Booked two seats but one will be a no-show

[nickykim]

I am heading off on a long weekend soon. I booked two seats as my daughter was intending to come with me. Now something has come up and she won't be able to travel. The fare is non transferable and non refundable. We are on different booking references but have booked seats beside each other. What will happen to the empty seat if I don't let the airline know early that she won't be travelling? I am hoping I will just get (expensive) extra space.

 

[medhead]

I'm not sure of the answer but I would have thought it would likely for qantas to sell the sear to someone else.

Why not cancel or change your daughter's flight? Canceling would give you a credit that can used for a later flight by you daughter.

 

[docjames]

I am heading off on a long weekend soon. I booked two seats as my daughter was intending to come with me. Now something has come up and she won't be able to travel. The fare is non transferable and non refundable. We are on different booking references but have booked seats beside each other. What will happen to the empty seat if I don't let the airline know early that she won't be travelling? I am hoping I will just get (expensive) extra space.

There's no guarantee as the checkin agents will see the no-show nearing flight closure, and could potentially allocate the seat to someone else, especially if the flight is over-sold.

Which airline is the travel, as some of the "non refundable" can actually be credited towards travel within 12 months, less a change/cancellation fee. You may be better getting the remainder of the fare held, rather than relying on your daughter's no show to save the seat next to you.

Which flight/aircraft and route, what day of week/time of year, as that may impact how full the flight is likely to be (and thus your odds of the spare seat remaining vacant)?

 

[JohnK]

The best way to ensure you have a spare seat next you is to use OLCI for your daughter and then when it comes time to board (literally at the last minute) tell the gate staff your daughter got nervous and will not be flying today. Too late to re-allocate the seat to someone and you will have a spare seat next to you but you lose the airfare.

Also take note that it does not matter that the airfare is non-transferable on non-refundable. You can still cancel the airfare and use the airfare as credit for use later. When you re-book you will be charged a $50 change fee and any difference in the airfares.

 

[oz_mark]

I am heading off on a long weekend soon. I booked two seats as my daughter was intending to come with me. Now something has come up and she won't be able to travel. The fare is non transferable and non refundable. We are on different booking references but have booked seats beside each other. What will happen to the empty seat if I don't let the airline know early that she won't be travelling? I am hoping I will just get (expensive) extra space.

As a question - which airline is this with?

 

[nickykim]

I looked into it further and I can rebook a different flight if I pay a $50 fee. I didn't pay much for the fare to start with so it wasn't going to be any great loss. I kept the question vague on purpose just in case I didn't like the response. It's a J* flight from Melbourne to Brisbane, midweek, mid morning, in late February.

DD is happy to travel up to see her relatives in Brisbane without me at a later date.

NKim