dmbolp

Or, is the above really telling me that I still need to "see airport agent to list for standby"?

dmbolp

Ah, good point, 7:15pm wasn't full, I picked a bad city pair for the test, fail!!

Maybe the message above is because the later flight isn't full, and I should get with airport agent to make the same-day change

nsx

If FTers are confused by this, imagine the general public. Southwest’s phone lines will be overloaded with calls. Let’s hope Southwest’s phone staff is up to speed, but I bet they aren’t.

dmbolp

There is a later sold-out ATL-STL-MDW, got on that standby list and now looks like:

dmbolp

"We will keep your current flight until you board the new standby flight"

Well that's impossible as I can't "board" a 7pm standby flight before my current Noon flight

dmbolp

2:33pm eastern update: I can now purchase the connection flight for which I'm on the standby list (no longer sold out), but haven't received notice that I've cleared the standby list. I doubt this functionality will work for a later flight, I assume the clearing of the standbys will still be much closer to the time of the later flight, even if there's availability now.

dmbolp

3:42pm eastern update, an hour later: Can still purchase the later flight, but haven't cleared standby. This process isn't looking to clear standbys for flights several hours from now. Cancelling test flight as boarding has started.

rasheed

I have done standby many times on Southwest (well, back when there was more than 1 or 2 flights a day for my city pair). Sometimes I was A-List, sometimes I was not.

I have done many crazy travels including back in 2016 where I chased the free CP for traveling 10 segments (did 6 segments as separate bookings in one day I think). And sometimes looked to change/standby flights most often due to earlier flights being delayed enough to become a better choice.

- I don't understand standby for a later flight (even if the tools let you do it). Either you do same day confirmed (via phone or allowed elsewhere) after midnight or you try to confirm change (via phone) to the flight if your original flight starts to get delayed enough (even if they pull in later, you try to change when the delay is announced before they fix the delay). Because, they are not going to process standby until after your original flight leaves. Yes, there is the occasional agent that confirms you because the flight is wide-open, but I get the feeling this is now discouraged (unless your fare or status qualifies you). So, this wasn't really standby in the first place for those passengers.

-I believe standby is still prioritized based on fare type, status, irrops and when you add yourself to the list. Many, many times I have seen my standby "priority" drop dramatically. Most times I did clear standby, but at least two or three times I have not (even as A-List, gasp!). Maybe I might get a small bump in ranking by being able to do this before I get to the airport (on the app) and that might make all the difference?

Didn't Southwest also announce at last earnings call that they are going to be optimizing flight schedules to do the "obvious" (more flights when there is demand, less flights elsewhere). I can only imagine that any standby benefit is going to be very small as frequencies get reduced (especially if the optimal is still leisure travel and not business travelers).

Finally, some airlines, like AA offer free standby on all domestic tickets (even for non-status). I once had a four segment journey where I changed every single flight via standby (non-elite). Now, it all had to be done at the airport, and for multi-segment journeys, I had to request at each transit airport (where SWA is allowing you to standby for the entire one-way journey at once, maybe?).

And usually, these types of "benefits" are done with some other change down the road. I am not sure what that is (aside from just really lowered frequencies on certain routes).

Troopers

Thanks for the efforts. So, I wonder if elites will auto-clear standbys for a full-flight when a seat becomes available??????

dmbolp

I’m A-list and didn’t clear to an empty seat for over an our

Troopers

Well, that stinks.

So, elites will need to check for SDC availability while on standby.

joshua362

I wonder at what point do they assume no more new sales will occur and start clearing the standbys? T-1 hour? T-90 minutes, etc.

pinniped

What's the procedure for adding myself and my companion to a standby list? Or is this just not possible at all?

I'm hesitant to cancel my companion and then hope there are enough empty seats on an earlier flight to quickly add my companion back right after they clear me so we can then immediately board together.

What's the procedure for this? Am I just missing something obvious in the app?

dmbolp

Screen shots above for adding a single WGA pax to Standby list on the app. But it so happens I'm flying to MCO tonight with my wife/companion. I just checked us both in. But I don't get the SAME DAY STANDBY box on the app or online, so can't get on the Standby list virtually with a Companion.

pinniped

If we both show up at the gate for the earlier flight, say 45 minutes prior to departure, would the agent be able to add both of us to the standby list without canceling my companion off of the later flight?