Hello, I haven't flown US for a while but will be next week going BOS-DCA-PBI. I'd like to take an earlier Shuttle flight out of BOS but don't know if they will charge extra for that. Greatly appreciate any input. Thanks.

its $25 for standby

The official policy is $25. But I've had luck on BOS-LGA shuttle flights by going to a GA and asking to take an earlier one with no charge.

The official policy is $25. But I've had luck on BOS-LGA shuttle flights by going to a GA and asking to take an earlier one with no charge.

Me, too. If you ask at the gate instead of check-in, I think they're much more flexible. As a matter of fact, as I type this, I don't think any GA has charged me the $25. Once at RDU, not only did I get to jump the earlier flight but they also gave me a FC seat.

Since the new standby policy was introduced last year, I've used it five times and have been charged $25 for four of those times. The one time I got on an earlier flight without paying $25 was at BOS for a BOS-LGA shuttle.

Editted to add: Also, it depends on the fare, of course: there is no standby fee for the "unrestricted" fare classes.

I've found that the good agents at the ticket counters will only charge you the $25 IF they can confirm you. If they put you on the standby list without a confirmed seat I've either not been charged, or challenged the logic and it becomes a non-issue.

I was charged $25 on a FLL-PHL flight recently. Though, that flight wasn't full, and I was able to still snag an exit row window.

The official policy is $25. But I've had luck on BOS-LGA shuttle flights by going to a GA and asking to take an earlier one with no charge.

Of course, I managed to speak too soon. Yesterday, I flew BOS-LGA-DCA, and the GA for BOS-LGA did want people to pay $25 for standby on the 4 PM flight, until the 5 PM flight got delayed, when they moved us on for free. Similary, for LGA-DCA, they wanted to charge me $25 to move up two flights (from 7 PM to 5 PM, with the 6 PM cancelled), but that would've been a middle seat & probably having to gate check my bag. I declined.

It's $25 to confirm...no option to standby unless there's no seat to confirm.

its $25 for standby

On the BOS-DCA shuttle I have never not succeeded in getting moved to the earlier shuttle when I show up at check-in 20 minutes prior to the departure of the next earlier shuttle, at no cost.

After you pay the 25$ - what does being confirmed mean?

I was just on a flight SEA - PHL - BOS and wanted to take an earlier one. They charged me 25$ that was fine since they told me there were still 4 FC seats available and as a CP would definately get one. I went to the gate, snagged the first available. The other three were sold - first to a couple, then the last one to a guy. After they served preflight drinks, the gate attendant came up to me and the guy - told us that they had only 10 hot meals (12 FC seats) and therefore we do not get a meal.

Was this the right course of action for them? I was one hungry CP for the flight... and quite pissed off too. Is this something I should tell Consumer Affairs about?

I was one hungry CP for the flight... and quite pissed off too. Is this something I should tell Consumer Affairs about?
Send your letters to dear 'ol US Airways
Send today....
Don't delay....

Ring a bell to any of you Philly Pholks?! ;)

Was this the right course of action for them? I was one hungry CP for the flight... and quite pissed off too. Is this something I should tell Consumer Affairs about?

Would I be irritated? Yes. Are you reasonably upset? Yes. Does US Consumer Affairs care at all? No.

Send your letters to dear 'ol US Airways
Send today....
Don't delay....

Ring a bell to any of you Philly Pholks?! ;)Sure does! But wasn't it "Send today, send right away"?

I am asking on behalf of a friend who is flying BWI-PHL-BOS tonight...bad weather is forecast, he has no status and is traveling with his parents who don't speak english. If there is any chance to avoid a flight hassle, he is all for it.

Would the Move-up program allow for him to go to DCA, pay the 25/head and get switched to a DCA-BOS nonstop flight with open seats to avoid the risk of a weather induced misconnect/delay at PHL?

I know DCA/IAD are legal co-terminals, but what about BWI/DCA?

...I know DCA/IAD are legal co-terminals, but what about BWI/DCA?

Not in the past, but another poster in another thread pasted the fare rules for a B fare on US which included this...
CO-TERMINALS
-THE FOLLOWING GROUPS OF CITIES ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE SAME POINT BUR - SNA - LAX - ONT, EWR - HPN - NYC - ISP, OAK - SJC - SFO, BED - BOS, BWI - WAS, FLL - MIA, ORF - PHF.
which would suggest that BWI is now included with WashDC airports as co-terminals. I guess the only way to find out for sure is to read the fare rules applicable to your friend's tix.

Even if they are considered co-terminals, it may not be easy getting the CSR on the gen resv line, or the agent at DCA, to agree and change to a more direct flight just because of bad weather forecast. In my experience, even the Chairmans's Desk has to wait until the bad event happens (flight actually delayed/cancelled etc) before launching into Irregular Operations mode, which they are wonderful at doing.

Most all US tickets should have the same co-terminals language. To fly standby from a co-terminal the flight from the other airport must have, apparently, seats available with the same full fare code as the ticket the passenger has- not just B, V, W, etc., but the entire code that appears in the top of the fare rules.

Doing standby from a co-terminal is very difficult on US; it's allowed, but agents often just don't know about doing it. If bad weather hits, though, it often becomes much easier!

I'd recommend calling the CP desk and at least getting the agent to note in the ticket record that standby on flight X from BWI is allowed, just to make things easier at the airport.

The official policy is $25. But I've had luck on BOS-LGA shuttle flights by going to a GA and asking to take an earlier one with no charge.

This is great to know! I'll be flying on US in a few weeks. I've got enough flexibility in my schedule to leave on earlier flights for both the departure and return.

I'm flying BWI-BDL-DCA. There appear to be plenty of open seats on my reserved flights, and earlier flights.

Hello, I haven't flown US for a while but will be next week going BOS-DCA-PBI. I'd like to take an earlier Shuttle flight out of BOS but don't know if they will charge extra for that. Greatly appreciate any input. Thanks.

I flew LAX - PHL on 7/26/06 and asked to go standby on a much earlier flight. Eleven others did the same with no charge. As it happened, two seats were unsold and ten others didn't check in, so I was lucky to get a standby seat, again at no charge.

Sometimes you are able to wiggle out of the new Move Up policy, but in case you can't, this is the policy for day of departure changes if you have a restricted fare ticket: http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/travelplanning/ticketingpolicies/dodchanges.aspx

The new US Airways* understands that travelers need flexibility in their schedule. That's why we allow you to "move up" to any earlier flight on the same day of your originally scheduled departure time at the airport (with the exception of flights to Hawaii and Europe). Please note: Day-of-departure changes may only be made at the airport and not through our Reservations centers.

If there is an open seat available on any earlier flight that departs on the same day as your originally scheduled departure, you may change to that flight and we will automatically confirm your reservation for $25 for flights within the 48 contiguous United States and $50 for flights to Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and Alaska. This lower confirmation fee replaces the usual $100 change fee, plus any differences between your old fare and new fare, for non-refundable tickets.

If there is NOT an open seat available on an earlier flight that departs on the same day as your originally scheduled departure, you may stand by for that flight at no charge. Standing by at no charge is not permitted if we can confirm that there is an open seat available for that flight. Seats on completely booked flights may become available if passengers with confirmed reservations don't show up for the flight. Please note: Unlike a confirmed reservation, flying standby does not guarantee that you will get on the particular flight that you want and may involve waiting for two or more flights before a seat is available to you.

*Until such time that US Airways and America West are operating with one Reservations system, stand-by or move-up will only be permitted on the originally booked carrier. If your original flight is operated by America West, you will be able to stand-by or move-up on America West operated flights only and if your original booked flight is on US Airways, you will be able to stand-by or move-up on US Airways operated flights only. Please pardon our dust while we work on integrating our computer systems. We do apologize for this inconvenience while we become one airline.

After having much success all year moving up for free, I finally got dinged when asking to go standby at DCA this weekend. The GA refused to put us on the 4:45p flight to BOS without collecting the $25 from each of us. We decided to spend the $50 at Legal and waited around for the 6:45p.

After having much success all year moving up for free, I finally got dinged when asking to go standby at DCA this weekend. The GA refused to put us on the 4:45p flight to BOS without collecting the $25 from each of us. We decided to spend the $50 at Legal and waited around for the 6:45p.

Now that sounds like a better use of $50! YUM! :cool:

I have a UA ticket for a Sunday afternoon LGA-DCA Shuttle, with a connection on US, this weekend; the connection in DCA is only about 45 minutes, so I'd like to take an earlier Shuttle, or even just fly directly from LGA to my destination, skipping DCA. Has anyone done this successfully? I'm expecting to be charged $25 (despite having a UA ticket) and told that I have to take the original LGA-DCA-final destination routing, rather than a straight shot.

I'd rather fly JFK-IAD-final destination on UA, but for free, so hopefully at least something other than my original itinerary will work out.

Thanks.