If passenger on your reservation (Spirit Air)doesn’t show up, how do you keep the extra seat from their ticket?
There are 3 of us travelling on an airline ticket that I paid for with Spiritair. One person might not be able to make it and the cancellation fees would cost as much as the airline ticket so we aren’t going to bother cancelling the ticket (she just won’t show up – although we could still check her in online 24 hrs before). How do we keep that seat empty (for extra room since we paid for it)?? If she doesn’t show up, can they still give it to someone else and will they cancel the return portion of her ticket automatically as she is a “no show” (but technically I should be able to keep that seat empty there and back because I paid for it). How do I do that?
I just called the airline and told them that I PAID for the seats and if a person doesn’t show up, I want the extra seat kept empty for more room. They told me that I paid for it and even if they don’t show up, let them know at the airport you want the extra seat empty because you paid for it and it won’t be a problem. Is this incorrect information?? Can they release the seat even if I have paid for it (didn’t cancel the ticket and spent the money on it) and want it kept empty if the passenger whose name is on it doesn’t show up?
What if I want the seat empty on the way there and back? If I didn’t cancel and made it clear that I paid for it and wanted the extra room, can they give it away anyways? The airline told me on the phone that I would be able to keep it empty because I paid for it if I told them at the airport….is this incorrect? Am I going to have problems doing this?
Thanks for the responses. No, transferring the name on the ticket is not an option – I was just hoping they would allow me to keep it in the customers name but leave the seat empty since I paid for it. Thanks again!!
To keep the empty seat you would have to make arrangements with the airline.
put a snake on the seat, or a turd
You won’t be able to keep it — once that passenger fails to show up, she is considered a no-show (even though you’ve checked her in). The seat is then released and can be assigned to anyone else who actually does show up. The return ticket is also automatically cancelled.
As flash said, the seat even if showing checked-in, will be released by the airline, and given to another passenger. What you may find is that going out, it maybe too late for them to re-assign the seat to another passenger. For sure the return will be cancelled as they will show as a no show on the outbound flight.
You may be able to contact the airline and transfer that ticket to your name, so that you have 2 tickets for yourself. It is possible to purchase more than one ticket for a single person – overweight people often have to do that.
However, most airlines do not allow tickets to be transferred to others, and those that do allow it will often charge a fee. No way of knowing until you call.
Leaving things as they are will result in the ticket being released when the passenger doesn’t show. If the flight isn’t full, you won’t likely have to worry about losing your seat to someone else. And it may be that they don’t realize she is a no-show until it’s too late to fill it.
But the return ticket will automatically be canceled if the passenger doesn’t show for the first flight. And again, unless you transfer it to you (if you can), there is nothing you can do about that.