777lover

they do allow u to standby for F if you have a F paid ticket — not an upgrade. if you can’t be accommodated in F they are suppose to ask you if Y is OK. Or if you want to standby for the next flight in F.

SCChris

It's certainly "possible" to do this and I've done it many times over the years. That being said IME it can be a pain. Usually it starts with a knowledgeable agent who lists me as a DSR (though a couple of times with other codes). Then the GA needs to know about the DSR code and process it accordingly. I've had a couple of GAs over the years force downgrade me (after printing an F BP) saying that you have to go to Y first only to upgrade someone listed as UPG, but thankfully that is few and far between.

Thankfully with SDFC I've been able to bypass most of this malarkey in recent years.

OT - but with this new T-40 automation I've been curious to see how the system handles some of the more exotic situations (e.g. DSR/DSX/R for a premium cabin, etc).

WeekendTraveler

777lover and SCChris, thank you both very much.

I have a flight tomorrow for which I bought a paid FC ticket, and the same day flight change part of the AA app only shows standby flights available (no confirmed).

If I click on the app to put myself on the standby list, do I then go to an agent (at the Admirals Club or ticket counter or gate) and say "please list me as a DSR" and then do I go up to the gate before upgrades are cleared and tell them, "I'm listed as a DSR"?

And is there a way to be sure to clear the standby list, into a FC seat, before upgrades are processed?

In the past, when I've had a paid FC seat and wanted to go standby, I've cleared the standby list, but the agent then hands me a coach boarding pass and says, "you'd need to now clear the upgrade list but I already processed upgrades and FC is full."

Thanks.

SCChris

If you have an EF subscription I would set an alert for the flight you want and whatever inventory bucket you have. If it appears then you can try SDFC again and change flights (provided same routing). If you don't then you may want to periodically try SDFC to see if it becomes available to confirm immediately.

Otherwise I'd try to standby with an agent and tell them you're interested in First. IME AC agents have been more helpful in this situation than others, but a very big YMMV.

Uzzar

This is where everyone really needs to understand the difference between Same Day Flight Change and Same Day Standy-By. SDFC means you can confirm into F (if you are already in F, Paid or Upgraded). SDSB only gets you a seat in Y if available at the gate, and most GA do NOT give any preference to whether you were previously in F or Y, whether paid or upgraded. Only after they have already processed Upgrades will they look at Stand-by, so the chances are extremely slim of you getting into F, regardless of how you got into F on your previous flight. They usually act like they are doing you a huge favor to get you on this plane at all.

VFR

It seems MLG# is used for mileage upgrades. I'm not sure whether it's prioritized before/after/equal to VIP# within priority levels.

Incidentally, UPP3 seems to be used for Alaska MVP 75Ks.

fastflyer

These problems with reticketing First Class/ Business Class itineraries are generally better done on the phone with an agent. Or in the Admirals Club with an agent. The online systems are simply not designed to handle complex changes well. Having said that, I will note that for IRROPS disruptions, when seated in F even with a lowly e500 upgrade, the app usually offers some alternative routings in F, often impractically timed or placed. But F seats are usually availed.

Gate agents are not ticket agents. They are there to close the flight as quickly as possible. If you want First, you need to sort it out before T-40. Sometimes this means an hours long phone hold.

ExpatExp

It's almost impossible to get a gate agent to understand that you are DSR and not UPG. I agree with the other poster who mentioned that you need to get things sorted out before you get to the gate agent.

VFR

I updated the wiki in this thread to reflect the existence of MLG#, as well as changing the formatting and some other aspects. Do take a look.

beachfan

Is MLG# prioritized ahead of UPP# when it goes to airport control?

if not, is there a downside if removing my miles/copay upgrade request before I head to the airport? Would t-4 be optimal?

plancast

Yesterday at ORD, my flight was canceled and I was able to immediately book on the last flight out to OMA and be placed on standby for an earlier flight. Does anyone have insight to how they rank the standby order, my belief was it was based on status first. I missed the standby by 1 as I was ranked 7. As I watched the gate agent call up the standbys ahead of me, some were not EXP. When I asked the gate agent, she said the persons ahead of me had their flight canceled, once she realized I also was on that canceled flight, she went on to say something about time stamp, when I countered that status supersedes (or at least I thought) time stamp. I thought maybe AA ranked me lower since I already had a confirmed reservation later. Any advice on strategies in the future? As soon as the flight canceled I called the EXP desk and was able to get an agent within 5 minutes to rebook and be listed on standby.
Thanks.

MSPeconomist

Does the AA standby list include those who are confirmed on the flight but don't have seat assignments? If not, I would have tried to ask the GA why a top-tier elite was placed so low on the list before standbys were cleared.

VFR

Check out the wiki on the PALL list thread.

As an EXP you should have bee RI2. It's possible that you were listed as RV2 due to the later flight you were confirmed on, in which case all of the RI# passengers would be ahead of you.

TWA884

Since you had a confirmed seat on a later flight and stood by for an earlier one, you were coded RV (revenue voluntary). Passengers who were not able to book replacement flights are coded RI (revenue involuntary). RIs are always ahead of RVs on the priority list regardless of elite status.

cova

Checked in 12 hours before flight with lower level companion (on same PNR) day after July 14th. . But contrary to what AA said, the companion is showing up sorted at their Elite level and not just below me (as EXP). If the companion were not Elite - they would be just below me.

I thought AA would have fixed this when the stickers went away - but apparently not.

NOT sorted correctly - typo in title.