Ask Randy

Randy Petersen answers reader questions about how to maximize travel-related loyalty programs.

Dear Randy, I am presently holding two AAdvantage award tickets from New York to Bangkok for an upcoming trip. These tickets will actually be used on four JAL flights. What I want to do is buy an additional seat so we will control three seats for this long trip. I’ve spoken to American about this, and while they understand what I want to do, they say they cannot help, because JAL actually controls the seats. I then called JAL and was told JAL wouldn’t allow this due to “corporate policy.” Do you have any suggestions on how we can accomplish getting this third seat? Only two will be traveling.

Your plan is a common one for long-haul flights. There are simple solutions, but they do run a risk. There really is no reason why you could not redeem an additional award from American/JAL and use a friend’s name to secure the reservation using your miles. At that point, you can self-select the three-across seating you are seeking and thus comfort yourself for this flight—which, as we both know, is not just a puddle jump. At check-in time, the “missing” award user would just not be checking in.

Now, the caveats: There may not be another award seat available from JAL using your AAdvantage miles. Also, if the flight gets to sold-out status at the time you are scheduled to depart, they may very well assign someone to sit in the seat you had reserved, since that “passenger” was a no-show.
As for the corporate policy, the rules may change when passengers “purchase” additional seats to block out space onboard. “Purchase,” in this example, would be paying the appropriate fare. It is my guess that JAL does not deal with award redemption in the same manner as they do revenue tickets.

I know of many who have successfully accomplished what you are trying to do, and there is rarely a problem. Any failures are usually due to flight capacity.

Ask Randy.

_____________________________________________

RANDY PETERSEN is publisher of Inside Flyer magazine and is president of Frequent Flyer Services. Email Randy at editor@executivetravelmag.com.