<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by dnw:
Ahhh... you want to 'waitlist' 
Yes, go to the airport, ask the CSA's on the queue where the waitlist is being handled for the flight and go there and plead... if you have Gold/Silver status you go to the top of the list.
In your circumstance (flexible ticket, wanting to waitlist, genuine good reason) I am pretty sure they will get you on, even if they up***** you.
Go and give it a whirl and good luck!</font>
Thanks for this ... I'll be hanging out in Terminal 4 on a nightly basis now until ... !