Lufthansa standby on United ticket
Feb 20, 2019, 2:10 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
Remember, it’s Lufthansa that’s suing that passenger from Berlin for hidden city ticketing. They are by-the-book.
Feb 20, 2019, 2:17 pm
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
To be fair, OP asked whether he could stand by for an earlier flight and the response seems to suggest that this is about circumventing LH's fare rules. I do not read that into the OP.
On UA, Same Day Change is a published rule and it is available under certain circumstances for somewhere $0-$75 depending on elite status. While this is not standby in the strict sense, it is a term which many use.
So, the real answer is that no, LH does not have a SDC policy and that covers standby as well.
On UA, Same Day Change is a published rule and it is available under certain circumstances for somewhere $0-$75 depending on elite status. While this is not standby in the strict sense, it is a term which many use.
So, the real answer is that no, LH does not have a SDC policy and that covers standby as well.
Feb 20, 2019, 4:17 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: United Plat 2MM, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,727
I have done this at least 50 times over the last decade. I've gotten pushback maybe two or three times: it's far more common for the flight to simply be full. I would go to the gate, usually a few minutes before boarding and ask. If there was an open seat, I'd almost always be on it.
I never used the word "standby".
I never used the word "standby".
Feb 22, 2019, 9:06 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2002
Location: US
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 1,737
I was able to standby/change my ticket for a flight today. So anecdotally it is possible.
My trip involved a LH to UA connection. Ticket issued by UA. I asked the check-in agent if I could take an earlier flight to lengthen my connection time, which was only one hour as ticketed. She tried but ultimately said it was not possible since the LH flight was issued as a UA codeshare. I asked again at the lounge and the agent there confirmed me on an earlier flight with no issues.
I am UA*G and it was a paid J ticket.
My trip involved a LH to UA connection. Ticket issued by UA. I asked the check-in agent if I could take an earlier flight to lengthen my connection time, which was only one hour as ticketed. She tried but ultimately said it was not possible since the LH flight was issued as a UA codeshare. I asked again at the lounge and the agent there confirmed me on an earlier flight with no issues.
I am UA*G and it was a paid J ticket.
Feb 22, 2019, 10:25 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,343
I was able to standby/change my ticket for a flight today. So anecdotally it is possible.
My trip involved a LH to UA connection. Ticket issued by UA. I asked the check-in agent if I could take an earlier flight to lengthen my connection time, which was only one hour as ticketed. She tried but ultimately said it was not possible since the LH flight was issued as a UA codeshare. I asked again at the lounge and the agent there confirmed me on an earlier flight with no issues.
I am UA*G and it was a paid J ticket.
My trip involved a LH to UA connection. Ticket issued by UA. I asked the check-in agent if I could take an earlier flight to lengthen my connection time, which was only one hour as ticketed. She tried but ultimately said it was not possible since the LH flight was issued as a UA codeshare. I asked again at the lounge and the agent there confirmed me on an earlier flight with no issues.
I am UA*G and it was a paid J ticket.
Feb 23, 2019, 8:47 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,028
You can SDC on LH within Europe when you are on a business flex ticket. It was introduced a year ago.It does not need to be a refundable ticket.
Feb 23, 2019, 7:01 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2002
Location: US
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 1,737
Should have clarified that it was a USA-Europe RT ticket and was changeable with a fee. Despite this, agent did a SDC change at no charge to accommodate my request for a longer connection. I suppose things might be easier on a J ticket, so did call out that difference.
Feb 23, 2019, 7:14 pm
#24
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,508
I have been accommodated on an earlier flight before, granted it was a UA award booking, intra-Euro LH J to longhaul LH F. I asked to be put on an earlier flight to maximize my time in FRA FCT. The agent put me on the earlier flight and warned me there was no catering for me (but turns out there was an extra set of meal for me).
Feb 22, 2023, 5:18 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
Resurrecting an old thread…
I had success in getting a Lufthansa agent to let me onto an earlier flight.Was flying Lufthansa from a Large Italian Airport (LIA)-FRA connecting to United for FRA-IAD. Business Class both flights, upgraded both with PlusPoints. Got to LIA early and asked the check-in counter agent if it might be possible to take the earlier flight up to FRA. It was clear this was an unusual request. However, the agent asked her supervisor who said it wouldn’t be a problem. Was advised that there might not be a meal for me; however, as a short flight, that didn’t matter to me.
I noticed that the Lufthansa agent didn’t reissue the ticket so must have just done something to the individual flight coupon. The new boarding pass displayed the same 016 ticket number as on the original ticket. Oddly, though, the flight posted to my MileagePlus account as if it were a 220 ticket.
And, indeed, there was no meal available for me on the flight, as they didn’t re-cater at LIA; however, the flight attendant was able to offer me some Müsli and a yogurt. There was only one other passenger in the Business cabin on the flight.
I had success in getting a Lufthansa agent to let me onto an earlier flight.Was flying Lufthansa from a Large Italian Airport (LIA)-FRA connecting to United for FRA-IAD. Business Class both flights, upgraded both with PlusPoints. Got to LIA early and asked the check-in counter agent if it might be possible to take the earlier flight up to FRA. It was clear this was an unusual request. However, the agent asked her supervisor who said it wouldn’t be a problem. Was advised that there might not be a meal for me; however, as a short flight, that didn’t matter to me.
I noticed that the Lufthansa agent didn’t reissue the ticket so must have just done something to the individual flight coupon. The new boarding pass displayed the same 016 ticket number as on the original ticket. Oddly, though, the flight posted to my MileagePlus account as if it were a 220 ticket.
And, indeed, there was no meal available for me on the flight, as they didn’t re-cater at LIA; however, the flight attendant was able to offer me some Müsli and a yogurt. There was only one other passenger in the Business cabin on the flight.
Feb 22, 2023, 7:28 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,028
I noticed that the Lufthansa agent didn’t reissue the ticket so must have just done something to the individual flight coupon. The new boarding pass displayed the same 016 ticket number as on the original ticket. Oddly, though, the flight posted to my MileagePlus account as if it were a 220 ticket.
.
.
Feb 22, 2023, 8:25 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
It actually worked out in my favor that the segment credited as 220. I got more miles somehow than if it had credited as 016.