So I'm going from BDL to SFO, picked an evening flight, which happens, for some reason I've never figured out, to be one flight #, even though there is a plane change at IAD. Not a big concern, I don't really pay attention to flight #s. Here's the rub. I called the 1K desk to see what the load was on an earlier itinerary that day, hoping to get into the City earlier, knowing that I had to go keep the same routing to not pay a change fee. The CSA says, "You may not confirm a standby on an earlier flight because you will not have enough coupons when you arrive at the airport". After scratching my head, I ask her to please try and explain what she means. She just keeps repeating that statement. I finally figure out what she is trying to say, even though it makes no logical sense whatsoever. Apparently I am being punished for choosing an itinerary that uses only "one coupon" (did I miss where they started to refer to boarding passes as coupons?), meaning one flight number, and cannot do a 3 hour in advance confirmed rebooking because of this seemingly arbitrary rule. If I had simply booked any other flight that day through IAD, that used TWO "coupons", there would be no issue.

What am I missing???