US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - "Q-Seats?" Or: Ask different agents until you get the answer you want

What is a "Q seat" ? Although I fly US a fair amount, it's almost always as a codeshare, and this was a new term for me...


Was flying back from LA this weekend via UA's p.s. to JFK and then the US Shuttle from LGA-DCA, as I often end up doing (mainline Airbii vs. the crappy CRJs on UA's JFK-IAD, and usually cheaper, too)

We got to LGA pretty early--traffic was amazingly light for a Friday rush hour--so we decided to stand by for an earlier shuttle flight. We stopped at the Gate 17/18 desk just inside the terminal entry to inquire, and the agent there said, "It depends on your fare rules if you can stand by or not." I replied, "This ticket is booked on UA stock, and the fare rules permit same-day standby for free."

He looks at the ticket and the computer for a minute and says, "No, you cannot stand by. This ticket requires a 'Q seat' to stand by, and there aren't any. You should check the rules better next time."

I thanked him as politely as I could and walked away... and headed straight for the gate where the earlier flight was leaving (17), hoping to find an agent there. Sure enough, the GA typed away for a minute and then printed us boarding passes, and we were on our way two hours earlier than scheduled :D

I know it's a FT maxim to "hang up and call back" if you get an answer you don't like, and I've come to expect employees who won't even bother to check things out (encountered a UA RCC agent on the way out who refused to print BPs for my confirmed seats on a different routing due to weather issues, claiming, "No, the phone agent COULD NOT have confirmed your seat. That is impossible. Go to the gate and stand by.") So I'm not that dismayed by the agent's lack of helpfulness... but I am curious: what the heck is a "Q seat" ???

Maybe he meant that the flight had to have "Q" inventory available... assuming you were booked in "Q" inventory? I've never heard of a fare that allowed standby only if the flight you wanted had seats available in the same inventory as your booked into on your scheduled flight. I'm just speculating, so I should probably just shutup. :D

Q seat probably refers to the booking code of your ticket. there's no need for the new flight to have a Q seat for a standby. You can standby as long as there are coach seats. Now if you wanted to confirm on the spot, then you'll have to pay the change fee and fare collect.

In your case, the agents probably weren't being too helpful.

Q seat probably refers to the booking code of your ticket. there's no need for the new flight to have a Q seat for a standby. You can standby as long as there are coach seats. Now if you wanted to confirm on the spot, then you'll have to pay the change fee and fare collect.

In your case, the agents probably weren't being too helpful.

That's kind of what I thought ... it was a UA "W" fare, which are I'm not sure what fare buckets on US (perhaps Q?). I made very clear to the first agent that I wanted to stand by, not confirm, too.

The second GA was quite helpful, though... no complaints there. Just like with any airline these days, we run into the bad apples and the good.

US offers a one-way fare with fare basis Q28D between LGA and DCA. it's a bit unusual -- it is freely refundable and changeable, but does not allow standby. so, if there's a Q seat available, you can be reticketed promptly, but if not, you're out of luck... (unless you get a friendly GA! :-) )

this fare is offered on the shuttle routes at off-peak times, and the rules are meant to prevent people from buying the late shuttle, and flying standby at a peak time.. (well, the fare is technically valid any time, but you'll never find Q seats at peak times..)

I think the Q28D fare is offered in the DCA-BOS market as well. At least is was when i was there last summer. I had the same exact scenario happen as the OP but it was in BOS.

Assuming UA booking codes on US flights maps 1 to 1:
UA V maps to US L
UA W maps to US S

Assuming UA booking codes on US flights maps 1 to 1:
UA V maps to US L
UA W maps to US S

These are definitely born out by my UA MP statement, which does indeed list my recent flights as US L and US S booking codes (being V and W on the original UA itin, respectively). So it definitely wasn't a "Q" fare, just an unhelpful / lazy agent followed by a helpful one.