Standby List Problem
Nov 7, 2011, 4:34 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: UK
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 66
Standby List Problem
Has anyone experienced this problem?
My wife and I are both Plats and were travelling on B class tickets. We were waitlisted on last Monday's CO4 IAH-LHR for a BF upgrade. We appreciated that it is a popular route and weren't expecting any notification until nearer the flight.
48 hours before the flight we had a look to see how seats were going - 26 sold 24 remaining. Thus we were a little surprised to get the Waitlist expired emails at T-24. No matter, do the online checkin and get added to the standby list.
I checked in and was immediately added to the standby list. I then checked my wife in but she wasn't added to the list. Checked an hour later but no change. So I decided to call the Elite line - wait time in excess of 30 minutes! In their defence it was the weekend of the weather problems in the North-East.
I decided to call the UK knowing that the office was closed and that the call would be re-routed. After a few minutes I was transfered to an operator who assured me that my wife was on the list on their system.
The next morning (Monday) we had an early start to drive to El Paso and I decided to call the UK again because the standby list was up to 10 (but I was still #1). Very helpful lady tried all manner of things but couldn't get my wife to show on the standby list. She did assure me that my wife was on the list and that when I checked in at El Paso they would sort out the upgrades.
Nope. El Paso told me that it could only be done by Houston. But she is on the list. Mild panic setting in because we only had a 45 minute connection in Houston and checkin would have begun. However, I was told there would be replacement boarding passes waiting for us assuming we both cleared the list - I was still #1.
Arrived at the gate in Houston to be told that I made the upgrade but my wife didn't. I asked the GA how that might be considering we were exactly the same status and that I was #1 on the list so shouldn't my wife had been #2?
The GA looked into it and said she wasn't showing as Plat, in fact she wasn't showing as having any status.
There was a happy ending because the GA quickly issued a BF boarding pass and sat us together. I suspect that we were just very fortunate that the BF cabin wasn't full - I don't know what would have happened otherwise?
So the moral of the story seems to be that no matter how many people tell you that you are on the standby list, if you can't see yourself on it - then you're not on it!
My wife and I are both Plats and were travelling on B class tickets. We were waitlisted on last Monday's CO4 IAH-LHR for a BF upgrade. We appreciated that it is a popular route and weren't expecting any notification until nearer the flight.
48 hours before the flight we had a look to see how seats were going - 26 sold 24 remaining. Thus we were a little surprised to get the Waitlist expired emails at T-24. No matter, do the online checkin and get added to the standby list.
I checked in and was immediately added to the standby list. I then checked my wife in but she wasn't added to the list. Checked an hour later but no change. So I decided to call the Elite line - wait time in excess of 30 minutes! In their defence it was the weekend of the weather problems in the North-East.
I decided to call the UK knowing that the office was closed and that the call would be re-routed. After a few minutes I was transfered to an operator who assured me that my wife was on the list on their system.
The next morning (Monday) we had an early start to drive to El Paso and I decided to call the UK again because the standby list was up to 10 (but I was still #1). Very helpful lady tried all manner of things but couldn't get my wife to show on the standby list. She did assure me that my wife was on the list and that when I checked in at El Paso they would sort out the upgrades.
Nope. El Paso told me that it could only be done by Houston. But she is on the list. Mild panic setting in because we only had a 45 minute connection in Houston and checkin would have begun. However, I was told there would be replacement boarding passes waiting for us assuming we both cleared the list - I was still #1.
Arrived at the gate in Houston to be told that I made the upgrade but my wife didn't. I asked the GA how that might be considering we were exactly the same status and that I was #1 on the list so shouldn't my wife had been #2?
The GA looked into it and said she wasn't showing as Plat, in fact she wasn't showing as having any status.
There was a happy ending because the GA quickly issued a BF boarding pass and sat us together. I suspect that we were just very fortunate that the BF cabin wasn't full - I don't know what would have happened otherwise?
So the moral of the story seems to be that no matter how many people tell you that you are on the standby list, if you can't see yourself on it - then you're not on it!
Nov 7, 2011, 10:57 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,014
Different Name?
At one point, I managed to have my wife's name listed twice in my profile as someone who I'd purchase a ticket for. One differed slightly and the OP # wouldn't stick. Deleted that name, so now the pull down only shows her OP-authorized name as a possible selection. Could that be it?
Nov 7, 2011, 11:53 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: UK
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 66
I should have added that we travel on separate PNRs. So she has her own reservation and her own Plat status - I just do all the work for her 
Nov 7, 2011, 1:08 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: texas
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 56
After my regional upgrade didn't clear for a flight tomorrow I called the elite line to see why I wasn't on the upgrade list and after a bit of sleuthing she transferred me to, I think she said, "integration", and he told me I was on another super secret upgrade list that no one could see but assured me I was definitely on it. We'll see.
I presume this list includes people willing to give up miles, money, and regional upgrades and will trump the regular list, which certainly explains the times you've been #1 on the upgrade list with 5 seats available and end up stuck in steerage when the door closes.
I presume this list includes people willing to give up miles, money, and regional upgrades and will trump the regular list, which certainly explains the times you've been #1 on the upgrade list with 5 seats available and end up stuck in steerage when the door closes.