shtimseht

Today I learned that you can fly standby for an earlier flight at a co-terminal if it's within the 2 hour window.

dlaue

I wonder what would have happened if I took the earlier flight, but left my wife, flying on a companion pass, to try to board the later flight without me. Would the boarding system make it appear that I had booked a flight with a companion, then cancelled it and let the companion fly alone (a big no no)?

Sometimes I think WN would benefit by flying a few of us to Dallas for a discussion of the implications of some of their half-thought-out "improvements."

I volunteer.

rasheed

If the companion tried to board without an active CP holder on the same flight, they should not be allowed to board (the reservation is supposed to auto cancel). However, I am not sure if it has been tested.

Rasheed

nsx

I hope this isn't abused, but this new policy does put something of a ceiling on how far apart Southwest's fares can be set for co-terminal cities. For example, fares to SFO are sometimes $10 lower than fares to OAK due to greater competition at SFO.

If the difference became $25 or more I might book the SFO flight and standby for OAK rather than booking the confirmed OAK flight. After all, the BART time difference is only half an hour. OAK's true advantage is its much better on-time performance.

justhere

Maybe I missed something somewhere but I think you are reading too much into it. The part you quoted is from a bigger paragraph. I think the part you quoted is simply saying that the companion doesn't get priority standby, which is a status or ranking, so they would just get standby.

In other words, if a flight is sold out and 6 people want to get on if there ends up being room, and one of those 6 is A+ and one is A, the A+ would get priority over the A and the A would get priority over the other 4. If the A+ has a companion traveling with them, the companion would be ranked somewhere among the 4. Whether they are on WGA, AT, or BS doesn't matter at this point because they are only standby. If they can be confirmed on the flight then they would be charged the fare difference, if any, at that time. The exception would be if it's within the 2 hour window, the A+ and A wouldn't have to pay a fare difference even if on WGA fares.

What I don't know is how they would handle it if there only ended up being, say, 3 seats and the A+, A, and a BS passenger (assuming a BS passenger has a priority over an AT or WGA) wanted to fly, would they let the A+ separate from their companion?
If the flight is wide open, no one gets standby. You just get confirmed. You don't need priority standby because there is no ranking of standby passengers. You simply say you want to get on the wide open flight. The agent will then tell you if you owe any fare difference depending on things like are you A+ or A and your flight was within 2 hours. Or if it's not within 2 hours are you on a WGA, AT, or BS fare.

lougord99

What happens if the earlier flight at the co - terminal is full and you don't get on?

joshua362

While I definitely agree with you, if that is the wording distributed to gate agents nationwide, we are definitely in for a ride as noted a few posts above.

So if the first answer is "no" only the strong willed FT reader will prevail!

goatman

If a Tier Member chooses to fly standby, their Companion can remain on the original flight (fly separately). This is similar to how IRROPS is handled today. The Companion (unless they are Tier Member as well) is NOT extended the Standby option per the policy.

nsx

Then you fly what you booked or you can intentionally miss that flight and standby for later flights. A-list standby priority should get you a seat if the flight isn't packed and some other flight didn't get canceled. But it's not guaranteed.

justhere

Not saying you are wrong but where does it say that the companion doesn't get to travel with the primary?

ursine1

That policy, if true, contradicts the published Companion Pass rules.

toomanybooks

I was traveling once with my Companion son and they offered a bump for one. I mentioned that this was a CP situation and they said they could override. Did not go through with it because my son was too young.

lougord99

but you have to get to the other airport before your flight leaves - and if not , hope that later fights are available. - not something I would do.

dc2

DH has had a CP for several years. I have had different levels of status while flying with him.
Bottom line is it pretty much wipes out any status DH has. Also, they have to manage the WL manually. When DH had A+ and I had nothing-- DH went above A listers and I went to the bottom. DH would clear, but he couldn't take it - so they would ask the next person and then add DH back on.

I've had A list for a few years--I just go above non-status and DH goes above A-list folks.

We've never been on a WL that cleared.

Now, confirmed flights are a different story. Easy peasey. If we notice an earlier flight, we always stop by and ask if we can get on it. We have had some sucess with getting the flight changed (to the earlier flight) for no fare difference even before this new policy. (I suspect, though, in each case the later flight was in an oversold situation).

dmbolp

Gonna try this today for the 1st time, ATL-DAL, booked on 7:10p gonna try to get on 5:25p, which had all 3 fares available an hour ago, called to change (booked thru my corp travel so can't change online) but then all flights showed SOLD OUT, and then WGA fares went away. 5:25p shows sold out, so we'll see. Will either have dinner at ATL Longhorns, or in Dallas if I can get on the earlier flight.