Standby Question

[jcooke]

Here's a question we (flyertalkers) haven't been able to find the 100% correct answer regarding standby and am calling in the pros for help.

When flying on a US fare and flying standby, you are supposed to pay $25 - no problems. When paying the $25 to standby for a flight, can the flights be confirmed in advance, or is it the waiting game until all other functions (clearing upgrades, etc) have been performed? I believe technically its after all other functions have been completed, but I think it depends on the actual loads (have been cleared early on empty nonstop flights)

Here's a scenario asked on FT. For instance, when flying DCA-CLT-SRQ and wanting to standby for an earlier CLT-SRQ flight, can the earlier CLT-SRQ flight be confirmed while still at DCA?

Thanks all - you guys and gals are in my book!

-JC

 

[hharotz]

Agents are supposed to work the PALL list (also known as the Priority List) from top to bottom.

If you are holding a "Y" (or other economy class ticket) which has been upgraded to First Class and choose to standby for an earlier flight, then you are on the priority list as an "SB" for a Y class seat (ticketed cabin) and not a "UP" (upgrade to f/c).

The priority list looks something like this (and in this order, bear in mind there are more classifications):

FLIGHT 637 PHL-BWI
G*L637/PALL

MR USCREWA 9A
MR USCREWB 9B
MR USCREWC 9C
OS1 HAWKINS
OS4 LEE
OS4 CHAN
V1 SMITH 6A
UP1 PINEYBOB 17C
UP3 HOWARDS 19D
UP3 JOHNSON 14E
SB2 HHAROTZ
SB4 CALDWELL
SB4 HOWARDMAN
SB4 COWANS
S3 LIGHTYEARS
S7 COHEN
S7 DOBBS

MR= Mustride crew...we will InvolDB pax to accomodate such crewmembers.

OS1/2/3/4= Customers on an oversold flight without seat assignment. OS1=US1,OS2=US2,OS3=US3,OS4=all nonstatus

V= Volunteers. Can be a V1 or V2 or V3 based on the volunteers 'expense to US for reaccomodation. V1 is least expensive, V3 most expensive. Determined V1/2/3 at gate agents discretion. Not correlated to status

UP= Pax waiting for upgrades. UP1/2/3/4 based on status. Place on list within dividend miles status is determined by checkin time, not time palced on the list. Based on this list, Pineybob is first on the list for an u/g because he is a US1. Howards and Johnson are number 2 and three on the list as US3s. Howards would get the upgrade before Johnson because he checked in first.

SB= Revenue Standby pax, based on status (SB1=US1, SB2=US2, SB3=US3, SB4=everyone else).

S= Non-revenue standby...S1/S2/S3/S4/S5/S6/S7/S8/S9 based on various criteria.


According to this list (working the list from top to bottom), if FC has 2 open seats, Pineybob (a US1) and Howards (a US3) would get the FC seats because they are confirmed on the flight. HHarotz would get a coach seat (even though he is a US2 because he is further down on the list and was not originally confirmed on the flight). If a third FC seat opened up at last minute, it would then go to Johnson because he has higer standing on the priority list. If (by chance) a 4th FC seat would open up at last minute, then HHarotz could get the seat ony if there is no one else higher than him on the priority list eligible for the upgrade (in which case there isn't)...but this would be done only after he has recieved a coach seat assignment for the flight first.

Now I'm beginning to get myself confused, and I've been here for decades!

 

[Severed-N-Happy]

Here's a question we (flyertalkers) haven't been able to find the 100% correct answer regarding standby and am calling in the pros for help.

When flying on a US fare and flying standby, you are supposed to pay $25 - no problems. When paying the $25 to standby for a flight, can the flights be confirmed in advance, or is it the waiting game until all other functions (clearing upgrades, etc) have been performed? I believe technically its after all other functions have been completed, but I think it depends on the actual loads (have been cleared early on empty nonstop flights)

Here's a scenario asked on FT. For instance, when flying DCA-CLT-SRQ and wanting to standby for an earlier CLT-SRQ flight, can the earlier CLT-SRQ flight be confirmed while still at DCA?

Thanks all - you guys and gals are in my book!

-JC

[post="279403"][/post]​

Standby is 1 function that the kiosks actually sometimes, note>SOMETIMES, work in the passengers favor. Often have seen standby cleared on the kiosk for 25.00 even for connx, and all the way thru. But its a catch and catch can fickle scenario. Not sure what the criteria is..(class of svc avail? or just lots of empty seats?..or a combo of both within a short period before flight departs?)..have seen standbys cleared on kiosks with less than 10 seats left.
All you can do is try.

 

[jcooke]

hharotz: amazing info provided, much thanks! I've seen the lists maybe once before but I never really understood exactly what it all meant. Always intrigues me to see the inner workings.

Served: Cool - one of those mystery functions 🙂 How would a normal gate agent handle this request - would they confirm all the way, or just on the flights that they are handling?

-JC

 

[joggerhss]

Standby is 1 function that the kiosks actually sometimes, note>SOMETIMES, work in the passengers favor. Often have seen standby cleared on the kiosk for 25.00 even for connx, and all the way thru. But its a catch and catch can fickle scenario. Not sure what the criteria is..(class of svc avail? or just lots of empty seats?..or a combo of both within a short period before flight departs?)..have seen standbys cleared on kiosks with less than 10 seats left.
All you can do is try.

[post="279408"][/post]​

 

[dc3fanatic]

As I understand it, Standby is always standby and can be booted for any rev passenger.

So, you could be 'confirmed' through in that the LF on the next leg looks like 10%. However, if there is a cancellation at your next origin, all bets are off.

I never really consider a standby confirmed until puchback.

 

[joggerhss]

[post="279519"][/post]​

The reason you are cleared at the kiosk is because the gate agent working the flight may feel that all standbys will be cleared. If that is the case then he/she can but the flight in a higher catagorey (sp) so if anyone is put on the standby list from anywhere they are cleared at the same time so he does not have to worry about standbys. On the other hand he can place the flight in a lower catagorey (sp) and no one from the tkt ctr can issue a seat assignment, it would all have to be done at the gate.

 

[Aryeh]

Some additional standby-related information:

If, as in your scenario, you're not booked on either flight and wish to standby, the agent in DCA should, in your original PNR, "sell" a segment for at least the first flight (action code 0US123Y01JULDCACLTSB1).
If the connecting flight were sold out,* I would add a second SB segment for that flight (0US345Y01JULCLTRSWSB1).
Then place your name on the PALL list for at least the first flight.

*The company's passenger service policy, regarding connecting flights and standby is that if the passenger clears standby on flight one, the passenger may be booked, reserved, HK'd on the connecting flight. He/she need not standby a second time, nor told he/she has to standby again for the connection if the flight is open for sale.
When discussion here or in the public touch on airline experiences, many speak of getting differing answers to the same questions from personnel, or may say, "it just depends upon who you get at the airport."
This is just one of my peeves because despite ONE policy, or countless others, the policy is clear, it's just that hardly anyone knows it exists.
It really just makes me wonder how much smoother and better operating airline it would be if we were all on the same page at the same time!
This I blame on a training department which doesn't truly train, managers who don't manage, supes who don't supervise or coach, and agents doing/saying things based upon what others have told them or because it's just always been done that way.

 

[joggerhss]

It is being taught in training however, if the orig fare base code is not aval they are on standby. I don't like having to overbook a flt for a downline station for a standby pax. Don't get me wrong, I always try and accomodate anyone on my list, but if my flt is overbooked and there are still seats to sell I try and accomodate my misconx first.

 

[hharotz]

Some additional standby-related information:

If, as in your scenario, you're not booked on either flight and wish to standby, the agent in DCA should, in your original PNR, "sell" a segment for at least the first flight (action code 0US123Y01JULDCACLTSB1).
If the connecting flight were sold out,* I would add a second SB segment for that flight (0US345Y01JULCLTRSWSB1).
Then place your name on the PALL list for at least the first flight.

*The company's passenger service policy, regarding connecting flights and standby is that if the passenger clears standby on flight one, the passenger may be booked, reserved, HK'd on the connecting flight. He/she need not standby a second time, nor told he/she has to standby again for the connection if the flight is open for sale.
When discussion here or in the public touch on airline experiences, many speak of getting differing answers to the same questions from personnel, or may say, "it just depends upon who you get at the airport."
This is just one of my peeves because despite ONE policy, or countless others, the policy is clear, it's just that hardly anyone knows it exists.
It really just makes me wonder how much smoother and better operating airline it would be if we were all on the same page at the same time!
This I blame on a training department which doesn't truly train, managers who don't manage, supes who don't supervise or coach, and agents doing/saying things based upon what others have told them or because it's just always been done that way.

[post="279542"][/post]​

I stopped doing this when the CSM placed an A6 Rev Accounting notice in my mailbox...I apparently cleared a standby about 2 years ago and also confirmed their connection at the same time. The problem was, they were on an X class ticket (or whateer a freebee was at the time) and I confirmed the second segment in "Y" since X wasn't available....I didn't have time to call inventory since he was the last pax to clear on a full flight and he cleared 3 mins prior to departure.

...I was told if I did this again (confirm an X as Y) I would be subject to disciplinary action. 🙄

I just keep them on standby for the connecting flight from now on and let the downline agent clear them. God forbid we dare to clear people off of certain agent's SB lists and they have hissy fits even though the flight is booked to 30% because you took the initiative to work 'their' list. 🙄