2017 onwards - Consolidated "Standby for HA Inter-island flights?" thread
May 10, 2017, 2:58 pm
#16
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The GA issue may be part of it. I noticed there are fewer of them around. Seems like the same few go from gate to gate as flights arrive & depart. It's hard to find them sometimes.
It probably would be easier/better if they simply standardized the fares and run the flights like the buses they are. If you have a ticket and there is a seat available for sale when the plane is at the gate, then it's available to standby. Nothing fancy or difficult, just let people get on a flight if it's nearly empty.
But that causes the checked luggage issue, of which I assume is significant for flights from the mainland.
There's no real easy answer I guess
It probably would be easier/better if they simply standardized the fares and run the flights like the buses they are. If you have a ticket and there is a seat available for sale when the plane is at the gate, then it's available to standby. Nothing fancy or difficult, just let people get on a flight if it's nearly empty.
But that causes the checked luggage issue, of which I assume is significant for flights from the mainland.
There's no real easy answer I guess
Jun 28, 2017, 4:13 pm
#17
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Fair enough. My guess is that they don't do it because of some combination of IT inadequacy and GA workload, but they handle pretty significant standby lists already, and it couldn't be that hard to collect payment information away from the gate so that it wouldn't slow GAs down at the last minute.
Jan 31, 2019, 10:20 am
#18
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HNL-OGG on Hawaiian, ticketed by UA--standby?
Hi all, I searched and couldn't find a recent thread about this. If I'm ticketed on United AUS-LAX-HNL-OGG and there's a 2.5 hour gap between HNL and OGG, can I standby on Hawaiian for an earlier flight? No checked bags. Thanks!
Jan 31, 2019, 10:34 am
#19
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Simple answer is "no". Those days are gone. In years (long) past, one could hang at gate and HA'd board you if space available. Later, they instituted a flat $25 change fee to change your flight. Now it's fare difference. You can go to a HA service counter and they'll tell you how much more you'll have to cough up to change flights. This is one of the reasons HA is pretty profitable right now. Demise of Aloha and Island Air gives HA a lot of room to skim more money. UA isn't going to touch the HA segment.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Jan 31, 2019 at 10:39 am
Jan 31, 2019, 10:37 am
#20
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I do this a lot when I stop in LIH on my way home from HKG. Get into HNL and want to catch the earlier flight-- they charge usually $25 to do this.
Jan 31, 2019, 10:40 am
#21
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Standby I think is up to $30 plus fare difference which can be substantial. Certain fares are not eligible for standby which are certain Hawaiian web fares which don’t look to apply in your case.
You shoukd plan on taking your original flight but you can always head to the service desk and ask.
You shoukd plan on taking your original flight but you can always head to the service desk and ask.
Jan 31, 2019, 10:41 am
#22
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Jan 31, 2019, 10:53 am
#25
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While the UA forum has some regular users of HA, this is more appropriate for HA forum -- so will move this thread there for the HA regulars to provide input.
WineCountryUA
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WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Jan 31, 2019, 6:27 pm
#26
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The policy really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Those flights operate more like bus service between the islands.
It would be good business to get people out of the terminal and on to their destinations as soon as they can in the event of irrops or weather. I often give myself a few hours if I need to go interisland from the mainland and end up sitting in the terminal waiting for at least an hour when flights are leaving that aren't necessarily full.
It would be good business to get people out of the terminal and on to their destinations as soon as they can in the event of irrops or weather. I often give myself a few hours if I need to go interisland from the mainland and end up sitting in the terminal waiting for at least an hour when flights are leaving that aren't necessarily full.
Jan 31, 2019, 6:36 pm
#27
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When I tried to get on an earlier inter-island flight for a standby last year they quoted me cost is the fare difference + a change fee!! (I think it was $30? not sure now)
May 15, 2021, 4:09 pm
#28
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Does anyone have any recent data points here? Especially since Covid has happened. Are they being more flexible with being able to standby for inter island flights?
May 23, 2021, 1:24 pm
#29
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As far as I'm aware same-day standby is only available to elites or customers who've booked through the corporate travel program.
Sep 30, 2021, 6:46 pm
#30
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If I want to standby/same-day change onto an interisland connection that is just under the MCT (and therefore cannot be ticketed when booking), am I SOL?
For context, if flying LAX-HNL-LIH, HA1 arrives at 9:50. The first legal connection HA will sell is on HA273, departing at 12:00. HA253, departing at 10:40, would be a 50-minute connection, which is 15 minutes under MCT but doable if HA1 arrives on time. I'll have no checked bags.
For context, if flying LAX-HNL-LIH, HA1 arrives at 9:50. The first legal connection HA will sell is on HA273, departing at 12:00. HA253, departing at 10:40, would be a 50-minute connection, which is 15 minutes under MCT but doable if HA1 arrives on time. I'll have no checked bags.