Virgin America Elevate - Question on VA Standby

This is my second time flying with VA, but I'm making switch away from Star Alliance, for a variety of reasons, after 11 years with Continental.

Tomorrow I am booked on the 11am from SFO to FLL, cross country. There are 11 seats available on the earlier flight, which leaves at 7:50am.

I'm told I need to be there 2 hours before to fly standby. Is this in fact true?

Also, on the phone today the agent was very vague about availability. While it shows 11 seats online, she said, "that doesn't mean there are 11 seats available."

I then asked, "If there are 4 first class seats, would they upgrade people from main cabin select, to give me a seat on the plane?"

she refused to answer this, and then I asked, "let me put it to you this way, is there a chance, based on my fare level, that even if there's a seat available on the plane, if it's not in my class of service, the airline wouldn't put me on the plane?"

her reply, "it's really up to the desk at the airport. i can't answer that."

any thoughts here? my wife and i bought two seats on later flight, and have to be at a wedding tomorrow night. the "difference" in fare costs more than double the tickets themselves at this point.

i was told i could "pay $50 to be at the front of the standby line, at the airport..."

I said, "what if everyone did this?"

"I cannot answer that, sir..."

thoughts?

It's best to refer to the contract of carriage. Some of what you were told differs from what I am reading. Regardless, if you really want the earlier flight, be there two hours before the flight as advised.

Just because you're seeing open seats doesn't mean those seats are available. People often don't have seats assigned when booking, so they could be spoken for simply based on number of seats sold.

No reservation agent should be letting out the number of seats available on any flight, for security purposes and in case other airlines are checking routes.

Virgin America's standby policy for early departure does have a 2-hour window prior to departure. They also have confirmed standby, at the airport, for a fee, which bypasses the list and assures you a seat, if one's available. It's silly to ask a reservation agent for a guarantee on getting on a flight standby. It's never a guarantee, which may account for the hedging on the answer. The agents at the airport are in a much better position to give you assurances like that.

If you get to the airport on the day of the flight and seats are still available for purchase on the flight that you want to travel on(go on the website and put in the max number of people possible, don't bother with the seat map), you can be confirmed as long as your original flight was on the same day for $50.

You can also go standby, in which case there is no cost but don't bother trying to find out if you're going to get on until 45 minutes prior to departure at the gate at the earliest.

No they will not upgrade people if your cabin is full in order to put you on.
Hope that helps.