wilp888

United defines "same day" as calendar day.

London Control

Excuse me if this is plainly obvious but I've only recently started to fly United and I have never needed to do this yet.

In a couple of weeks I'm flying LHR-ORD-MSY, leaving LHR at 12:05pm. Due to forecast bad weather I have arranged to arrive in London the day before. I would like to get into MSY earlier so if I pitch up at LHR and ask to get on an earlier flight (e.g. 07:40 LHR-IAD-MSY), will they put me on it free of charge if there is availability? If so will it be standby or confirmed?

I'm Premier Executive and the fare class on the ticket is "W" if that makes any difference.

Thanks ^

mahasamatman

Officially, there is no international standby. The agents at LHR have been known to ignore that rule, but throwing in a routing change makes it even harder. And there's no more free standby at all for 1Ps.

user999991

On a MR from PDX-SFO-BOS and return tomorrow. My appt to see a friend fell thru so I have been trying to change to the redeye, a charming hour in Logan, and return.

Here's what confuses--1k line last night would not unconfirm standby even though 20 seats on both evening legs. Ok, that's the rules. This morning at 4 am, system still shows the only standby option as a later morning flight out of SFO.

But once I am at the airport in the RCC, 30 minutes before my flight, suddenly ual.com shows me a whole long list of standbys (and confirms me on the flight at 6 pm).

Worst part? Now sitting on the Max at 6 am. Can't make my son wake up a second time! Best part, going from a center exit row on the SFO-BOs flight to a F upgrade! :-)

still, I am confused as to why I had standby options at 5:30 am that I did not see 90 minutes earlier.

What gives?

London Control

Thanks for your reply.

So a route change is only going to further complicate matters. Is the only solution to ask to be put onto the earlier (10:15?) flight to ORD. I assume if I do this I will be liable for a change fee and a difference in fare, or is there a possibility if I find someone helpful that my request, either standby or confirmed, will be taken care off FOC?

exerda

Depends on the agent. Technically, there is no international standby and you would need to pay a change fee (likely $250) plus fare difference, but you may find a sympathetic agent who will put you in the other flight without charge.

FriendlySkies

I'd like to add that LHR is good about doing this. In November, an FTer was with me and on a flight in the afternoon. The 1K agent @ LHR switched him to the earlier flight, and did not charge us any fee.. I find them to be some of the best agents when you need something done.

iceman77_7

I'm flying a CO codeshare on UA metal in a couple days and want to standby for an earlier flight. Is this something that I can do? I'm guessing if so, I'll have to pay the $50 standby fee.

iceman77_7

And any chance I might be rebooked onto a UA flight number and thus given a shot at UDU?

squeakr

we have smooshed our stuff into luggage as we want to standby for an earlier flt to LAX - knowing that w/ rain things get delayed and even cancelled on SFO-LAX.

Q. - if we standby on an earlier flight, do we have to exit LAX and re enter thru security to then ck our luggage to LHR?

I should know the answer but I'm blanking - thx

Always Flyin

No. They'll check it through.

There is a longer answer that someone will feel the need to post, but above is the end result.

squeakr

I can't go standby if it's checked.

The question is - IF I get to LAX with carry on only, and WANT to check it at LAX do I have to exit and go back through security????????

MarcoBJ

If you want to do carry-on SFO-LAX, why would you not do carry-on LAX-LHR?

My understanding for intl is that you need to check luggage at the counter, so yes exit security, check luggage and reenter.

squeakr

we usually check luggage for our long winter trips, but in this case we want to standby for the SFO-LAX portion.

thanks for the info.

SanDiego1K

Once you arrive in LAX, perhaps you could do a gate check with your bags. I'd ask about that before I chose to exit security, check bags, and then come back in again.