standby priority question
Nov 25, 2012 | 3:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: UA 1K 2MM
Posts: 1,377
standby priority question
On the wednesday before Thanksgiving my wife and I were flying ***-ORD-LAN. When we got to ORD we found that an earlier ORD-LAN than we were scheduled on was delayed and about to board. We asked to put on the standby list for the full flight and were. I ended up 1st on the list and my wife 4th. We are both 1Ks but I was on a Q fare and she was on a standard award. I don't understand how priority works in situations like this. Could someone enlighten me? TIA
Nov 25, 2012 | 4:00 pm
#2
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
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Upgrading award tickets
Premier members who are primary cardholders for certain Chase-issued credit cards are eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades when traveling on award tickets on United-operated flights. The following credit cards qualify for this benefit:
MileagePlus Explorer
MileagePlus Explorer for Business
OnePass Plus
World MasterCard for Business
Presidential Plus
Presidential Plus for Business
MileagePlus Club Card
MileagePlus Club Business Card
Complimentary Premier Upgrades on award tickets will be sorted as indicated in the "Upgrade Confirmation Priority" section above, and prioritized after the lowest paid fare class within each Premier level. This benefit does not apply to companions traveling on award tickets.
Premier members who are primary cardholders for certain Chase-issued credit cards are eligible for Complimentary Premier Upgrades when traveling on award tickets on United-operated flights. The following credit cards qualify for this benefit:
MileagePlus Explorer
MileagePlus Explorer for Business
OnePass Plus
World MasterCard for Business
Presidential Plus
Presidential Plus for Business
MileagePlus Club Card
MileagePlus Club Business Card
Complimentary Premier Upgrades on award tickets will be sorted as indicated in the "Upgrade Confirmation Priority" section above, and prioritized after the lowest paid fare class within each Premier level. This benefit does not apply to companions traveling on award tickets.
Nov 25, 2012 | 4:49 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: VAG
Posts: 1,861
I'm curious, did the OP censor his home airport out of a (perhaps somewhat overdone) need for internet-anonymity, or is the OP's home airport a swear word that got censored by the board? If so, which airport? 
Nov 25, 2012 | 6:03 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA Plat (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 11,218
On the wednesday before Thanksgiving my wife and I were flying ***-ORD-LAN. When we got to ORD we found that an earlier ORD-LAN than we were scheduled on was delayed and about to board. We asked to put on the standby list for the full flight and were. I ended up 1st on the list and my wife 4th. We are both 1Ks but I was on a Q fare and she was on a standard award. I don't understand how priority works in situations like this. Could someone enlighten me? TIA
- Elite status (GS, 1K, Platinum, Gold then Silver)
- Fare class (Y, B, M, etc. all the way to X)
- Time of standby request
The only thing I'm not sure of is a disrupted passenger. By that I mean someone who needs to standby for a flight because an earlier flight was cancelled or they misconnected due to some other issue. They *might* get put at the top of the list because they've likely been rebooked in "Y" (most would be) but status may not play here.
Regardless, for the OP's situation, it means there were 2 other 1K's who were standing by on the flight who had a similar or lower fare class than the OP but a higher fare class than the OP's S.O. The other two 1K's may have been on the same fare class as the OP but requested the standby later than the OP (hence they are farther down the list) or they were on an award ticket but requested the standby earlier than the OP's S.O.
Hope this helps.
-RM
Nov 25, 2012 | 6:52 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: UA 1K 2MM
Posts: 1,377
I have been diverted to Sioux City on occassion but it is not my home or my second choice : )
Nov 25, 2012 | 7:34 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Klagetoh
Posts: 24,176
Did you think the OP's flight may have originated from an airport on the Japanese island of Kyushu?
Nov 26, 2012 | 3:50 am
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
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On the wednesday before Thanksgiving my wife and I were flying ***-ORD-LAN. When we got to ORD we found that an earlier ORD-LAN than we were scheduled on was delayed and about to board. We asked to put on the standby list for the full flight and were. I ended up 1st on the list and my wife 4th. We are both 1Ks but I was on a Q fare and she was on a standard award. I don't understand how priority works in situations like this. Could someone enlighten me? TIA
Your wife on award ticket (even Y standard). You are on a revenue Q class.
That's why you go before your wife.