Purchasing low fare with intention of going standby on a later flight?
 

Not being able to buy a later flight for the right price, I was wondering if ther's any problem (both Airline policy, and ethically) buying a cheaper fare for an earlier flight with no intention of going then, but to try to go Standby later.

Well, I assume you are flying because you have to get somewhere. What if you dont make in on the standby flight?

Never heard of later standby, only earlier standby. I don't believe this will work, and if you don't get the standby, then you missed your flight and have a worthless ticket.

"I can't afford it, so I'll pay less and then lie to get what I want.

Is there any ethical problem with that?"

Umm, you're joking, right?

Ignoring the ethics (which doesn't seem to be a problem), there are easier ways to get done what you want. You just have to [snip]

[This message has been edited by CPRich (edited Feb 08, 2004).]

Kidz, how do you go standby later? I've never heard of it either. If you don't show up for your earlier flight, your ticket is worthless, right?

I've successfully "stood-by" on a later flight for NW since same-day stand-bys are allowed. I went to the front counter, asked if I could get on a later flight and they went ahead and punched it up for me.

In other words, NWA does allow later flight stand-bys. If you don't check in for your flight at the required time, your reservation will be cancelled, but as long as you're standing by on the same day and there's availability on the flight you want, you've got that seat (although they may make you sweat it out at the gate).

More info on this can be found over on the NW boards.

aloha

p.s. Travelbuzz?

[This message has been edited by slippahs (edited Feb 08, 2004).]

I've been told I could stand by for a later flight on both Delta and American. But, this is very risky because your ticket dies if you don't make it that day.

If there are any later flights you could book instead, this is always the better option. If you miss your standby, then you still have a confirmed ticket on a later flight.

Hi all,

I've done this numerous times. I would purchase a later flight for a lower fare, then standby on an earlier flight.

I don't believe that this is unethical. Here's why: The Terms and Conditions under which I purchase the ticket give me the right to stand by on the same day of travel. This is exactly what I paid to be able to do! This is perfectly within the guidelines on which I made the purchase.

The airline and I agree to a contract. I expect the terms of the contract to be upheld by the airline, they expect the terms to be upheld by me.

Of course, I risk spending extra hours at the airport waiting for my originally-booked flight. That was also the effect of the T&Cs under which I made the purchase.

- Tim in Hollywood

Kidz,

Because this has nothing to do with miles or points, I'm moving it over to TravelBuzz!

Regards,

Flipside

Standby for a later one-stop (rather than two-stop) itinerary
 

I just bought a short-notice one-way United flight from LAX-RDU that unfortunately stops in both Orlando and Charlotte (saved a lot by going with two stops vs. one).

Naturally I'd prefer one stop to two, especially since it's a redeye. Is it possible to standby for slightly later one-stop itineraries, say by arriving at LAX at 7 p.m. for my 10:18 p.m. flight to MCO and asking to standby for the 10:40 p.m. LAX-CLT shot?

Alternatively, if I get to the airport a few hours early is it possible to chat up the desk agent and standby for another itinerary that goes to RDU, i.e. via IAD? Fortunately I have no checked luggage...

Thanks in advance!

First, welcome to FlyerTalk! (it's your first post)

UA does not allow change of routing (connecting cities, connection to nonstop etc.) on standby nor on confirmed-for-fee same-day-change.

That's officially. That's what the rules say, and that's what you would be told if you called them.

However, at the airport, you may have a chance of doing so with an agent. If you had elite status with UA, I'd say your chances would range from about 50% to 95% success. Without any status in UA Mileage Plus, outlook is uncertain but I would still try it. Understand that you're asking them to break a rule.

BTW, as a "true Flyertalker" you'd probably want to take the extra flights for extra miles and segment credits! But I do understand that some (most) passengers actually want to get directly to where they are going, unlike the typical FTer! :)

Edit: If you're routing through MCO (Orlando) and CLT, you're definitely on US Airways, not United. At least for the CLT-RDU route and the MCO-CLT (I'm assuming that you're going LAX-some hub-MCO-CLT-RDU). US doesn't allow free standby for anybody if they can confirm a seat for a fee. So you really want to be talking to UA at LAX when you check in for your UA flight.

Assuming that you're actually on UA from LAX. It's possible the whole thing could be on US metal even if sold by UA as a codeshare under UA flight#s. If that's the case you'd never be checking in with UA at all, and would be stuck with the worst of both worlds - US's insistence on applying US's no-free-standby rules even on a UA fare, and UA's non-airport insistence on no free re-routing as a standby/SDC.

This is exactly why Southwest does not allow same day standbys and makes you buy up to full fare coach if you want to take a different flight on the same day on which you are ticketed. If this were widely done, it would have a significant impact on yield management programs. I'm not making a judgment about whether it's ethical or not, just stating the facts.

Are there lots of seats available on the later flight? Perhaps the reason there is nothing available at a good price for the later flight is that thier projections show the flight will be close to full. If it were the other way around, you would be fine. If you show up for an earlier flight and try to go standby, you should still have the later reservation if you don't get on.

I have stood by many times for flights after I missed the ticketed flight. But, that was when I was younger and more of a risk taker. And before the airlines started expiring your ticket if not used the scheduled day of departure.

But, I never had a really big problem getting on.

I presume the airlines policy is that it is not a good idea to have the airport full of unhappy customers denied their flight because there was a traffic jam. Or whatever.

I don't think I would do this on purpose these days.

The first part isn't actually true; UA does allow standing by for the nonstop when ticketed for a connection - that is in the official policy. Change of routing is disallowed on confirmed same-day change, but it's allowed for standby.

Welcome to FT, pdxdtw.