Paper tickets question
 

Last week, facing a 3.5-hour layover in CLE going to IND on CO, I walked asked a NW agent about getting on a flight to DTW and then IND, which would still get us to IND more than an hour earlier. The NW agent said there was room but that I needed a paper ticket. We converted our e-tickets and then got on the flight.

This weekend, on another trip, I'm on the first flight home in the morning. But I want to stay for part of the day and see a friend. Will a paper ticket offer me more flexibility than just trying to stand by on a later flight? I guess I still don't understand how everything happened last week and how the airlines look at paper tickets. Thanks.

Typically (at least on United) if you make a change to a later same day flight, same origin and destination, there are no fees or extra charges for that. I have done it many times. That way you can confirm the later flight. Domestically I use E-tickets 99% of the time. Never a problem chnging to a later flight on the same day.

The airline says I can't standby for a later flight, only an earlier one. If I change to a later one, I'd have to pay the difference, which is bound to be substantial at this point.

So any more advice about the paper tickets? Does an airline have to accept them if they have room on the plane, even if they a for a different flight or airline?

On voluntary changes, technically no. They don't have to accept them if they are restricted tickets, unless you have met the penalty/additional fare requirements as outlined under the fare basis rules and the airline's tariff for your particular ticket.

Often, they will let you standby at the gate with no penalty or additional fare charge, but that's their call and you risk not getting on if it's full.

And paper tickets really have no more flexablity or advantage in securing the flight you want vs. an electronic ticket.

But a paper ticket usually is required (and must be endorsed by your original airline) in order for it to be accepted by another airline.


[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 09-12-2000).]

CO ALWAYS says u can't stand by for a later flight on coach tickets. If u go to the airport AFTER you missed your flight, they will put u on the list for the later flight. CO is really prickish about only standing by in person. With NW, I call the WC on the day of depature and they change my record for the later flight no problem. In the worst case scenerio, you can go to the airport BEFORE your AM flight and get confirmed on the later one and you will be assured to get home. As far as paper tickets go, u can get one for back up purposes to get onto another airline and u will be covered both ways.

One of the things to keep in mind is that fare are different at different times of the day. Airlines are trying to prevent you from booking the cheap flight, then using the ticket for a more expensive flight.

As for standing by for later flights, if you know there is availability latter, you could just miss your flight. I've missed 3 or 4 flights in my day and never had a problem getting on a latter flight. Of course if the later flight fills up, you're in trouble.

Motnot,
If you are going to get charged to stand by for a later flight, just "miss" your scheduled flight. As long as you are at the gate within 2 hours of your original flights departure, you will be booked standby on the next flight at no charge. (This has NEVER failed me, although I don't know how hard and fast this rule is.) Anybody else out there care to comment?

Motnot:

I agree with the earlier comments about missing the flight and showing up to catch a later flight standby, but you can also do it with an e-ticket. If it is the same day, the computer still recognizes the locator number and the ticket agent has always been nice enough to try and get me out on the next flight without any charges. A paper ticket would be handy though if you are trying to get a flight on another airline, but sometimes they won't take a cheap fare.