kahuna613

I am finishing up a weekend award trip, connecting in ATL on my way from Salt Lake to DCA. There was a flight leaving earlier than mine (back to DC). As soon as I landed in Atlanta, I called the Medallion line...was on hold for 40 minutes before I finally got up to the podium at the gate for the earlier flight I wanted. I asked if there were seats available (no there weren't, I had watched the 1 unassigned seat go to 0 on the GIDS while on hold). I then asked to be put on standby for the flight. Then came the excuses...uhhhh we can't put you on standby because its an award ticket. When I questioned them, they conceded they could, but due to the large number of irops pax, they refused. I pointed out that the standby list took such factors into account when determining priority, but they wouldn't back down. I wouldn't get any joy out of taking a seat from someone who had been delayed overnight, but I'm presuming that wouldn't have happened anyhow if the standby list gives priority to irops pax. If a group of 20 pax misconnected at the last minute, I might have made it onto the flight. Such things are never clear until right before the flight closes. According to delta.com, I am entitled to standby if a confirmed seat isn't available within 3 hours of departure of the desired flight:
"If you are unable to secure flights with the Same-day Confirmed Program, we offer this standby option free of charge to Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members at the kiosk or ticket counter."

Am I incorrect here?

ControlTower

you should be able to standby for the flight.
(Elites are priority over general passengers)
In the other hand, those poor souls strained in airport overnight, hoping for get to their destination.....

or it could be the case, there are too many elite standbys, putting you on the list doesn't even matter for the flight.

MR_MAMA

There are many instances when due to IRROPS they know there is no way that you are going to get on the flight so they will say they are not accepting standby requests, which is why I am guessing they didn't do it in your case.

rwoman

Did you have checked bags? I know this can interfere with standing by for another flight.

TTT

Actually I believe that general members with travel IROPS have priority over elites on the standby list.

kahuna613

No checked bags...even if they "know" I won't get on....why not just put me on anyhow. It takes like 5 seconds.

Cellisttoo

Had the opposite problem on Friday. Was scheduled to fly ATL to MSP on Sunday, but heard on the local morning news that ATL was expecting WX (snow to be exact) on Sunday. Because of the predicted snow for MSP on Saturday, I quickly changed my award ticket to fly on the 2:30 pm flight ATL-MEM-MSP, so that I could avoid the weather on both ends.

Arrived in MSP on time (even scored an upgrade MEM to MSP). Went to baggage claim to get my one checked bag. About 6 bags came down the chute then nothing. I waited another 5-10 minutes then headed to the Skypriority baggage problem line.

When the agent pulled up my bag's information she promptly informed me that I should not expect my bag because I was standby passenger on the flight? Huh? I had a confirmed reservation. I politely argued with her for about 5 minutes, then she dug further and realized that I had in fact been confirmed on the earlier flight (DAYS earlier than my originally scheduled flight).

She then informed me that I could wait until 9pm for my bag (which was after the weather was supposed to hit) or they could TRY to deliver it the next day. I opted for the delivery.

When the delivery van driver pulled up late Saturday morning, I was frankly shocked that he had been able to make it to our house. I was interested when he opened the back end and I saw a pile of bags, each tagged with Sky Priority tags. Apparently mid Blizzard bag delivery is an unpublished Sky Priority benefit. The only other vehicle I saw that day on my street that day was the US Mail truck. But it is well known that the Postal Service delivers in snow, and sleet, and....

Interestingly, the tag on my bag DID say standby. Apparently the ticketing agent in ATL had goofed.

ncwillett

As I waited to board a flight today (after last night's flight was cancelled) I happened to be watching the GIDS and noticed a message about factors affecting priority for standby pax. They were listed in the following order, although it didn't specifically say whether or not this was the order in which priority was given:
-SkyMiles status
-IROPS
-fare paid

There happened to be 26 people on the standby list, and I'm guessing many flights were like that after the weather problems yesterday. I would assume that if they wouldn't put you on the standby list, they were simply trying to accommodate as many pax affected by IROPS as possible, since there were so many problems yesterday and this morning.

EasternTraveler

Why put you on if they know you won't make it?

Singleflyer

A few months ago a TA on another airline said the same thing. I insisted that she put me on the list, it was only about 10 and over sold. As a gold on that airline I cleared the flight. SO you never know.

javabytes

There is no reason why they should refuse a request to be put on the standby list. It doesn't matter how many people are on it. It was designed to take all interested passengers, weigh all the relevant factors, and decide who ranks where. Fortunately in ATL there are kiosks everywhere, so rather than argue with a stubborn GA for very long, I just walk over to one and do it there.

NWA012

The Delta system cannot differentiate between a true standby and standby upgrades or confirmed waiting for seating. This causes the bag tag to print standby even though you are confirmed on a flight. This may have changed with the PMNW bag tags that made a comeback last week.

TTT

I have never been able to get the kiosk to offer me standby - how do you do it?

CJKatl

I had a similar incident in FWA, of all places on 10NOV10, where I was neither put on the list or offered the opportunity to get on the flight, even though there were seats remaining, and a NRSA was ushered onto the flight. I called the PM line, was told there was no reason for me not to be on the list, but nobody at FWA would answer the phone when the phone agent tried to call the terminal. The one GA said to the other something along the lines of, "maybe he'll get angry enough that I can call security" while I stood there waiting for he to answer the phone. When the door shut, she said something along the lines of, "See, I said you wouldn't get on the flight." I just took it in stride, thinking that in a few seconds, I wouldn't have to deal with her anymore, but she was kind of stuck with herself for life. In other words, she was already duffering enough.

The GA was the type of person who should have a job working in a private booth somewhere pushing a button, so that she doesn't have to come into contact with people. For her, it wasn't about helping the passenger, it was about showing that she was in charge. She was also wearing dirty clothes and Crocs, which I'd never seen on a DL or related carrier employee before, either.

I should have complained to DL, but I didn't have the GA's name and I got busy with other things an never contacted DL.

Perhaps DL should allow the elite operators to add people to the SB list. This would keep the GAs from getting tied up doing this, but still allow us the chance to get on the flight.

javabytes

Just pull up your itinerary and hit Change Flights. The options will show, along with whether you can confirm or just stand by. I've only ever taken a perfunctory look at it, so my guess is that it doesn't show all available options, but it has worked well enough for me.