Terry Mattice

I have a a related question. The OP was advised to just use his companion pass for his child on the outbound leg and then buy a ticket for the child return. Can this be done without canceling the ticket and rebooking as one way flights? I was told I would have to do this, but the fare has gone up substantially since the original booking.

NoStressHere

We have about 3.5 years of flying with CP. Never been asked for card and do not carry it with us. Never been asked for anything.

As to that part about using the other persons boarding pass when boarding. If the name or anything else would not "alert" the gate agent, it should work just fine. In all our boardings, I have never noticed the GA checking ID, etc. But, it is risky for sure.

Dad giving his pass to a minor might be okay on the name - but if anything else showed up the screen like age, or a "minor" designation, or GA checking age because he looks like an underage Unaccompanied minor.. well... $hit could hit the fan.

This is just idle conversation as I would personally just buy a ticket.

njf1003

I've once or twice had TSA doing ID checks as you boarded, not often, but they do check randomly.

justhere

Which is why I didn't give advice and said that the individual's tolerance for risk was a factor. Some people wouldn't blink an eye at doing what you said.
Half the time it seems the agents don't even pay attention to the boarding number, let alone someone's name. And the kid wouldn't be a UM because the mom is with him so there's really no way he'd look like a UM presuming that they are boarding together.
Odds are extremely slim that would happen and even if it did, the ID would match as the TSA isn't doing the aircraft boarding.

dlaue

We have had a companion pass for at least 20 years and use it nearly every week.

Back when WN overbooked flights we would offer to volunteer our seats perhaps 35 times a year and always offered to be split up on two different flights. Because my wife was traveling on a companion pass, the gate agents had varied and seemingly random approaches to this---->

Sometimes they would split us up on two different flights and not make anything of the fact that we were not traveling together.

Other times they would insist that we would have to travel together and, thus, we would withdraw our offer.

We have never been in an IRROPS situation when we would have to split up, but I reckon that the gate agents would split us if necessary.

MacGuruTX

You really have to call. I've booked before where my companion was only with me for part of a flight I was doing. But I called up front and booked it like that with an agent, since I didn't need the companion to continue with me on my business trip.

MacGuruTX

I have it in my business backpack, but I've NEVER been asked for it. I know it has some kind of designation on the booking computer as the boarding agent can see it.

NoStressHere

One more reason for booking one way flights.

We always book one way. And, since we change plans often and I watch for price breaks, I often do not book the companion until we get closer.

dblumenhoff

The phone agents can split the booking for you, cancel the return trips for those of you who aren't flying the return, and then you can book just the one way for the child online.

Nirvana91

This seems risky. There could be a chance the flight fills up and in that case you wouldn't be able to add your companion once the flight is full. Why not book the companion right away just to be safe? If you have to cancel the companion fare (in order to modify the original), you can still receive a full refund.

I have read stories of people that waited and then had the flight fill up. I've also read about people that completely forgot to add their companion at all (whoops).

NoStressHere

Yes, the flight could be sold out. I did forget once until just before doing the 24 hour checkin. I had to keep checking and a few hours later a seat opened up. Based on posts here from people this happened to, all that I could find did eventually get a seat. I no longer wait that long. The only reason I wait is when there is either a good chance we will change flights, or months in advance. Just a pain to cancel out companion and add it back. Just me I suppose.



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bobunf

I always book one way. Easier to pay.
I wait to book my companion until about three weeks to a month before flight. Easier to change. Never had a problem with about 40 flights per year for about ten years.
Never bring companion pass card. Never been asked.