nigelloring

I didn't fully apprecite UA's standby policy until very recently when I tried to get on an earlier AA flight at the gate and was told it would cost me $50.

SEA1K4EVR

Changing to another city *should not* happen and definitely shouldn't be counted on, but I have done it on United Express before (supposed to fly IAD-Harrisburg, PA and instead flew standby IAD-PHL). Probably much less likley if it's mainline UA.

CactusFlier

Ya, I understand that one as those airports are not city pairs (I beleive that is the airline terminology). What about if they are city pairs and want to switch between them? I know UA has them in their C of C and it allows them to arrive at DCA for example and not make them technically move you to IAD if that was the destination due to the city pairs rule?

arfgoblue

Called...since it is airport only, the e500s will expire before the flight.

But I am allowed to standby? There is no OLCI since it is a partner flight.

Thanks!

WineCountryUA

If both flights are UA metal, the UA agent at the airport will be able to add you to the standby list of the new/preferred flight.

exerda

In general, standby is permitted in the UA fare rules boilerplate to/from IAD/DCA and LGA/JFK. (Language used to have ORD/MDW, too, but looks like they finally pulled that one several years after they ended the TED experiment at MDW.) Those are the only multi-airport cities technically allowed for standby to a different airport in the same city code, and even then, the fare rule can restrict that (e.g. a sale fare ex-IAD might not permit travel to DCA).

In practice, you may find that sympathetic agents let you stand by for other airports. I've done SJC instead of OAK before, for example. But it's pretty much at the discretion of the GA since the rules don't explictly allow it outside of irrops.

During irrops, though, you will likely find GAs and CSRs may let you standby to just about anywhere within reason, with the understanding that UA doesn't have the responsibility to transport you from there to your original destination. (E.g. WX closes the WAS area airports, but you stand by for RIC, ORF, or ROA... UA will generally let you do that, but then it's up to you to get to WAS from RIC, ORF, or ROA.)

I would think, though, that if you booked to DCA and UA diverted to IAD for some reason, they'd provide transport to DCA.

arfgoblue

Only the first flight is. Standing by for a later flight reduces the connection to a (i think legal) 52 minutes at DFW.

The next legs are both TACA metal.

mlsrar

Indeed, my standby question relates directly to what SEA1K4EVR has posed here.

Going IND-ORD-IAD-BDL and would MUCH prefer an IND-IAD-BDL routing to avoid backtracking. That being said, an IND-ORD-BDL routing would also be fine.

Would OLCI offer alternate, more direct routings? Should we just talk to an agent in IND?

Thanks for your time!

We would be luggage-free and can change on a whim. Ideally, it's more of a matter of getting to BDL earlier.

exerda

Talk to an agent (ideally, the GA for the IND-IAD flight). Shouldn't be a problem, as you're not going to end up in a city where you don't have a confirmed onward flight (such as if you were booked IND-ORD-BDL and wanted to go IND-IAD-BDL, for example).

Then, when you get to IAD, you should already be on standby for the earlier IAD-BDL flight, but you should probably double-check with the GA to be sure.

OLCI, however, will not offer that standby routing IME.

mlsrar

So, I could do IND-IAD-BDL but not IND-ORD-BDL, as I do not have a confirmed ORD-BDL onward segment? Interesting.

I'll see what the agent comes up with and hope my CO S* status match comes through.

Thanks again.

exerda

You can do that, too, because you're already booked to IND-ORD. You'd be standing by for ORD-BDL (skipping IAD) in that case, which is fine. (You would still have the confirmed ORD-IAD seat, so you wouldn't be stranded in ORD. Now, if the schedules are such that ORD-IAD leaves before ORD-BDL... that's a bit different.)

Where the no confirmed onward seat comes into play is if you want to change your routing in a way which gets you to an airport you don't have a ticket out of. For example, suppose you'd booked IND-ORD-BDL, but wanted to change the connection to IAD. The problem would be that you could end up stranded at IAD if your standby for IAD-BDL didn't clear, as you have no confirmed onward flight.

All that said, if loads are light, GAs will sometimes go ahead and confirm you for all the legs (this is rare, IME). As it is, you'd be standing by first for IND-IAD, then for the earlier IAD-BDL flight.

schley

UA has one of the best standby policies in the world. We can find flaws but overall they are very good.

mlsrar

I agree with this wholeheartedly.

I have zero status with UA, but in my casual travels with them, their standby policies are liberal and accommodating, far more than than those policies of my incumbent carrier with whom I have status.

I will be sure to report tomorrow what happens.

Flyingeagle

Certainly double check. I fly standby quite a bit and numerous times I arrived to find out that I had not been added to the standby list at the next airport.

Another thing to make sure is that your FF# doesn't get left out when the GA is working their magic. One time a RCC person changed some routing for me so I could pickup an Inn-N-Out burger in SF on my way from ORD to SEA. (It had been awhile since I had had one and I had some time.) So I went to the gate and they boarded everyone and I was last. She got me on the flight but forgot to add my FF# which most likely would have gotten me an Emergency Exit isle at best and E+ at worst...and early boarding.

ramblers63

Is there a way to see the current standby list for a flight other than the video board at the gate? Anything online similar to CO?