danville 1K

I've inquired twice in FRA about standing by after arriving via LH and the first question both times was "do you have any checked luggage?". If you've checked luggage your chances of being able to go standby are very slim. Without checked luggage it'll be up to the gate agent whether to allow the change.

RdFltErr

I never check luggage anymore. I'm surprised I've managed to get away with that actually, heh.

danville 1K

Nor do I when originating at a UA point of departure. However when connecting from a LH point of departure I don't have the same luggage karma. With sufficient time between flights I will check my bag to FRA and reclaim it there, saving me 45 minutes at SFO upon arrival.

RdFltErr

hey, that's a very interesting strategy

yeah, my issue is just that it always used to get lost or messed with (not the new fees). I just got tired of it. Or once, I had to wait forever for it to come out.

bklink

Hello, I am flying ORD-LHR next Tuesday at 4pm as a 1K, waitlisted for an upgrade on a SWU. Seatcounter shows C3 but D, J, and Z are sold out. Seatmap shows no availability in business, so the C3 availability must rely on overbooking C and upgrading people to first to make room (it showed A4 and F4).

BUT: The flight one hour later at 5pm shows wide open availability in business (C9 D9, etc) and nearly so in first (F4). I called and asked to switch to that flight but it was going to cost me $900+ extra. If that space is still available on the later flight on the day of departure, would the agent at the 1K check-in desk allow me to switch to the later flight and clear the upgrade? Any experience with this?

Thanks.

SEA1K4EVR

Officially standby on international flights is not allowed but wild and crazy things happen at the airport all the time. It's definitely possible you'll find an agent who will let you do it on a standby basis or even confirm you on the later one. How does Y look? If the whole flight is oversold and they're looking for volunteers then even better for you!

The 1K desk isn't going to help... it'll be an airport agent.

jkingsle

I have had success with doing just that in the past. Sometimes the checkin counter people won't do it, but the RCC or GA will.... so it's in your best interest to have carry on only, as they typically will only do it if you have carry on only!

Chapel Hill Guy

See this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...l-standby.html

In particular, some of the posts about folks doing this successfully, including your's truly as related in post 12 of that thread.

Alan6557

I've had my best luck at accomplishing that type of change with the GA, however I have not had checked luggage. If you have the time and access to RCC, I would ask there first. If that doesn't work out, then ask at the gate.

UNITED959

You can try at check-in but moving you to a different flight because your upgrade didn't clear doesn't seem like a very reasonable change.

It's risky, but a "flat tire" might get you further.

TRIPLE-7

I've stood-by at the last min in SFO on the earlier flight to NRT, but was handed a bp ONLY after all of the standbys who were on the upgrade list cleared. I was was confirmed all the way to BKK on a SWU, and as I mentioned I had a confirmed NC seat on the later flight.

So doing the same in reverse, i.e. wanting to wait an hour for a NC seat would need to be done by a g/a or RCC person, and if I was on the later flight and someone screwed me out of an upgrade, I wouldn't be happy especially if I had more horse power than them, but they got it before the waitlist cleared for the later flight, circumventing the correct and proper way, and who listened to and believed a story about a flat tire.

Eventually all of this stuff screws it up for everyone else, and has a snow ball effect, by people continually working the system to their advantage.

milepig

This is the kind of penny-wise pound-foolish thinking that drives me nuts.

You want to move from a heavily booked flight to the identical flight (ORD-LHR non-stop) that is leaving an hour later. And, the later flight has much more room.

So, they can do you a favor my moving you, and they would gain a seat on a heavily-booked flight. It costs them not a penny to move you, and both sides would win.

TRIPLE-7

Speaking of dollars & sense, and to coin an old phrase, it's called "Thinking outside the box" and these agents aren't given that latitude!
It's easier and safer to just say NO!

Common cents is never figured into the equation, especially at the grunt level, and they are not paid to think, only to follow orders and get the planes out on time. Why stick your neck out, and bend the rules, or God forbid use your noodle if you don't have any backup or support?

It's whittle time and sonority folks are covering their flanks. If I were in their shoes, especially now, I wouldn't bend an inch.

Let someone higher up make the call to move a passenger to another flight, and let the company have it their way.

WineCountryUA

While in this case that probably make sense but there are consequences that UA must consider. If the the process becomes to book the cheapest flight of the day with the intent of switching to the more expensive flight, then this becomes an IM/revenue/capacity planning issue. Harder to charge a premium for preferred times. True that at some point the cheaper flight will run out of cheap seats but it still messes with their planning. (And yes some people, such as some on this board, now do this on domestic flights.)

TRIPLE-7

Domestic flights are different, as has been mentioned. Actually any 1K for that matter can do it (free) by just calling 3 hours before the flight you want to take and if seats are available for you, bingo you're on, or go out and standby.

International's are different, but as I've mentioned, I've had success in SFO, for an earlier flight, not trying to change the earlier for the later one though.

Hey, let the OP give it a go. It would be nice to hear back how he made out.

Hope he's successful.