i can't imagine that each and every time i have done this in the past (and was allowed to change flights) that there was an ulterior motive that the airline was considering.

Then how come you said it is easier at the gate than at the checkin counter?

If it were something you were entitled to, you would think you'd even be able to do it as a kiosk.

Just my own most recent experience... a couple of months ago I was returning from Asia via IAH to JFK. The JFK fare was cheaper than the EWR fare, as fctsty referenced earlier.

I got to IAH, and went to the gate where the Newark flight was boarding. No checked bags or anything that might complicate things. I asked very nicely if they would put me on standby for this flight... the agent seemed like she was typing me into the standby list, but then looked at my ticket and said, "Oh, you are going to JFK. You can't standby for EWR." I just accepted this and moved on.

An hour later, my JFK flight was oversold, I took the VDB and got routed into EWR instead.

Moral of the story - It seems that even if there should be ulterior motives, it may not work.

1. The GA's have more ability to make changes which are inconsistent with fare rules.
2. Some fares allow co-city changes, some don't. Read the fare rules for your specific ticket (unfortunately, you have to do this BEFORE you purchase).
3. IME GA's are more flexible - if they have room on the flight they usually figure it's better to get you out of the airport sooner.

wrong again. tsk tsk.

gate agents aren't under the pressure of getting a flight off on time. if there is room on the flight, they have always done it for me.

check in agents don't seem to be under any pressure. when i am waiting on line, they all seem to move at their own pace. so, what the heck, check every possible rule.

gate agents seem to be more empowered, as long as the flight goes on time.

again, i am only giving my personal experience. other than my JFK experience, i have never had a problem flying to co-terminals when i ask at the gate. never.

There you go, that confirms it's something you may not be entitled to. You're just asking a harried employee who is doing it for you.

I have indeed been denied at the gate. However, the minute my flight posted a delay, I returned to the very same GA and I did not just get on the standby list, but actually got immediately CONFIRMED on the flight once they had the irregular operations excuse.

It's clear that when its in CO's best interest--delays, overbookings, cancelations--to allow you to standby to another city the odds increase of it happenning. Apparently, if you also have the charming smile of fctsty ( ) that could also have a bearing on your case.

My experience suggests that the GA is the most likely one to honor the request. In fact, I once got in awful delays in ewr trying to get to DCA and I went the customer service counter and they could nothing. I then went to the gate of ( I think of bwi flight ) and that GA got me on no hassles.

<<cat/dog continues to chase its tail>>

<<i'm right, no you're not, yes i am, no you're not, yes i am>>



okay, you can have the last word.

The last word is not the point. The point is, and I'm still not sure everyone gets it, is that it's not a right you have on your ticket.

People posting that they've done it a dozen times gives the naive customer a false sense of security, that they may go up to the agent and ask (or demand) it like it's something they're entitled to. The agent is fully within his or her right to deny it.

Technically they're not entitled to it. There are a number of circumstances, which both you and I have pointed out (oversell, delay, harried agent, nice agent, etc.), that can make this work for you.

But a little humility goes a long way in helping this happen. If you have nothing to stand on, just ask as a favor. If you know something is up (e.g., delayed flight), it wouldn't hurt to point it out. That sort of thing.

But going up there as if it were an entitlement because of past success may not be the best method to go about it...

i think you've now made your point ABUNDANTLY clear.

Now that that's settled, how about some lunch at Au Bon Pain?

sure. and, after that we can try to go standby together to a co-terminal...and get shot down because we aren't entitled to it.

Even better, we can just show up at LGA with our EWR-originating ticket, and demand to get on since there's space.

well, i don't think that would qualify as a "standby to a different destination," would it? considering the words "destination" and "origination" mean different things, i think not.

my example is probably better, no?

Indeed, in this case it was. Does that mean I'm paying for lunch?

Good thing you only eat Au Bon Pain...that shouldn't set me back too much.