BF Standby vs Wait List
 

Did a search on this but perhaps wasn’t using the correct terms.

Bid for BF upgrade on MAD – EWR flight in four days’ time and was put on the waitlist.

Today I checked the pda site and saw: "Capacity 25, Booked 22, There are no passengers standing by for BF on this flight.”

Called OPSC and said “Hey, I’m standing by for the upgrade.” Was told – “You are waitlisted, not standing by. You stand by at the airport for the upgrade.”

Rather confused explanation of the difference resulted. Could have called back to get another service center professional, but decided to ask FlyerTalk, where the real expertise is. :confused:

You waitlist up until T-24 hr. point. At that point the waitlist expires (assuming you haven't already cleared), but you will automatically be moved to the top of the standby list the moment you check in, or at least as close to the top as your Elite status/fare class/time of booking allows. This behavior will change on November 17 (or was it October 17? Definitely further out than 4 days from now, regardless), and you will no longer need to check-in to be moved to the standby list - the system will do that automatically at T-24, the moment the waitlist expires.

So in other words, to see yourself on the upgrade standby list on the PDA site, you'll need to check in first. Until then, you'll be waitlisted. It would be in your best interest to check-in online as close to T-24 mark as you can.

Just want to echo, that it is best to try and check in T-24hrs to get a good spot on the stand-by list.

You have a good shot at this point, I hope it clears for you.

have a good trip

Standby until -24 hours
Waitlist 24 hours to flight time.

Hey hughw, I think you got those exactly reversed...

Waitlist: Request time until 24hrs. before flight.
Standby: Check in time until flight (and soon, 24hrs. before flight until flight)

thanks. my mind is working backwards today.

dosen't always work
 

We got screwed on this system.
Wish notabob was right, but that is not how it worked for us.
Instead we were not able to OLCI at 24 hrs due to waitlist not dropping off and never made the airport standby list.

Still waiting for response from CO.