Added to First Class Standby Disappears?
 

I noticed that when checking in online the boarding pass says "Added to First Class Standby", but when I reprint my boarding pass at the kiosk, it no longer says that. When I online check in again, the BP also doesn't say I'm on the list.

Does that mean I am no longer on the standby list? or F is full? or something else?

I would think that I should be on the list until the flight departs.

I've seen this to. I often check in online when at a hotel, but don't print and then print at the airport. Then I usually ask the GA (at the PC) or elsewhere to make sure I'm on the list. I always am, so I don't think your name goes off the list. But I would ask the GA to be sure if I were you. It does seem a weird glitch.

i always check in online but rarely print the BP. i prefer carrying the smaller kiosk BP's. it never shows the "added to FC....." after the orignal pass is printed. not sure why but it doesnt. however, you are still on the list.

I have also noticed that the first print out will show your fare class but the reprints do not always. usually just F or Y regardless of class purchased or upgrades processed.

I always 'ask' to be placed on the list when I do OLCI. I've had it happen both ways when it's not printed on my BP. Sometimes I'm still on the list. What cracks me up is when I ask a TA or GA if I still am, the perplexed look that comes across their face when they see I'm Plat and not on the list. Seems to be a bug in the system somehwere. Perhaps CO Insider can add some insight here?

Hi Tummy, you'll still be on the upgrade standby list. To clarify, the only time you'll see the "Added to the First Class standby list" notation on your boarding pass is when you first check in, because this is when we actually place you on the airport upgrade standby list. Currently, when you re-print your boarding pass, we're not doing anything behind the scenes to see if you're still on the upgrade list. This would explain why the upgrade standby notation is left off. Your feedback is well-taken, and this is on our list of check-in improvements.

Thanks, Scott for clarifying this. Actually, I had it happen that when I checked in on-line and the system asked me if I wanted to be added to FC standby I have said yes and then when I would print my boarding pass from my printer, the notation would not be there. I would get to the airport and check with a GA and sure enough I was not on the list. They had to add me manually. Also, I fly to Spokane a lot and fly EWR-SEA on CO and SEA-GEG on AS. I have noticed that on my return leg when I check in using Alaskaair.com I am never added to stand by for first on CO. I guess I understand the reasoning because I am using Alaska's system to check in and the first leg of my trip is non-Sky Team partner. Question though: does it decrease my chances of being upgraded if I ask to be added to FC at the airport if it is not possible for me to do so during check-in?

Sortof. Assuming that another passenger has a ticket in the same fare class and is at the same elite level, the next tiebreaker is SEQuence number, which is your checkin order on the flights. Since you aren't checking in until you get to the airport you're behind everyone who did OLCI. So the fact that you're added after the fact isn't as big a deal as the fact that your SEQ will be higher.

Well, actually, Alaska allows you to check in for the CO portion but does not allow you to be placed on FC standby. That is the issue.

I've never flown AS but I would think that checking in through AS still gives you a CO sequence number and would be transferred over to the FC standby list even if you are added manually.

I think that is exactly what happened. The SEQ generated by AS was used by CO when added manually by GA to the FC standby list. (wow - that is a lot of acronyms in one sentence)...

Including OLCI? If so, then my answer above is wrong as your SEQ number is based on when you are checked in on CO. Once you have a SEQ number your status for the upgrade doesn't change based on when you're added to the list. So a SEQ 10 added to the list 30 minutes prior to flight will beat a SEQ 50 added 23 hours out, assuming that SEQ was the tie-breaker (e.g. same elite level and fare class).

What if it fails to notate it on the online boarding pass when you first check in at Continental.com on a Co flight - even though the system asked if you wanted to be added and you indicated you did? Are you still on the list in sequence?

Sequence number has nothing to do with the first class standby list.

He needs a CO agent to add him to the FC standby list for that flight. If his station has both AS and CO reps, and CO is open, he can get CO to do it from there. But this is a CO-only function as far as I know.

Sequence numbers are used to reconcile customer boarding and bag loading only. That is it. It is for CO use only. Hope this helps.