Originally Posted by
lightbulbs
Also, I believe there is an auto processor that runs at T-40 which clears upgrades then clears standbys. In an ideal world, they would clear standbys (to fill any open seats in Y) then upgrades (with the people who cleared standbys added to the upgrade list) then standbys again (in case there are more people on standby who couldn’t be cleared because Y was full until upgrades were processed). But in reality they just clear the upgrade list first (to free up as many seats in Y) and then as many standbys to fill the rest of the plane.
It's still fuzzy to me when the automation runs. I had a flight last year where I was #1 on the J upgrade list on JFK-LAX and I noticed someone on the visible standby list cleared into the last seat in J. So I kindly inquired with the GA what was up, they told me it was a voluntary standby from J that cleared. I said that was not the right procedure and the other GA was listening and agreed and, to both their credit, had it fixed. The other passenger had not boarded so it wasn't a problem. So the automation didn't run in that case...maybe it doesn't run on 3-class flights.
Originally Posted by
lightbulbs
small truck is sometimes when they put you on the standby list there is still SDC available. In those instances you should SDC on the flight to get a confirmed seat in Y and then they can add you to the standby list. If you SDC onto a flight there is some amount of time it suggested to wait if you can before checking in so that the checking process can automatically add you to the upgrade waitlist. If you check in too quickly, the automatic upgrade waitlist request fails and you can only get added at the airport
This is so true, yet another quirk. Not just SDC but any change that triggers being added to the upgrade list - IROPS rebooking, adding your FF#, etc. I checked in immediately after a change once and got burned by this. Had to show up at the airport the next morning a bit earlier than usual to get added before T-45 otherwise other people might clear. Nothing could get me on the visible list until the airport.