vacayseeker

Encountered an interesting scenario today that I wasn't able to find elsewhere on this forum. I was booked on the last flight of the day and I saw it was delayed >1 hour. So I called to try to get it changed to an earlier flight. Turns out the earlier flight was full. But the phone rep offered to change it to something the next day. I had to leave today so I'm sitting at the airport waiting, but under different circumstances I might be tempted to switch to the next day.

Has anyone done this before?
Can you take any flight that has seats the next day?

I almost certainly wouldn't want the first flight out, but if I could get in a half day at the office and then leave, it might be something to consider in the future.

jeffandnicole

With Southwest, anyone can change any flight up to 10 minutes before departure. This has been done a zillion times.

The million dollar question though is: Was the flight the next day more expensive, the same, or less expensive? And would you have been required to pay the excess fare if it was more expensive? If it was cheaper, you should have gotten a credit for the fare difference.

LegalTender

Could also depend on the nature of the delay. That "the phone rep offered to change it to something the next day" suggests a fee change waiver was in effect.

vacayseeker

The flight next day would almost certainly have been more expensive due to close-in booking vs. my advanced booking. But in my experience, flight delays of >1 hours (for any reason), allows the phone rep to change you to another flight on the same day with no fee or fare difference. This is the first time I was offered to be booked on a flight the next day (although in truth I have never asked because in these situations I always try to get switched to an earlier flight).

It's been my experience that any delay >1 hour for any reason gives phone reps the ability to switch you to another flight with a confirmed ticket if seats are available without fees or fare difference. Anything <1 hour is YMMV and may require a gate agent / standby. Just curious if this policy extends to flights the next day. And I wonder if it is only offered to the last flight out or if your midday flight is delayed would you also be able to be rebooked to a flight the following day (even if other flights later in the same day).

jco613

I can go through the forum and find countless threads that indicate phone agents have no authority to do this whatsoever, but I'm too lazy. You may be right...you may be incredibly lucky. Either way, if I'm offered to fly on the first flight the next day or sit at the airport all night, I'm taking the sitting at the airport. I'm not a morning person, though!

rsteinmetz70112

You can also find posts where phone agents have been able to do it.

jco613

I'm too lazy to find those too!

vacayseeker

My apologies, I did not realize that others have been unable to get reaccommodated by phone agents when their flight is >1 hours delayed. I have always been able to provided that the earlier flight has seats available. Perhaps this is more YMMV than I thought.

If anyone has successfully changed their delayed (>1 hour) flight (w/o fees or fare differences traveling on WGA fare) to a flight next day, I'd appreciate hearing your experience. Specifically whether only the first flight out is an option, or if you can choose any flight the following day. If (when) this happens to me next time, and I'm not able to get an earlier flight, I'll be sure to inquire myself.

rsteinmetz70112

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...d-flights.html

vacayseeker

Wow, not sure how I missed that thread! Do you mind if I ask if there were multiple flights out the next morning and if so, was your wife able to select the one she wanted, or did it have to be the first one out?

Thanks for sharing the experience!

rsteinmetz70112

There were 2 flights out one very early 6:00 AM or so and one at about 9:30 she opted for the 9:30 one.