Airfare booking dilemma. Not sure exactly who will be going!!

[Huff]

Got my wife and I booked for our Nov. trip at a decent rate. My niece wants to go and bring a friend. Problem is she isn't sure who will be able to take off work and won't know until possibly 2 weeks prior. Thats the nature of many entry level jobs for those just starting out! No matter what happens, there will be two of them able to go, just not sure which two.

I'm not aware of any airline that allows you to change who is on a ticket. I know I can pay the absurd high price for a refundable ticket but I can't afford that!!

Any tricks of the trade to not take a huge risk that is still affordable?

 

[starry_solo]

Book you, wife, and niece and tell the friend (whoever she picks) to pay their own ticket?

 

[FCDub]

I would ditch the friend, honestly.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yeah, those are the two options. Just explain airfares to your nice, that if she wants someone to come, you need that specific person's infk now.

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

Even if there is a friend who is most likely to come on the trip, I would not pay now for the friend's airfare. The friend won't have any skin the game and will drop out at the last minute, leaving you with an unusable ticket.

 

[MillauFr]

Buy travel insurance and make a claim if she can't make it.

 

[Jimsig]

Buy travel insurance and make a claim if she can't make it.

Just make sure the reason falls under what is covered under that particular policy. There are cancel for any reason policies (can be expensive) and policies that will cover work related reasons but be sure to check to see what is specifically covered in those policies if you go that route. To keep insurance cost down book that friends ticket separately from yours and only insure that ticket. No need to insure everybody's ticket's as that would dive up the cost of the policy unless of course you want to get a policy that covers everyone.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

frontier airline allows for name changes on a ticket.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

frontier airline allows for name changes on a ticket.

Yes, when you pay the fare difference if the price has gone up since the ticket was purchased, plus a $75 change ticket fee.

 

[Huff]

frontier airline allows for name changes on a ticket.

Did not know that but looks like Frontier has rather poor flights with long lay overs for PHX-MCO route.

 

[nacho113]

Book you, wife, and niece and tell the friend (whoever she picks) to pay their own ticket?

Two thumbs up for this suggestion.

 

[kristenrice]

If you book with SWA, use points for the friend’s ticket, even if it means you have to buy the points to do it. That way, you can cancel the ticket completely and rebook it in a different name without a penalty.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

If you book with SWA, use points for the friend’s ticket, even if it means you have to buy the points to do it. That way, you can cancel the ticket completely and rebook it in a different name without a penalty.

Except that if the airfare has gone up you will have to buy more points. Honestly I think the thing to do is tell the niece that if the friend can't be identified "now" and you don't think there is a 100% chance of the friend coming that you won't pay for plane tickets. Friend is welcome to join you but 2 weeks notice??? ?No, you are getting taken advantage of. (I am not sure of any "entry level' job that just lets someone take a week of with two weeks notice. Sounds more like "which friend is willing to quit her job to go to Disney")

 

[sponica]

I concur with the suggestion of the friend, whichever one it ends up being, booking their own airfare. Heck I've been at my job 6 years and if I want time off in November, I basically have to put it on the calendar now...

 

[NotUrsula]

Are they under age 18? If so, you can put any matching-gender name on it and it won't matter, because persons under age 18 are not required to show ID at security.

I second the advice to buy a SWA ticket on points even if you have to buy the points to do it. Even though SWA does not charge a cancellation fee, regular cancelled fare credit can only be used by the same person it was originally booked for, while points refunds revert to the purchaser.

 

[Huff]

(I am not sure of any "entry level' job that just lets someone take a week of with two weeks notice. Sounds more like "which friend is willing to quit her job to go to Disney")

Sounds like you've never worked fast food, retail etc!! The managers generally schedule the workers hours 2 weeks prior and post them on the wall. Workers can 'try' to request time off in advance but they will not know for certain until the hours are posted. Was that way when I was young and seems it has not changed. No, they are not trying to take advantage of me! They know the issue, cost of tickets etc. and the possibility they can't go as a result. The girls don't like it and desperately want to go to Disney!!

 

[Huff]

What happens if you buy an SWA wanna get away. Then decide the girls can't go. Change the tickets to Business refundable ticket, paying the extra amount to do so, then cancel and request a refund? Must be a reason you cannot do this, basically making the wanna get away tickets refundable.

 

[supersnoop]

Are they under age 18? If so, you can put any matching-gender name on it and it won't matter, because persons under age 18 are not required to show ID at security.

No, but they’ll still have to go through security where they’ll be asked their name. Probably not a good idea to lie to a federal agent.

What happens if you buy an SWA wanna get away. Then decide the girls can't go. Change the tickets to Business refundable ticket, paying the extra amount to do so, then cancel and request a refund? Must be a reason you cannot do this, basically making the wanna get away tickets refundable.

You’re right, that won’t work. The change to Bisiness Select is, as you said, a change. That means your applying the credit from the original ticket. Any ticket purchased with a credit retains the restrictions applied to that credit.

 

[AngiTN]

Your only option is to either do the points purchase, as mentioned, so you can refund and repurchase or buy a refundable ticket, so you can refund and repurchase.
All options that will allow you to do this will be quite expensive
You are a much better person than me to agree to this for a friend

And yes, people who work fast food can take vacations that require flights. If you explain to your employer that you must purchase airfare they can schedule accordingly. Do you really think no one working fast food ever flies?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you are going to fly whether the niece or a friend will be going or not, book your flights when there is a price you can live with. Unfortunately you will need to wait until you know whether the girls can go (and which girls are going) in order to book their tickets, unless you shell out for a refundable one or use points.