Reservations with physically impossible routes?
 

I have been flying standby quite a lot, which helped me save hundreds of $$$ so far. However, I have several trip plans which I am not sure if I am able to book such travels since they are a combination of physically impossible flights:

Considering two situations:

1. A-B followed by B-C, where arrival of the first leg is later than boarding/departure of the second leg. However, if I stand by for an earlier A-B, surely I can get on the second one on time.

2. A-B-A same-day return trip. If I reverse the chronological order of two legs and book two evening flights B-A-B, and then show up at A early in the morning to request standby for a morning A-B flight and come back on B-A in the evening as scheduled.

I book one-way flights all on separate reservations, so there shouldn't be any technical problem for standby request. Also, don't worry that I won't get on the earlier flight as it's never been a problem so far since I live by a major hub operating multiple flights per day.

So, any idea if I am allowed to do it or if this will endanger my account? I really don't want to play with fares like this but I have to admit it's intriguing when there is a $100+ price difference.

Definitely playing with fire.

Sounds thrilling. Definitely report back!

Yea I agree this might irritate AA so I was just asking if there were any successful cases.
To date, the flights I've been standing by for were all in the right chronological orders. Even if it actually did save me money by doing this, are they considered booking ploys?

I don't think I'll do it unless there are precedents. My account and status value way more than $100 after all.

*****

I do things like this sometimes - but typically not where the legs actually cross.

You are definitely taking a substantial risk in terms of, you know, actually getting to your destination. But it has - generally - always worked out for me.

I do not feel like you are breaking any rules by taking advantage of your standby privileges, but it may become a problem if you do a lot of A-B-A where the flights physically overlap. I'd be a lot more comfortable (and most of my examples are of doing it this way) with a straight turn A-B-A in the evening, or A-B-C all in the evening, and then I show up at the airport at A in the morning to standby onto the first A-B, thereby creating a full day of time in B (a "free" stopover).

Your #1 is an example of an "impossible/illogical booking" as prohibited by the Conditions of Carriage; in all likelihood the system won't even allow you to book it (or one or both legs will be cancelled after the fact).

As for #2, I doubt it's against the rules (particularly if the flights are booked as one-ways), but it does seem risky in case of irrops.

Number 1 is explicitly prohibited by AA, but number 2 is sort of a gray area. I don't think you're technically doing anything wrong but I don't know if AA's Revenue Protection Unit will see it the same way, but then again I'm not even sure if number 2 is a pattern that they look for. Unfortunately, you won't be able to contact AA directly and ask if it's allowed and you won't find out if it isn't until you get an audit email.

I think the system can pick it up even without the AAdvantage number, it just won't happen right away, meaning, until after you're booked.

Not sure I understand #2 either. Sounds like you want to purchase B-A-B / B-A-B, and only fly the second leg of the first ticket and the first leg of the second ticket? That definitely won't happen.

Or are you saying you just purchase B-A-B, but you fly the A-B segment #2 on standby before the B-A segment #1 as scheduled? I highly doubt AA will let you fly coupons out of sequence, I'm almost certain it's against policy, but whether the airport agents will notice, I can't say for sure.

ETA: Hmm, well if you purchase B-A and A-B separately, then I suppose you're not flying coupons out of sequence. And it doesn't sound like you're trying to get around advance-purchase or minimum stay requirements, only that the evening A-B flight is less expensive than the morning A-B flight you want. I don't think *that* should violate any rules.

In the second case, you're using standby to change a C-D-C RT into a D-C-D RT (i'm using different letters because I'm confused which is A and which A at this point), although you don't have a RT but rather two one way tickets. With separate tickets and separate PNRs, you're not using flight coupons out of order. Also, since it isn't a RT, you're not doing this to avoid a higher fare for D-C-D than the price for C-D-C. Moreover, AA has no way to know where you are--or where you had planned to be--at the beginning of the trip.

It's creative, but I don't see a problem, other than the risk that you cannot get onto the early flight you want as a standby, therefore requiring you to cancel the entire trip (both tickets, so two $200 change fees).