Originally Posted by FWAAA
I think the very idea that you're even considering buying five tickets instead of six for a business trip to Denver from NYC in a couple of months (ever heard of "Spring Break?") and having one person in the group attempt to standby instead of paying $250 or $300 for a confirmed seat tells me just about everything I need to know.
As to your original question: Why not have her ask her mom? Or why don't you ask her mom? I'm certain she'll be able to explain the ins and outs.
As for boarding priority: She'll be at the back of the line. Behind lots and lots of other people. Maybe she'll get on, and maybe she won't.
1) I'm buying the tickets, I'm not paying for them, everyone's paying for themselves. She's in grad school and has zero money at all and a couple hundred bucks is a real burden and her family is not wealthy and she has student loans? Ever been that person? Remember when money was a real issue? I do...
2) It's not business, it's vacation travel.
3) Because her mom wasn't really sure, and she wasn't either. Yeah her mom works for AA, but not in a ticketing way. And the implication that people on FT obviously know less than an average AA employee about these kind of nuances should bring a smile to everyone's face.
4) Now's the answer to the question -- you say she'll be at the back of the standby line. Someone in another response said she'll be right at the top of the standby line but just behind actual employees, and ahead of regular pax on standby. Those two contradict each other. Would be nice to find out for real.
5) Again, she's not going to take anyone's seat. She'll get to the airport very early for an empty flight if need be. The question is about how we can best judge what her chances of getting on a flight are, and knowing her position in the standby order is a key part of that.