I've heard on other threads that this exists, and that it allows (or has allowed) people to standby for flights within two hours of their original flight time. Some folks have reported being able to use this two hour window to take an earlier connecting flight when their first flight came in early.
Well, here I am in PIT trying to go to ERI (again). The time is 3:12pm. I just arrived from MKE. There is an ERI flight at 3:50 and one at 5:20pm. The kicker is that NOT A SINGLE PERSON has every heard of a 2-hour operational standby window. The gate, the Club, and the US1 line are all telling me the same thing. $100 to standby for the 3:50 flight, which is practically empty anyway.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ThisFlightNoFuel:
I've heard on other threads that this exists, and that it allows (or has allowed) people to standby for flights within two hours of their original flight time. Some folks have reported being able to use this two hour window to take an earlier connecting flight when their first flight came in early.
Well, here I am in PIT trying to go to ERI (again). The time is 3:12pm. I just arrived from MKE. There is an ERI flight at 3:50 and one at 5:20pm. The kicker is that NOT A SINGLE PERSON has every heard of a 2-hour operational standby window. The gate, the Club, and the US1 line are all telling me the same thing. $100 to standby for the 3:50 flight, which is practically empty anyway.
And the 5:20PM flight will probably be oversold! Common sense would dictate shipping you on a flight where they have no chance of selling more tickets.... making more room on the later flight with revenue potential.
The reason to make it difficult to upgrade a low fare ticket is to, in the airline's mind, entice you into paying for a full fare. Of course nobody will pay $800 for a flight that they can pay $200 for....so the upgrade policy won't get them the revenue they're looking for.
One of the airlines will rescind the new stand by procedures....then they'll all follow. The market (we, the flying public) will decide whether this is a good idea or not.
TomBascom
Nov 24, 02, 7:02 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ThisFlightNoFuel:
I've heard on other threads that this exists, and that it allows (or has allowed) people to standby for flights within two hours of their original flight time. Some folks have reported being able to use this two hour window to take an earlier connecting flight when their first flight came in early.
Well, here I am in PIT trying to go to ERI (again). The time is 3:12pm. I just arrived from MKE. There is an ERI flight at 3:50 and one at 5:20pm. The kicker is that NOT A SINGLE PERSON has every heard of a 2-hour operational standby window. The gate, the Club, and the US1 line are all telling me the same thing. $100 to standby for the 3:50 flight, which is practically empty anyway.
Must be Fort Fumble is cracking down just in time for the holidays.
Do not pay the $100. But do do yourself a favor and fly SWA someday just to be reminded of what it's like to be a customer. It's not that bad. Really. In fact it's even kind of fun -- their normal coach seats seem to be pitched about the same as E+ & MRTC. And the exit rows have more legroom than F...
They have a cute editorial in their inflight magazine this month. Due to lead times it's dated 9/1/02. Anyone care to guess the topic?
I've got a copy that I plan to send Ben tomorrow...
TravelScholar
Nov 24, 02, 7:19 pm
My family who live in CA fly Southwest quite a bit, and they like it.
I'm flying HP tomorrow for the first time from PHX to ONT. Should be interesting...
bfunkjeep
Nov 24, 02, 7:47 pm
I'm almost positive I read in the Attache magazine about the 2-hour window a month or two ago... Or am I just getting old?
CPRich
Nov 24, 02, 10:48 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bfunkjeep:
I'm almost positive I read in the Attache magazine about the 2-hour window a month or two ago... Or am I just getting old?</font>
This probably referred to the "flat-tire" rule. If you physically show up at the aiport and tell them you were unexpectedly delayed (i.e. had a flat tire), they will put you stand-by on the next flight for free.
It has no applicability to standing by early.
MileKing
Nov 25, 02, 8:27 am
Here's one for the experts...Let's say you have two separate tickets/PNRs for flights on US on the same day. First flight on PNR #1 scheduled to arrive at airport X at say 2:00 PM. Second PNR has you leaving airport X at 3:30 PM. First flight is delayed such that you don't arrive in airport X until after your second flight has left. What happens in this situation? Would US put you on next available flight for free or will they force you to cough up $100?
Beckles
Nov 25, 02, 9:33 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by HPTunco:
One of the airlines will rescind the new stand by procedures....then they'll all follow. The market (we, the flying public) will decide whether this is a good idea or not.</font>
Northwest never adopted the new stand-by rules, yet I don't hear about them having record loads on their flights ...
Maybe the fact of the matter is most people don't know or don't care ...
TomBascom
Nov 25, 02, 5:11 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
Northwest never adopted the new stand-by rules, yet I don't hear about them having record loads on their flights ...
Maybe the fact of the matter is most people don't know or don't care ...</font>
... and so the benefit to the airline of taking this VFF hostile step was what?
TomBascom
Nov 25, 02, 5:15 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MileKing:
Here's one for the experts...Let's say you have two separate tickets/PNRs for flights on US on the same day. First flight on PNR #1 scheduled to arrive at airport X at say 2:00 PM. Second PNR has you leaving airport X at 3:30 PM. First flight is delayed such that you don't arrive in airport X until after your second flight has left. What happens in this situation? Would US put you on next available flight for free or will they force you to cough up $100?</font>
I try to make sure that the outbound flight is on the same plane as the inbound one.