Can I take an earlier flight if there are empty seats ?

arunganpath · May 29th, 2009, 18:29

I'm scheduled to reach Old Delhi Station at 4 a.m. I'm planning to book my Delhi-Mumbai journey by Indian Airlines flight leaving Delhi at 7 a.m. considering some cushion for the delayed arrival of the train.

In case the train arrives on time (which of late, does) and I reach the airport at 4.30 a.m., can I get into the Indian Airlines flight leaving at 6 a.m. provided there are empty seats. If there are empty seats, do I need to pay the differential fare, which obviously I dont want to.

gaurav1441 · May 29th, 2009, 18:34

Obviously you cannot reach airport at 4.30am and even if you are dropped by train at sharp 4.00am at old delhi station?:

arunganpath · May 29th, 2009, 18:39

Early in the morning, not possible if I take a cab ? Even if I reach by 5 (solid one hour before the flight), can I get into the 6 a.m. flight ?

costaguana · May 29th, 2009, 18:44

You need to check with Indian Airlines directly. In my experience with various Indian carriers they charge you at every turn whenever you want to change your booking even the slightest, but there is no standard approach.

ananda2193 · May 29th, 2009, 19:53

Some years ago I flew Air India from New York to Delhi with a stop in Mumbai. My plan was to get off in Mumbai and travel south for some time and then later catch the flight to Delhi at a preset time. As I was having soo much fun in the south I missed my Delhi flight. I later went to the Air India office to change my ticket and was told that domestic flights can be changed free of charge. It was only international that I would have to pay.
But maybe things have changed since then. I would definitely call the airline to be sure.

arunganpath · May 29th, 2009, 19:55

Thanks Ananda.. Things have changed and due to competition, this is the place to make money.

I checked with the Air India call centre and the answer was a blunt "NO". If I'm early, I shall check in the airport.. otherwise, will reach by the original flight.

costaguana · May 29th, 2009, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by arunganpath

If I'm early, I shall check in the airport.. otherwise, will reach by the original flight.

I tried this approach with Kingfisher Airlines on a flight last year only to be told that to get on the earlier flight would cost me almost three times the original ticket price IN ADDITION TO what I had already paid. I was willing to pay a small penalty to get on the earlier flight, but their crazy pricing of last minute tickets resulted in them losing my extra business. Hopefully you will be more successful with IA, but an extra hour in Delhi airport is definitely not worth paying a large penalty to avoid.

arunganpath · May 29th, 2009, 20:11

Exactly. Instead of a seat going empty, they can accomodate a guy from the earlier flight.. I think better sense needs to prevail than sticking to the rules.

null · May 30th, 2009, 17:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by arunganpath

Exactly. Instead of a seat going empty, they can accomodate a guy from the earlier flight.. I think better sense needs to prevail than sticking to the rules.

Depends on the person at the counters n how we talk to them to get on to an earlier flight. Once, a colleague of mine & I were returning back. We landed exactly on time at Chennai & there was a immediate flight to Bangalore. I managed to get on, but my friend was rejected. The flight was almost empty

Haylo · May 30th, 2009, 17:33

Airlines make a lot of money from high priced last minute bookings, if they always allowed people to catch an earlier flight, they'd lose some of that income.

Balanced against that is the fact that if a flight's about to leave with empty seats, and it's too late to sell those seats, the airline will lose money on them. Therefore if someone who is booked onto a later flight which is already full wants to take an earlier flight and would therefore free up some seats on the full flight which stand a good chance of being sold, the airline might be prepared to let them travel earlier.

May 29th, 2009, 18:29	#1
arunganpath Junior most member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 749	Can I take an earlier flight if there are empty seats ? I'm scheduled to reach Old Delhi Station at 4 a.m. I'm planning to book my Delhi-Mumbai journey by Indian Airlines flight leaving Delhi at 7 a.m. considering some cushion for the delayed arrival of the train. In case the train arrives on time (which of late, does) and I reach the airport at 4.30 a.m., can I get into the Indian Airlines flight leaving at 6 a.m. provided there are empty seats. If there are empty seats, do I need to pay the differential fare, which obviously I dont want to.

May 30th, 2009, 17:33	#10
Haylo Structural Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Middle East and heading Easter Posts: 5,804	Airlines make a lot of money from high priced last minute bookings, if they always allowed people to catch an earlier flight, they'd lose some of that income. Balanced against that is the fact that if a flight's about to leave with empty seats, and it's too late to sell those seats, the airline will lose money on them. Therefore if someone who is booked onto a later flight which is already full wants to take an earlier flight and would therefore free up some seats on the full flight which stand a good chance of being sold, the airline might be prepared to let them travel earlier. __________________ The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful - E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

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May 29th, 2009, 18:34	#2
gaurav1441 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 729	Obviously you cannot reach airport at 4.30am and even if you are dropped by train at sharp 4.00am at old delhi station?:

May 29th, 2009, 18:39	#3
arunganpath Junior most member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 749	Early in the morning, not possible if I take a cab ? Even if I reach by 5 (solid one hour before the flight), can I get into the 6 a.m. flight ?

May 29th, 2009, 18:44	#4
costaguana a vagabond of sorts Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bombay Posts: 205	You need to check with Indian Airlines directly. In my experience with various Indian carriers they charge you at every turn whenever you want to change your booking even the slightest, but there is no standard approach.

May 29th, 2009, 19:53	#5
ananda2193 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: you essay Posts: 1,904	Some years ago I flew Air India from New York to Delhi with a stop in Mumbai. My plan was to get off in Mumbai and travel south for some time and then later catch the flight to Delhi at a preset time. As I was having soo much fun in the south I missed my Delhi flight. I later went to the Air India office to change my ticket and was told that domestic flights can be changed free of charge. It was only international that I would have to pay. But maybe things have changed since then. I would definitely call the airline to be sure.

May 29th, 2009, 19:55	#6
arunganpath Junior most member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 749	Thanks Ananda.. Things have changed and due to competition, this is the place to make money. I checked with the Air India call centre and the answer was a blunt "NO". If I'm early, I shall check in the airport.. otherwise, will reach by the original flight.

May 29th, 2009, 20:11	#8
arunganpath Junior most member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 749	Exactly. Instead of a seat going empty, they can accomodate a guy from the earlier flight.. I think better sense needs to prevail than sticking to the rules.