UPDATE:

I tried standby on the 1055a flight. Checked in via kiosk at 955a and requested standby. I then headed to the gate and low and behold, I appeared as number 1 on the standby list as per the display. I trumped seven others already on the list.

About 30 minutes before flight time I was moved off of the list and onto the cleared list. Good news but it didn't last all that long. The flight was late getting in and there seemed to be quite the discussion going on at the gate between gate agents, one of the pilots, a customer service rep and folks on the other end of the telephone.

Towards the latter part of the discussions, my name magically disappeared from the cleared list and once again appeared as number 1 on the standby list. During the time I was on the cleared list, I called work in Chicago, solidified my meeting schedule, etc so I was quite irked about the "unclearing". I asked the gate agent why I was taken off of the cleared list and she said I was never on it to begin with. At that point I showed her the picture I took with my mobile phone a few minutes prior of the screen just in case something like this would happen. I'm not sure what prompted me to so this but I just did and it saved me this time. The gate agent said the clearing was then a mistake and said it's not looking good to get on the flight. I overheard the pilot talking and found out by talking to the other gate agent that the flight was being weight restricted and therefore they had to reverse clearing. They were at that point also holding off on giving further seat assignments to folks waiting albiet the AA non-revs had theirs.

The weight restriction was lifted a few minutes later, I was un-uncleared and received a boarding pass for the flight.

All in all a success but what a crazy, disorganized 20 minutes. The good news is I made it on the flight, in an aisle seat and about six hours before my scheduled flight time. The end result is that even if the flights are zeroed out there still is a chance, especially for Ex Plats to make it on.

Oh by the way, the 505p flight was canceled so life is good!!!!!!

Mike