Can I "standby early" at airport for an earlier flight in the "business class" cabin?
Mar 20, 2017, 8:19 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: YVR TLS
Programs: Air France Flying Blue, Altitude SE-100k, AAdvantage, United Mileage Plus, WS rewards, BonVoy Titan
Posts: 912
Can I "standby early" at airport for an earlier flight in the "business class" cabin?
Maybe this has been addressed before on FT. I hardly ever use my upgrade credits but am doing so this weekend.
Booked an economy flex YVR-YYZ-YVR and used 20 credits to upgrade to Business, the upgrade is confirmed. My question is can I "standby early" at the airport for an earlier flight in the "business class cabin"?
Thanx much..
Booked an economy flex YVR-YYZ-YVR and used 20 credits to upgrade to Business, the upgrade is confirmed. My question is can I "standby early" at the airport for an earlier flight in the "business class cabin"?
Thanx much..
Mar 20, 2017, 8:24 am
#2
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
Maybe this has been addressed before on FT. I hardly ever use my upgrade credits but am doing so this weekend.
Booked an economy flex YVR-YYZ-YVR and used 20 credits to upgrade to Business, the upgrade is confirmed. My question is can I "standby early" at the airport for an earlier flight in the "business class cabin"?
Thanx much..
Booked an economy flex YVR-YYZ-YVR and used 20 credits to upgrade to Business, the upgrade is confirmed. My question is can I "standby early" at the airport for an earlier flight in the "business class cabin"?
Thanx much..
Mar 20, 2017, 8:30 am
#4
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,494
Maybe this has been addressed before on FT. I hardly ever use my upgrade credits but am doing so this weekend.
Booked an economy flex YVR-YYZ-YVR and used 20 credits to upgrade to Business, the upgrade is confirmed. My question is can I "standby early" at the airport for an earlier flight in the "business class cabin"?
Thanx much..
Booked an economy flex YVR-YYZ-YVR and used 20 credits to upgrade to Business, the upgrade is confirmed. My question is can I "standby early" at the airport for an earlier flight in the "business class cabin"?
Thanx much..
Mar 20, 2017, 8:31 am
#5
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
Are you sure? Outside of the Rapidair/Western Triangle/YYZ-NYC routes, if the original fare is booked under Flex, the fare conditions do not allow standby. Even after confirmed upgrade, the original fare conditions still apply. Is there a recent change that I am not aware of?
Mar 20, 2017, 8:37 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, MNL, WAW
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Lifetime Plat, (now an AC nobody)
Posts: 1,978
Are you sure? Outside of the Rapidair/Western Triangle/YYZ-NYC routes, if the original fare is booked under Flex, the fare conditions do not allow standby. Even after confirmed upgrade, the original fare conditions still apply. Is there a recent change that I am not aware of?
Mar 20, 2017, 9:11 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,519
I actually recently (while I was still a SE) did YYZ-YVR-YYZ in Jan with eUpg confirmed in advance and then do a "Standby Early" on OLCI and got the earlier flight that I want. For one of my flight, I did try to ask the Concierge to put me on Standby, they said I am not allow. I then went ahead and do it on OLCI.
Just remember that OLCI only show you 2 flight options, so you need to do need to time your OCLI for the flights that you want -- which is the reason why I want the Concierge to do it for me initially.
Just remember that OLCI only show you 2 flight options, so you need to do need to time your OCLI for the flights that you want -- which is the reason why I want the Concierge to do it for me initially.
Mar 20, 2017, 9:16 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,567
Are you sure? Outside of the Rapidair/Western Triangle/YYZ-NYC routes, if the original fare is booked under Flex, the fare conditions do not allow standby. Even after confirmed upgrade, the original fare conditions still apply. Is there a recent change that I am not aware of?
I have been able to standby on an earlier flight, on upgraded J.
OLCI gave me the option.
Mar 20, 2017, 9:41 am
#9
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,775
I've never tried this with OLCI, but you may be able to do things at the airport that you couldn't do online. If OLCI doesn't offer you what you want, I would go to the airport then go to the lounge and see if they can help you out there. If your original flight is full or oversold, they may be happy to confirm you on the earlier flight.
Mar 20, 2017, 9:42 am
#10
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
Mar 20, 2017, 12:19 pm
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,342
An upgrade does not change your fare rules.
Mar 20, 2017, 12:42 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,567
Mar 20, 2017, 1:04 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
I can think of a few reasons why the OLCI has this feature as an unintended consequence, and they all lead to cost to make the OLCI completely capable of handling standby for all of the J scenarios. This actually isn't new when I think back, and it goes way further back before Calin's time. Lise Fournel is the only constant throughout this time. 
Mar 20, 2017, 1:48 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: YVR TLS
Programs: Air France Flying Blue, Altitude SE-100k, AAdvantage, United Mileage Plus, WS rewards, BonVoy Titan
Posts: 912
OK, but so it not's supposed to happen for free, so what is the charge then...you've already used eups credits, your confirmed Business on one flight, what is the penalty to move up early, personally I think if this is done at the airport gate your chances are pretty good if there is room your on...and secondly sounds like people have been moved up early so it's possibly a gate agents prerogative if there is such a thing...