 per person, so canceling the whole thing doesn't really buy me anything.
Is there some trick, or am I just SOL on this one? Not a huge deal either way, but if I had the $109 back she'd quickly burn it on her next solo trip somewhere... Figure I might as well try!
Jan 25, 2017, 9:12 pm
#32
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Marriott LT
Posts: 893
OK, it's been a few years since I had a CP, and I forget if I had this situation before.
I have an upcoming reservation for my wife and I, made a few months back, one-way LAX-MCI. $109 per ticket. Stupidly, I put them in one PNR...I had no intention of obtaining a CP this year, nor was I thinking of any other reason I'd split the PNRs. (So often I'm using points for her and cash for me that we're *usually* on separate PNRs. But not this time.)
Then came the 3/31 news, so I pulled the trigger on one last CP. The problem is that I cannot figure out any way to either cancel just her segment or somehow change just hers to either a Companion seat or to some future flight that I can cancel after we fly this itin. I can change the whole itin or cancel the whole itin - but I can't split us apart.
The one-way segment is now $197 per person, so canceling the whole thing doesn't really buy me anything.
Is there some trick, or am I just SOL on this one? Not a huge deal either way, but if I had the $109 back she'd quickly burn it on her next solo trip somewhere... Figure I might as well try!
I have an upcoming reservation for my wife and I, made a few months back, one-way LAX-MCI. $109 per ticket. Stupidly, I put them in one PNR...I had no intention of obtaining a CP this year, nor was I thinking of any other reason I'd split the PNRs. (So often I'm using points for her and cash for me that we're *usually* on separate PNRs. But not this time.)
Then came the 3/31 news, so I pulled the trigger on one last CP. The problem is that I cannot figure out any way to either cancel just her segment or somehow change just hers to either a Companion seat or to some future flight that I can cancel after we fly this itin. I can change the whole itin or cancel the whole itin - but I can't split us apart.
The one-way segment is now $197 per person, so canceling the whole thing doesn't really buy me anything.
Is there some trick, or am I just SOL on this one? Not a huge deal either way, but if I had the $109 back she'd quickly burn it on her next solo trip somewhere... Figure I might as well try!
Jan 26, 2017, 11:54 am
#33
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,570
Surprisingly, no hold time either...
Jan 28, 2017, 2:53 pm
#34
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 2
Newbie CP holder and exit row
Great forum, love the CP advice. I'm about to take our first trips using our CP. I'm wondering whether or not I should be EB on my reservation or not.
I'm very tall and would like to sit in the exit row, based on your experience does normal check-in right at the 24 hour mark allow you early enough of a spot to get into an exit row or should I get EB? If I get EB does it also tack it onto my companion as well?
Thanks!
I'm very tall and would like to sit in the exit row, based on your experience does normal check-in right at the 24 hour mark allow you early enough of a spot to get into an exit row or should I get EB? If I get EB does it also tack it onto my companion as well?
Thanks!
Jan 28, 2017, 3:19 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,975
It's hit or miss whether you can get the exit row, especially since only a few of those seats really have extra leg room. Sometimes it's been available to me as an early B; also on a through flight the whole rows might be taken by people from the previous segment.
EB is not assigned to passenger and CP companion with one EB purchase: there are endless discussions here about the propriety of the person boarding first saving a seat, and it could be a problem in an exit row.
EB is not assigned to passenger and CP companion with one EB purchase: there are endless discussions here about the propriety of the person boarding first saving a seat, and it could be a problem in an exit row.
Jan 29, 2017, 10:10 am
#36
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 95
Is this only on Android? Dont see this on the iphone app. Its always a mystery to me until i get the boarding pass 24hrs before trip.
Jan 29, 2017, 8:39 pm
#37
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: UA MM Gold, AA Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, WN CP AList
Posts: 293
I have the same android setup as listed and was pleasantly surprised to see it worked. My wife has an almost new iphone and it doesn't work for her.
Feb 6, 2017, 11:45 am
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,908
CP shuffle
I have family travel booked with my wife on my CP and two kids on points.
With recent developments my wife redeemed some marriott points so about to get CP of her own.
Ideally it would be nice to rearrange this to have kids on CP however the return flight is already completely sold out and the outbound costs 3x what i paid for it...
Is there a creative workaround to take advantage of new CP or should i just leave it alone?
With recent developments my wife redeemed some marriott points so about to get CP of her own.
Ideally it would be nice to rearrange this to have kids on CP however the return flight is already completely sold out and the outbound costs 3x what i paid for it...
Is there a creative workaround to take advantage of new CP or should i just leave it alone?
Feb 6, 2017, 1:03 pm
#39
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Leave be (probably). Your wife would have to buy or use points to enable her CP to be used for a kid. You would save the kid #2's points so do the math. But you say it sounds pricy already. CS can convert the points to a CP use over the phone despite the sellout from what's been reported here.
Mar 2, 2017, 11:47 am
#40
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ATL
Programs: DL GM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,240
I'm making my first set of CP bookings, and have a question! I'm flying with companion A until April, and then planning to call in and switch so that I can fly with companion B in May. I want to book the May flights now but make sure there's still a seat for companion B, so I am planning to buy a second ticket now for companion B and cancel those after I switch my companion info. A couple questions:
- If I pay for companion B's ticket now in points, and cancel later, do I get them back? Any way for me to get the $5.60 security fee back, or does that stay as a TTF for companion B?
- I may not have the points balance for all the trips I'm currently planning. If I pay for companion B's ticket now in cash on a WGA fare, then TTFs will stay with companion B, correct? Would it be more advisable to buy a seat for companion B using BS or Anytime and getting the full refund later?
- If I pay for companion B's ticket now in points, and cancel later, do I get them back? Any way for me to get the $5.60 security fee back, or does that stay as a TTF for companion B?
- I may not have the points balance for all the trips I'm currently planning. If I pay for companion B's ticket now in cash on a WGA fare, then TTFs will stay with companion B, correct? Would it be more advisable to buy a seat for companion B using BS or Anytime and getting the full refund later?
Mar 3, 2017, 8:31 am
#41
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: UA MM Gold, AA Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, WN CP AList
Posts: 293
Yes, you get the points back and I've always been credited the $5.60 back also.
I would recommend just watching the flights. I wouldn't even bother booking a second seat for companion B unless it looked to be filling up. (all WGA away seats are gone) It seems you are planning far ahead so you shouldn't have any problems.
- If I pay for companion B's ticket now in points, and cancel later, do I get them back? Any way for me to get the $5.60 security fee back, or does that stay as a TTF for companion B?
- I may not have the points balance for all the trips I'm currently planning. If I pay for companion B's ticket now in cash on a WGA fare, then TTFs will stay with companion B, correct? Would it be more advisable to buy a seat for companion B using BS or Anytime and getting the full refund later?
I would recommend just watching the flights. I wouldn't even bother booking a second seat for companion B unless it looked to be filling up. (all WGA away seats are gone) It seems you are planning far ahead so you shouldn't have any problems.
- If I pay for companion B's ticket now in points, and cancel later, do I get them back? Any way for me to get the $5.60 security fee back, or does that stay as a TTF for companion B?
- I may not have the points balance for all the trips I'm currently planning. If I pay for companion B's ticket now in cash on a WGA fare, then TTFs will stay with companion B, correct? Would it be more advisable to buy a seat for companion B using BS or Anytime and getting the full refund later?
Mar 3, 2017, 3:49 pm
#42
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,727
I've heard of "problems" with the letting them hold your money. So I've always asked for it to be reimbursed. No problems with that approach, so far at least.
Jun 2, 2017, 2:26 pm
#43
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ABQ
Programs: Delta Platinum, Southwest A-List
Posts: 1,426
This is my advice to new companion pass holders. It is based on experience booking at least ~75 companion pass bookings per year for at least 16 years---->
1) The computer system for the companion pass bookings (on this board referred to as "CP") is very ancient and flaky. Expect anything.
2) Your companion will NOT have his/her global entry or other trusted traveler number stored in his/her record. You must enter it each time you make a reservation.
3) If you need to change or cancel your reservation, you must first cancel (cannot change) your companion's reservation and wait. Wait at least 15 minutes. Sometimes a 1/2 hour. ONLY THEN can you cancel/change your reservation.
4) While you are waiting for your companion's reservation to be cancelled, ignore any responses from the Southwest system to your attempts to modify your reservation. You will get this message:
"Oops!This form has the following errors
Your reservation has been cancelled. (SW301001-EZ8hZTIwTnCbvVy1GIXkBA)":
Your reservation has NOT been cancelled. Your reservation still exists. You must cancel or change your reservation after waiting for your companion's to be flushed from the ancient system.
5) After you have waited and have made the change to your reservation, then you must wait again until your new reservation has posted before you can add back your companion. Your companion will be assigned a new reservation number.
6) NEVER check the box "hold these funds for future use" for a companion reservation, unless you are an accountant who loves to keep track of stuff.
Instead, check the box "apply for a refund" for the taxes. I have never had an "application" for refund be denied.
7) Any time the Southwest booking system is having problems, the first system to be shut off, it appears, is the Companion Pass booking system.
Any others?
1) The computer system for the companion pass bookings (on this board referred to as "CP") is very ancient and flaky. Expect anything.
2) Your companion will NOT have his/her global entry or other trusted traveler number stored in his/her record. You must enter it each time you make a reservation.
3) If you need to change or cancel your reservation, you must first cancel (cannot change) your companion's reservation and wait. Wait at least 15 minutes. Sometimes a 1/2 hour. ONLY THEN can you cancel/change your reservation.
4) While you are waiting for your companion's reservation to be cancelled, ignore any responses from the Southwest system to your attempts to modify your reservation. You will get this message:
"Oops!This form has the following errors
Your reservation has been cancelled. (SW301001-EZ8hZTIwTnCbvVy1GIXkBA)":
Your reservation has NOT been cancelled. Your reservation still exists. You must cancel or change your reservation after waiting for your companion's to be flushed from the ancient system.
5) After you have waited and have made the change to your reservation, then you must wait again until your new reservation has posted before you can add back your companion. Your companion will be assigned a new reservation number.
6) NEVER check the box "hold these funds for future use" for a companion reservation, unless you are an accountant who loves to keep track of stuff.
Instead, check the box "apply for a refund" for the taxes. I have never had an "application" for refund be denied.
7) Any time the Southwest booking system is having problems, the first system to be shut off, it appears, is the Companion Pass booking system.
Any others?
Jun 6, 2017, 10:58 am
#44
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: UA MM Gold, AA Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, WN CP AList
Posts: 293