Companion Pass - can my Companion fly without me if I check in?
Mar 1, 2017, 4:04 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Atl, GA
Programs: AA EP, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 127
Companion Pass - can my Companion fly without me if I check in?
Interesting scenario I'm hoping to get some guidance on. Long story short I booked a trip a while back with my companion flying on a one way with me using points.
I now have a need to not take that flight back and instead hop on a different one with another airline.
If I check in at the airport with my companion but don't actually board and fly, does my companion get kicked off the flight? are there other drawbacks?
Any experience or insight into this is welcome, thanks in advance.
I now have a need to not take that flight back and instead hop on a different one with another airline.
If I check in at the airport with my companion but don't actually board and fly, does my companion get kicked off the flight? are there other drawbacks?
Any experience or insight into this is welcome, thanks in advance.
Mar 1, 2017, 5:44 pm
#4
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,621
The Companion Pass has been around for 20+ years. What's the chance that someone else has had this idea during that time? What's the chance that Southwest has thought of it? What's the chance that Southwest has developed procedures to detect and defeat the scam?
Yup:
1. 100%
2. 100%
3. 100%
If you try this, PLEASE report your results here. Nobody here has ever admitted trying it, so your report will be the first.
Yup:
1. 100%
2. 100%
3. 100%
If you try this, PLEASE report your results here. Nobody here has ever admitted trying it, so your report will be the first.
Mar 1, 2017, 5:47 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,185
No. And you may get on a list trying to pull stuff like this.
You do not want to be on lists, whether it's airlines or hotels or banks or credit card companies or IRS.
You do not want to be on lists, whether it's airlines or hotels or banks or credit card companies or IRS.
Mar 1, 2017, 8:22 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LAS
Posts: 1,525
Interesting scenario I'm hoping to get some guidance on. Long story short I booked a trip a while back with my companion flying on a one way with me using points.
I now have a need to not take that flight back and instead hop on a different one with another airline.
If I check in at the airport with my companion but don't actually board and fly, does my companion get kicked off the flight? are there other drawbacks?
Any experience or insight into this is welcome, thanks in advance.
I now have a need to not take that flight back and instead hop on a different one with another airline.
If I check in at the airport with my companion but don't actually board and fly, does my companion get kicked off the flight? are there other drawbacks?
Any experience or insight into this is welcome, thanks in advance.
Mar 1, 2017, 8:41 pm
#8
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,916
Sorry for being dense (infrequent WN flyer here), but where does the scam aspect come into play? Is the implication that you would try to get your points back because you didn't end up flying, while still having the other person enjoy the "companion" benefit?
Otherwise, since they let you use your points to book trips for other people, couldn't they just treat it as, "your companion can fly alone but we'll still keep the points for the award ticket" as if the award ticket purchase had been for the companion all along?
Otherwise, since they let you use your points to book trips for other people, couldn't they just treat it as, "your companion can fly alone but we'll still keep the points for the award ticket" as if the award ticket purchase had been for the companion all along?
Mar 1, 2017, 10:00 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,870
Sorry for being dense (infrequent WN flyer here), but where does the scam aspect come into play? Is the implication that you would try to get your points back because you didn't end up flying, while still having the other person enjoy the "companion" benefit?
Otherwise, since they let you use your points to book trips for other people, couldn't they just treat it as, "your companion can fly alone but we'll still keep the points for the award ticket" as if the award ticket purchase had been for the companion all along?
Otherwise, since they let you use your points to book trips for other people, couldn't they just treat it as, "your companion can fly alone but we'll still keep the points for the award ticket" as if the award ticket purchase had been for the companion all along?
Mar 1, 2017, 10:18 pm
#10
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
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Posts: 18,916
FWIW I will not come even remotely close to CP any time soon, and 99% of my travel is solo, so it wouldn't make sense for me to pursue one anyway. Just genuinely curious.
Mar 1, 2017, 10:25 pm
#11
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,621
I have no doubt that what OP proposes won't work. My point was that I don't even understand how there's a dodgy workaround here, unless OP is asking if they can somehow have their cake and eat it too and somehow allow the companion to fly for free while the points for the original award ticket being refunded.
It would be rational for Southwest to formally allow this or to bend the rules in some cases, but that's their decision to make. If you break the rules without asking, you should expect them to be unhappy with you.
FWIW, about 30 years ago I traveled on another person's non-refundable ticket. This was before ID's were required at the airport. It was a win-win because I made sure the ticket holder earned miles for the flight!
Mar 1, 2017, 10:31 pm
#12
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,916
If there's some twist I'm missing that people don't want to post in public, feel free to ELI5 in PM
EDIT: or is it just that OP is trying to squirm out of having to cancel the self+CP award ticket and rebook a one-way for the friend at current pricing?
Mar 1, 2017, 11:28 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 205
Mar 2, 2017, 12:06 am
#15
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,621
Even without FT, people would figure out how to work the system. In these situations there is usually no way a customer can prove that his predicament was not premeditated.