Problem using SW Companion Pass (no available seats on plane I suppose)

beth p

Level 2 Member
I love the companion pass.
I have used it several times, but for the first time tonight I couldn't book my husband on one of the flights from the Caribbean. I was able to had him on the flight there, but for the return flight I received the following Error:
  • Oops!: We are unable to find departing flights matching your specified criteria. Please modify your selections and try again. (9100)
I am still booked for this flight, but it is now greyed out on the calendar with no flights even available for this day.
What is my best option? Just continue checking it and hope someone cancels their flight?
It's only a 4 night trip, and I can't push my date out any later due to having to be at my job the next day.

I already have a hotel setup (Marriott Renaissance) found cheaper rate on trivago and currently have a price match request in that should bring the rate *hopefully* to around $100/nt.

Has anyone ever had this problem?
Is there a solution?
Any advice is greatly appreciated - THANK YOU!!
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
I think the website is sometimes hard to use. Have you called to verify there is no seat? They may be able to manually add him.
 

beth p

Level 2 Member
I'll try calling in the morning I suppose. There is no availability to book it any longer online, for normal fare paying people either. Unfortunately it's on one of the busier travel days of the year, the Sun after Thanksgiving.
 

Haley

I am not a robot
I had the same issue, called and they fixed it. They needed to do some fancy footwork on it, I think it took an override, so I got passed up the chain twice. Took maybe 20 minutes.
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
I had the same issue, called and they fixed it. They needed to do some fancy footwork on it, I think it took an override, so I got passed up the chain twice. Took maybe 20 minutes.
Wow, I'm guessing they must have added a +1 to overbooking allowed... I would say you got lucky...
 

MarkD

Level 2 Member
Wow, I'm guessing they must have added a +1 to overbooking allowed... I would say you got lucky...
I thought I read somewhere that companions were guaranteed a seat on the plane if you were able to book the flight. Have others seen this too?
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
I thought I read somewhere that companions were guaranteed a seat on the plane if you were able to book the flight. Have others seen this too?
Yes that's true - as long as any seat is for sale you can use the companion pass.

I'll try calling in the morning I suppose. There is no availability to book it any longer online, for normal fare paying people either. Unfortunately it's on one of the busier travel days of the year, the Sun after Thanksgiving.
However, in this case, according to the OP, there was no availability at all... The only thing I can think of is they allowed an additional overbooking...
 

beth p

Level 2 Member
yes, unfortunately, I am told there are no seats available & they must not overbook flights to Aruba. I have been checking a few times a week, in hopes of something opening up. In the mean time, I have my companion booked on a flight 2 days later (not using comp pass) with their own miles, as you can cancel up to 10 min prior and get your $/pts back.
 

fulthrust7

Level 2 Member
This is why you should always book your companion well in advance (at the time of your original booking) and not wait the last minute. It's very tempting to just wait and add the companion at check in time 24 hours before (out of lazyness), and I am a victim of this myself, but I always feared your conondrum (though fortunately, have not experienced it yet).
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
This is why you should always book your companion well in advance (at the time of your original booking) and not wait the last minute. It's very tempting to just wait and add the companion at check in time 24 hours before (out of lazyness), and I am a victim of this myself, but I always feared your conondrum (though fortunately, have not experienced it yet).
Sounds like the OP did try to book the companion soon thereafter. It is too bad you cannot try to book yourself and your companion simultaneously. My experience is you have to book the person who has the pass and then add the companion. Not sure if there is another way. Given that, it is certainly possible to not know when you book your seat whether or not the companion can indeed be added.
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
Sounds like the OP did try to book the companion soon thereafter. It is too bad you cannot try to book yourself and your companion simultaneously. My experience is you have to book the person who has the pass and then add the companion. Not sure if there is another way. Given that, it is certainly possible to not know when you book your seat whether or not the companion can indeed be added.
You can always search for 2 seats before booking. As long as 2 seats come back, you generally should be okay, unless someone snipes your seat in the few minutes delay... If I'm switching around flights (family of 4) I'll search and make sure there's at least 8 seats (for example) to minimize the risk of any issues occurring mid-switch.
 

beth p

Level 2 Member
All is good! A seat opened up today. CLE to AUA! I just had to wait it out a month. When I originally booked, there were 2 open seats, but then I thought a passport was mandatory for booking & my husband had just rec'd his new one in the mail, but I wasn't sure where it was. Long story short by the time I got it the seat was gone. Of course I've been checking every other day or so and finally tonight I found one opened up, so I cancelled the other one I had to book for him to come home 2 days later than me and applied the funds & we're good to go.
I also learned having the passport at the time of booking is not mandatory, which could've averted this all :)
I <3 Southwest's open availability for awards & the comp pass!
I just have to get one for my husband early in the year, as mine expires at the end of the year. I'll be on the lookout for his 1st 50k card in Oct.
 

Haley

I am not a robot
If you have the points to spare you can book everyone with points, add via companion pass, then cancel the points booking. If there are no seats when you try to add via CP you can call and they can do it. They do not limit you to booking one seat per person so it is fairly easy to do.

Took me about 7 months to figure this out.
 

Haley

I am not a robot
Wow, I'm guessing they must have added a +1 to overbooking allowed... I would say you got lucky...
It was a technical issue. I could see seats were open. They had to cancel my original booking and then rebook me in order to get it to go through. It took an override to charge me the same number of points for the rebooking.

Saddest part is, it looks like we are not going to be able to take that trip.

Biggest hurdle to using a CP at my house is my spouse. So far I've gone w/o him on three trips and canceled two more. Sigh.
 
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