US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - F zeroed out

Quick question:

If my flight tomorrow is completely zeroed out, but I really do want to take a later flight, is my only option to go to the airport and check in, and then wait for the volunteer thing? Or can I pay $25 standby fee on the phone or what?

I suppose I was hoping to do something without having to schelp to the airport and then come back again, but it may not be possible.

Telephone res agents have absolutely nothing to do with standby, and they cannot add you to the list, etc. Over the phone, they can just charge you the $100 for an outright change. Even sometimes if you call over the phone to have res cancel your segments so you can go standby and avoid having the rest of your itinerary cancel out, about 20% of the time they do that right, and about 80% of the time they really don't know what you are talking about, and will let your entire record cancel out in the system. Maybe it is better dealing with the CP desk though.

Here's what I would do:
1. Check in online for your original flight. I know checking in online puts you ahead on the upgrade list, not sure if it puts you ahead for general standby but no harm;
2. Go out to the airport and standby. Do not bring up the $25 fee unless you are asked;
3. Do not call on the phone, and start asking questions. They will note your record, and you are more likely to be charged the $25. The only person you should ask questions of is an airport agent.

You should also check the load on the flight you want to standby on. One good way to do this is in the Miles Buzz forum, there is an availability tool you can download. See the "this service is dead," thread, it is 20+ pages long, cannot miss it. Also you can call US and check the load on the desired flight. They will tell you if it is oversold or not.

Good luck!

Thanks for the help.

I suppose the meat and potatoes of it is this: If I show up for my original flight at like 8AM and tell them I want to standby, can I standby for an 8 PM flight and leave the airport in the meantime and come back?

I thought you could only standby for an earlier flight so that if the standby failed, you could still get on your original flight.

Otherwise, I'd expect they'd want the $100 change fee since if the later standby failed you'd not have the original reservation to fall back on anymore. (I'm not saying that makes sense, just how I thought it worked.)

[This message has been edited by StSebastian (edited Feb 17, 2004).]

Wanted to add one thing: I've found that the only way to be sure if you will get on a standby flight or not is to actually be at the gate prior to boarding. I can't tell you how many times I've been told on the phone that they are oversold, doesn't look good, etc., and I have not only made it on, but have seen empty seats. Some flights of course check in completely full, but asking/looking beforehand - in my experience - has never been a very good indicator. I've gotten F0 Y0 and gotten on easily and I've seen Y7 a few hours before and not gotten on.
Trying to standby from an early flight to a late flight is risky - especially if you are trying for the last flight of the day. If you don't get on the later flight, you are totally SOL, especially on an outbound.
Good luck!