iadisgreat

Were you number two? If I had been, you better believe I would have been the last person on the plane, overhead bin space or not until the agent confirmed F was boarded full...Seems like that strategy would have been better than asking Twitter.

VickiSoCal

No,I was further back. Husband was number 2. It was a full flight and expertflyer had showed only one seat all day, so it seemed reasonable to board.

phazedowt

This sort of miscommunication/slowness on behalf of GAs does seem to happen sometimes. I was on a LAX-BOS a couple weeks ago where the FAs were furious at the GAs because there were empty seats in Y despite there still being standbys/non-revs waiting. Pushback time had arrived and they opted to just go instead.

iadisgreat

i didn't mean to be as critical as it may have come off! But in this situation it definitely seems worth it to be a bit of a pest to the GA for such a long flight is all. DCA-LGA? Not so much as waiting for your bags will be almost as long as the flight.

deeruck

Why would the FAs care whether there are standbys waiting?

samm

What is the appropriate PALL designator for an elite passenger who wishes to same day standby for a later flight? The process for this (as opposed to SDS for an earlier one) is not as clear.

Rarely does the "change your flight" button on AA seem to appear (or even work successfully when it does), but when I show up to the airport after my original flight has departed and tell the ticket agent I am SDS'ing for a later option, they assign me RL. I don't think this is fair, since SDS for later flights is only even available to elite members and not the public.

A few weeks ago I approached the ticket counter and explained my desire to SDS for a later flight and she said “oh so you missed your flight?” and I said no, that I was voluntarily electing to same day standby using my elite status.

She then said “ok, but we’re not supposed to rebook after a two hour window, but I’ll make an exception”. After she said this I reaffirmed that I did not miss my flight and always intended to take this later one, and she nodded and printed my boarding pass. I later learned I was coded under RL and she had put in that I missed my flight. This caused me to be 2nd to dead last on the 24 person deep standby list, about 20 of them did not have elite. Adding insult to injury, the only person after me on the list was told to board since their partner was cleared to board. In the frenzy of final boarding the gate agent stated she didn't even think there was a seat available for them but said to check and come back if it was occupied. There was one last seat which they took, and I was the only one who could not board, even though I should have been far higher on the list. I repeatedly tried explain this before the gate agent closed the flight but she was too busy and just told me she would deal with it after the flight left when things calm down.


After reading a lot of this thread I now suppose this happened because I did not explicitly call and cancel my original flight. However, after this incident I now always make it a point to attempt to do that, but most of the people on the phone don’t know why I am doing it or fully understand how to do it so that I am still able to fly on the reservation later in the day. If cancelling it is essentially a requirement so elite SDS don’t get penalized in list placement, why isn’t it explained to us that we need to cancel the first one, or explained to employees that we should be given RV# and not RL? Even after doing all of this, I’ve still been assigned RL and have to very nicely request to be RV#. If they do agree to change it, they’ll usually add something like “ok, but we’re not supposed to do that”.

I know the ordering methodology of the list is not public, but if RL is the proper designator for elite SDS for later flights, then I think language should be added to the Same Day Travel site page saying that your status tier will not impact your position on the list like it does for earlier ones, since I’m sure most elite fliers would reasonably expect their list position to have some relationship to their status.

If RV# is actually proper in this case, how can this policy be proven to the ticketing or gate agent?

YtravelF

First off congrats for actually understanding the issue you're facing. Most PAX (including elites) have no idea how the PALL list works. Second, you should be an RV vs an RL. I think many of the agents don't understand that taking a later flight on purpose is an option for elites since few people do it. Most are trying to go earlier.

If I were you, I would try and call before the original flight leaves and ask to be added to the standby list. If they can't/won't add you, ask the agent to make a note in your PNR that you will be taking a later flight. That way the airport agent should understand that you have not accidentally missed your flight. It's unfortunate that we at FT often know/understand/apply the rules better than many of the agents, so YMMV and good luck!

cova

For SWU upgrades the traveling companion does not inherit the status of the higher status traveler (like for domestic upgrades). This is regardless of whether the companion has status or not. In this case, it is better if the companion has some status.

The same applies for airport upgrade - companion keeps their own status or no status for SWU upgrade.

Whether AA changes this is TBD.

samm

Thank you! And thanks for the help.

I have never been able to be added to the standby list through calling, tweeting, etc. They always give the same answer, that it can only be done at the airport. Some are then willing to cancel the flight since they understand what I am doing, but most just say all of that has to be done at the airport. I rarely get RV# even after doing all of this, which is really disappointing since you agree that is the appropriate designator here.

I really wish there was something that could be done about this

roder

In the UA world, I frequently see references to specific sections of policy documents and instructions on how to tell agents to access. With AA, I have see policies copied and pasted in forums but never a specific reference that can be utilized to point an Agent to find it. This, IMHO, is the only way you'll get this corrected-- being able to point them to documented policy/instruction on how to handle.

YtravelF

Even if they can't add you to the list over the phone, they can definitely add a note to your PNR. Ask them to notate that you do not intend to make your original flight and will be standing by for a later flight.

This will (hopefully) benefit the GA working your originally ticketed flight. When/if they look up your reservation to find out why you're not onboard, they'll see the note and know they can clear a standby in your place. It should also make it clear to the ticketing agent that you are intentionally standing by and thus should have an RV# designator. Remind the agent the V stands for Voluntary. The L stands for Late. You are Voluntarily standing by for a later flight.

Try that, see if it works. If not, escalate up the chain I guess

beachfan

Can I pull my wife's SWU at the airport ((she has no status) and switch to 500 mile request linked to me (I'm in the flight as well) and get next to me on the PALL list?

If I have already cleared, does that make a difference?

I didn't realize her SWU doesn't inherit my status, and am concerned since they seem to be clearing complimentary upgrades before SWUs on that flight.

AAEmpireState

In those situations where my upgrade already cleared, even the best of agents sadly haven't been able to let my husband inherit my status - once the upgrade is processed, the system refuses to allow your elite status to be added to a traveling companion.

beachfan

Thanks.

if I understand the Wiki, all SWUs have higher priority on the PALL list than domestic upgrades,, right?

AAExecPlatFlier

I don't believe so. Should be equal.