A Weird NRSA Situation on Monday
First of all - This is an observation - - NOT A COMPLAINT!!!
Flying LAX/MSP/ORD. Arrived early at MSP. On the monitor, I saw a flight to MDW that should have left 15 minutes earlier - but was delayed, that I could have possibly ran to catch.
Before running, I thought I'd ask at my arrival gate if there was space. The GA said it was overbooked. OK. No big deal. I'm now heading to the main SkyClub. As I got closer to the club, I figured that the gate for the MDW flight (F2) was very close by, so, I thought I'd check to see if there were any no-shows.
As I approached the gate, it appeared that boarding was just about finished, but the door was still open. I approached the GA and asked her if there were any seats left. She said the flight was overbooked - - AND - - as she said that, she handed a BP to a woman with the standard HUGE "NRSA" on it.
I asked the GA - - "I thought you said it was overbooked?"
GA: It is!
Me: So, why is a non-rev boarding?
GA: Ohhhhhh? Is she a non-rev? I didn't know that!
Me: Her BP had the HUGE NRSA on it!
GA: Oh, OK. I'll take her off and put you on! <in a semi-angry voice>
Me: NOOOOOOOO!!! That wouldn't be fair to her, since she's already thinking she's flying!
GA: OK.
My question - - - As nice as it was for the GA to offer to put me on the flight, was that the proper procedure, since technically, it was already something like 20-25 minutes past the SCHEDULED departure time already, or does a paying stand-by pax take precedence regardless of when the paying pax walks up?
Is it possible that the GA didn't realize that the pax was an NRSA?
I would have taken an empty seat if there was one, but, I wouldn't want to displace anyone.
Your thoughts.