I want to know the exact process of standby for a flight. I am booked on a 1915 flight from YYZ to YVR and there are no J seats left for upgraade so i want to standby for the 1745 flight from YYZ. Even though Ihave travel a lot, I have never standby for a flight and with the Spill over from AC, flight are filling up quickly.
Couple questions:

1. If I am standing by, can I ask for an upgrade right from the beginning? What are the success rate of that?

2. If I don't get upgraded on 1745, can I go back on the 1915 as a confirmed passenger and again standby for an upgrade?

3. Usually, what are the success rate of being upgraded standing by for another flight. I have 3 pax in my family including myself.

Thanks and let's hope AC doesn't go on strike causing us to lose all of R seats.

Regards,
Empress

I regularly standby for different flights on my way home, simply to insure upgrades. Usually, I just show up for an earlier flight, and ask if there are any upgrade seats available, "right from the beginning." (If there are upgrade seats, that infers that I can get on the plane, upgrade or not. But I want the upgrade, otherwise, no thanks.) Flying out of Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, and recently Quebec City, this has worked well.

However, it has never worked for me leaving Vancouver, heading east. (I always get my confirmed advance upgrade, one way or another, but I prefer certain planes, flights, etc. Sometimes I go to the airport early just for this reason.) But each time, I have been told that previously ticketed/reserved passengers, who request standby upgrades, will be upgraded first. This usually results in the agent saying something like "Well, there are 5 seats open, and 19 on the standby upgrade list. You'll be after them." So it's back to the DMX Music Station for me.

As far as your original reservation goes, it will remain intact until you actually get on a plane. I did this on the way home from Toronto a few weeks ago. I was confirmed upgraded on the 5:45pm flight, but I wanted to get home early. They put me on standby on several different flights, starting at 12:55pm, and even printed boarding cards. I just went to the gate at the right time, and asked if there were any upgrade seats available. Each time they said no, and I just tore up another boarding pass. My originally reserved seat remained intact, and that was the one I finally flew home in.

In case it wasn't clear above, my success rate has been 100% westbound, 0% eastbound.

And bad news regarding AC -- they have already begun allowing people to refund normally NONREF tickets, in anticipation of the strike. I suspect this will mean that AC pax are already switching to CP, also in anticipation. But more importantly, it suggests AC is expecting a strike. Rats!

Regards,

Ken Hamer

So where do the luagguage go then? The problem is I have a party of 3, so that might make it just that much harder. AC pax are already showing up on CP, the flight I am booked on showed 6 J class seats taken today makes it only 12 seats out of 25 left. It was 18 to start the day when I assured myself that I will have no problem upgrading, not so sure now. The 1745 still have 18 left, so want to understand the standby procedures.

P.S. Very clearly explained, Thanks Ken.

Regards,
Empress

in a strike situation: give absolute priority just to get on a flight on another carrier (CP) that will take place, and check-in early.

another guerilla tip: if you want to increase your chances "not to be bumbed" from an overbooked flight: order a special meal!(best bet is a kosher meal) they will not bump you, because they can't organize that special meal for the next flight (but remember, special meals also reduce your chances for upgrades!).

Hmmm... Good point about the luggage. Sometimes when I do this all I have is carry on, which of course means no problem. On my last trip however, they simply sent my luggage on the first available flight. It was waiting for me at the CP baggage counter in Vancouver. I could have gone on that flight as well, but I would have been in economy.

However, I don't believe they will let you do that on trans-border flights. Might just be on the LAX segment, or maybe both. You should probably call CP and ask. I'm just not sure about that situation.

Regards,

Ken Hamer