I have been so used to doing business with Airtran that I am really dreading the day I gotta move on. Just looking at how some airlines operate, I am beginning to realize why even Southwest got its following.
Take US Airways. What a garbage airline. My sis is gold preferred over there. Yesterday, I gave her advice that I regret giving her.

She booked a ticket for a future Saturday flight for a lot of miles (43K roundtrip). Still despite all that , she can't even travel standby on an earlier flight unless that flight is SOLD OUT!!!! So your chances of getting standby dramatically go down. They have even restrictions that the number of stops should be the same. So even if you booked oin a direct flight, going to one stop flight is considered unacceptable. WHat kind of idiocy is that? You pretty much have to pay up the costly change fee and whatever the fare difference is.

So the only option is a Move Up where they will let you go on a prior flight for free if there are seats. Problem is the onerous restricitons - 6 hour window and not a minute more. Here is the kicker - same number of stops, not even same more more number of stops on the new flight.

And if an award ticket opens up for that flight you want to change to, you still gotta pay the 150 change fee. And from what I hear, US Air reps have even less discretion than Airtran agents.

Even Delta doesn't sound as bad US Air. Still, I will miss the old school standby that Airtran still alllows for.

Not to mention how some legacies force you to use award points on only roundtrip flights.