Originally Posted by
HomerJay
You did not have a reservation for that flight. You were standby. There were operational problems, probably due to weather. A likely scenario is that a connecting passenger from a late-arriving flight had arrived. He had a reservation. You were flying standby.
They put him on his flight, for which he had a reservation. They put you on your flight, for which you had a reservation.
It was inconvenient to you, but the airline did no wrong.
Well, it sounds like it was wrong to board standbys at the point in time they did. @:-) Either (a) board the standbys and then later-arriving passengers are deemed to have missed the flight or (b) don't board standbys if you're still holding open the possibility that connectors or new arrivals with BPs in hand will be permitted to board. Either option is acceptable and within the airline's rights.
When I've gone standby (on any airline) in the past, I'm boarded literally within 1-2 minutes of the door closing. A passenger running up after me, saying they should be on the flight, would (should) be told no - you're too late.
I'd be angry if I was deplaned
after I was seated. I'm never angry if I just try to go standby in the gate area and simply don't make it.
Is it worth fighting for more than a form-letter apology and a token voucher? No. Nothing is going to change.