Everything you wanted to know about the confirmed same-day change process
Oct 21, 2006, 1:18 pm
#121
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cape Cod MA
Programs: GS, 3 MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 752
Originally Posted by Random_Flyer
Doesn't the confirmed flight have to be within 4 hours of the original?
Oct 21, 2006, 2:03 pm
#122
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: united airlines
Posts: 4,967
Originally Posted by nigos
No, you can confirm a change on the same day anytime for $25 but only within four hours of the flight time for the new flight. It helps when you are going home early - i.e. if you have an afternoon flight you can confirm a much earlier flight that might even be greater than four hours earlier than your original reservation. However to avoid the $100 fee you must wait until it is no more than 4 hours from the scheduled departure for the new flight.
Oct 21, 2006, 4:10 pm
#123
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,507
I just did this yesterday SMF-ORD. With load factors the way they are, it was worth the $25 because being confirmed I was able to snare an exit row seat (11E on a 319, so almost as good as an aisle) although I had wait to go to the airport to ask for it as seating was already under airport control.
I would have made the flight if I had tried regular standby, but I probably would have gotten a regular E+ middle instead.
The "seating is already under airport control" thing, however, is what is likely to make me not use this option very often.
I would have made the flight if I had tried regular standby, but I probably would have gotten a regular E+ middle instead.
The "seating is already under airport control" thing, however, is what is likely to make me not use this option very often.
Oct 21, 2006, 5:06 pm
#124
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Programs: UA Plat-2MM, Marriott Life Titanium, Hyatt something
Posts: 1,888
Originally Posted by ElmhurstNick
I just did this yesterday SMF-ORD. With load factors the way they are, it was worth the $25 because being confirmed I was able to snare an exit row seat (11E on a 319, so almost as good as an aisle) although I had wait to go to the airport to ask for it as seating was already under airport control.
I would have made the flight if I had tried regular standby, but I probably would have gotten a regular E+ middle instead.
The "seating is already under airport control" thing, however, is what is likely to make me not use this option very often.
I would have made the flight if I had tried regular standby, but I probably would have gotten a regular E+ middle instead.
The "seating is already under airport control" thing, however, is what is likely to make me not use this option very often.
Charles
Oct 27, 2006, 7:02 pm
#125
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1P, AA Gold
Posts: 102
Multiple segments for one $25 fee
Originally Posted by Phoenician Aviator
Does one fee cover multiple segments?
Yes. However, you must be able to confirm all segments at the same time.
Yes. However, you must be able to confirm all segments at the same time.
I called in to UA Reservations to get a $25 confirmed standby on an earlier JFK-LAX-SJC flight on Tuesday morning. The reservations agent confirmed that space was available on the 7 a.m. from JFK, and the 12:30 p.m. from LAX. I gave him my credit card, and he said the charge was $25.
When I got to JFK, firstly, I couldn't use EZChicken (said I needed to see a representative - I've been seeing this increasingly in my more recent series of flights).
The JFK check-in agent took my ID, then disappeared for about 8 minutes, and finally came back and said "I can't check you all the way through because the computer is telling me you need to pay $25 for the segment from LAX-SJC".
I was incredulous.. "you have to pay $25 per segment"? Unfortunately, I didn't have Flyertalk at my side to convince her otherwise, so I told her I'd just take my chances once I got to LAX.
Has anyone else had a similar experience, being asked to pay $25 per segment for confirmed standby?
Last edited by FruJu; Oct 27, 2006 at 9:32 pm Reason: Discovered $43 was my wife charging something on the same credit card
Oct 27, 2006, 8:37 pm
#126
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: united airlines
Posts: 4,967
Originally Posted by FruJu
...
I was incredulous.. "you have to pay $25 per segment"? Unfortunately, I didn't have Flyertalk at my side to convince her otherwise, so I told her I'd just take my chances once I got to LAX.
To add insult to injury, when I check my Visa bill online, I see that I've been charged $43 that day for the confirmed upgrade ($43?? where does that come from?)...
I was incredulous.. "you have to pay $25 per segment"? Unfortunately, I didn't have Flyertalk at my side to convince her otherwise, so I told her I'd just take my chances once I got to LAX.
To add insult to injury, when I check my Visa bill online, I see that I've been charged $43 that day for the confirmed upgrade ($43?? where does that come from?)...
I can't answer your question about whether $25 should have covered all the segments (I would have expected it to). It is the $43 charge, though, that piques my curiosity.
Oct 27, 2006, 9:35 pm
#127
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1P, AA Gold
Posts: 102
Originally Posted by itsme
Was it your intention to use a CR1, 500-milers or miles for the upgrade rather than buy it?
And mystery got solved re: $43. Charge to my credit card said DFW United Airlines on the same day as my confirmed standby - but turned out it's my wife buying something on her Intl flight from the Duty Free catalog.
I still have the same question about whether the $25 confirmed standby covers the entire itinerary, or whether it's charged on a segment by segment basis.
Oct 28, 2006, 1:47 pm
#128
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: all views expressed by me are mine only and do not reflect those of UAL or their partners
Posts: 267
Originally Posted by FruJu
Sorry, I wrote upgrade when I meant standby.
And mystery got solved re: $43. Charge to my credit card said DFW United Airlines on the same day as my confirmed standby - but turned out it's my wife buying something on her Intl flight from the Duty Free catalog.
I still have the same question about whether the $25 confirmed standby covers the entire itinerary, or whether it's charged on a segment by segment basis.
And mystery got solved re: $43. Charge to my credit card said DFW United Airlines on the same day as my confirmed standby - but turned out it's my wife buying something on her Intl flight from the Duty Free catalog.
I still have the same question about whether the $25 confirmed standby covers the entire itinerary, or whether it's charged on a segment by segment basis.
Rcs85551**great job btw ^
Nov 20, 2006, 1:47 pm
#129
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 887
Can anyone confirm that you can do standby and change the routing, keeping the origin and destination city the same?
I am booked on a ORD-IND-BOS and am trying to do standby for ORD-BOS. Furthermore, the IND-BOS portion is codeshare on a USAirways flight.
I have called United multiple times, and have been told that I wouldn't have any problems. But, I didn't see this in the original FAR/STANDBY post. Please, any help would be appreciated. I am new here!
I am booked on a ORD-IND-BOS and am trying to do standby for ORD-BOS. Furthermore, the IND-BOS portion is codeshare on a USAirways flight.
I have called United multiple times, and have been told that I wouldn't have any problems. But, I didn't see this in the original FAR/STANDBY post. Please, any help would be appreciated. I am new here!
Nov 20, 2006, 1:49 pm
#130
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: UA MM, AS MVP Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,110
Originally Posted by hellyea
Can anyone confirm that you can do standby and change the routing, keeping the origin and destination city the same?
I am booked on a ORD-IND-BOS and am trying to do standby for ORD-BOS. Furthermore, the IND-BOS portion is codeshare on a USAirways flight.
I have called United multiple times, and have been told that I wouldn't have any problems. But, I didn't see this in the original FAR/STANDBY post. Please, any help would be appreciated. I am new here!
I am booked on a ORD-IND-BOS and am trying to do standby for ORD-BOS. Furthermore, the IND-BOS portion is codeshare on a USAirways flight.
I have called United multiple times, and have been told that I wouldn't have any problems. But, I didn't see this in the original FAR/STANDBY post. Please, any help would be appreciated. I am new here!
Nov 20, 2006, 2:01 pm
#131
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 887
Originally Posted by thegingerman
You'll be lucky if you're allowed to do this. Rules say same routing only.
Code:
STANDBY FOR U.S. 50 STATES / SJU/STT / CANADA
THIS INCLUDES OA CODE SHARE THAT IS UA OPERATED*
`INTERNATIONAL: STANDBY NOT PERMITTED)
OVERVIEW...................................>S*R.A;
REFUNDABLE FARES...........................>S*R.B;
NON-REFUNDABLE FARES.......................>S*R.C;
MISSED TRIP PROVISION......................>S*R.D;
`*UA OPERATED IS ANY FLIGHT OPERATED BY UA...
WHETHER MARKETED BY UA OR BY ANOTHER CARRIER)
OVERVIEW
--------
-THE SAME DAY STANDBY PROVISIONS APPLY ONLY TO ALTERNATE
AIRPORT WITHIN THE SAME MULTI AIRPORT CITY `JFK/LGA DCA/IAD
MDW/ORD). THIS ONLY APPLIES WHEN THE FARE BASIS CODE IS
NOT AIRPORT SPECIFIC `E.G. HCAIAD).
REFUNDABLE FARES
----------------
-PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVATION AND TICKET MAY
STANDBY FOR ANY EARLIER/LATER SAME-DAY FLIGHT`S) FOR NO
ADDITIONAL CHARGE INCLUDING MULTI AIRPORT CITY BELOW
UNLESS RESTRICTED BY THE AIRPORT PROVISIONS OF THE FARE:
CHI MDW/ORD
NYC JFK/LGA
WAS DCA/IAD
-SAME-DAY STANDBY FOR ANY FLIGHT IS PERMITTED..INCLUDING
FLIGHT-SPECIFIC FARES AND CONNECTIONS STANDING BY FOR
NON-STOP FLIGHT ..AS LONG AS ORIGIN/DESTINATION AIRPORTS
REMAIN THE SAME `O/D INCLUDES MULTI AIRPORT CITY UNLESS
RESTRICTED BY THE AIRPORT PROVISIONS OF THE FARE.)
-STANDBY ANY DAY `REGARDLESS OF OUTBOUND/DOWNLINE/RETURN)
-COTERMINALS: STANDBY IS -NOT- PERMITTED. CHANGES TO
COTERMINAL IS A RE-ROUTE AND SUBJECT TO RECALCULATION.
-CUSTOMERS MAY BE PUT ON THE AIRPORT STANDBY LISTING
ONLY WITHIN FOUR HOURS OF THEIR DESIRED FLIGHT TIME.
NON-REFUNDABLE FARES
--------------------
-PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVATION AND TICKET MAY
STANDBY FOR ANY EARLIER/LATER SAME-DAY FLIGHT`S) FOR NO
ADDITIONAL CHARGE INCLUDING MULTI AIRPORT CITY BELOW
UNLESS RESTRICTED BY THE AIRPORT PROVISIONS OF THE FARE:
CHI MDW/ORD
NYC JFK/LGA
WAS DCA/IAD
-SAME-DAY STANDBY FOR ANY FLIGHT IS PERMITTED..INCLUDING
FLIGHT-SPECIFIC FARES AND CONNECTIONS STANDING BY FOR
NON-STOP FLIGHT ..AS LONG AS ORIGIN/DESTINATION AIRPORTS
REMAIN THE SAME `O/D INCLUDES MULTI AIRPORT CITY UNLESS
RESTRICTED BY THE AIRPORT PROVISIONS OF THE FARE.)
-COTERMINALS: STANDBY IS -NOT- PERMITTED.
-CUSTOMERS MAY BE PUT ON THE AIRPORT STANDBY LISTING
ONLY WITHIN FOUR HOURS OF THEIR DESIRED FLIGHT TIME.
MISSED TRIP PROVISIONS:
-----------------------
`FOR INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES SEE: >S*FAR/RULE 80;)
IF THE PASSENGER HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS AND
TICKETS MISSES THE FLIGHT AND PRESENTS HIMSELF/HERSELF
AT THE UA DEPARTURE AIRPORT TICKET COUNTER AFTER THE
CLOSE OUT OF THE SCHEDULED FLIGHT AND NO LATER THAN 2
HOURS AFTER THE SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME: THE PASSENGER
WILL BE ACCOMMODATED ON A STANDBY BASIS ON THE NEXT
AVAILABLE UA FLIGHT `EVEN IF THE NEXT DAY) AND THE
SERVICE CHARGE/CHANGE FEE WILL BE WAIVED.
Last edited by hellyea; Nov 20, 2006 at 2:23 pm
Nov 20, 2006, 2:16 pm
#132
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 397
What do you do if you want to get on a later flight that is more than 4 hours later than the originally scheduled one? Are you SOL?
Nov 20, 2006, 2:27 pm
#133
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: UA 1K, SPG Plat
Posts: 384
Originally Posted by thor17
What do you do if you want to get on a later flight that is more than 4 hours later than the originally scheduled one? Are you SOL?
Nov 20, 2006, 3:55 pm
#134
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, DL Gold, Marriott Amb
Posts: 360
Originally Posted by thor17
What do you do if you want to get on a later flight that is more than 4 hours later than the originally scheduled one? Are you SOL?
My take: what you want to do is very risky. If you get lucky with a phone agent (it helps if there is some other issue that day, such as wx), they might see your status and accommodate you -- this happened to me during Hurricane/TS Ernesto when I was a 1P.
If the phone agent doesn't help, you essentially have to "miss" your first flight before you can be put on standby for your desired flight, which might cause some confusion with the "flat-tire" rule. This rule, IIRC (can someone post the profile?), says you have to present yourself at the airport within two hours of scheduled departure to prevent your ticket from being cancelled and you will be accommodated on a standby basis on the next available flights.
I'd probably attempt this on a Saturday in February. I definitely WOULD NOT attempt this on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Nov 20, 2006, 5:32 pm
#135
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Programs: UA Plat-2MM, Marriott Life Titanium, Hyatt something
Posts: 1,888
Your booking is not cancelled until after midnight of the date of travel. But as noted above you take a big risk with the confirmed standby more than 3-4 hours after your original flight since you don't know if you can confirm until after it is too late to make your ticketed flight.
The big advantage of the flat-tire rule is that if you show up within two hours of original departure time, you can stand by at no cost even if you need to wait until the next day to get out. With the confirmed standby system, it only works the same day so if you cannot get a flight out that day, you may have to pay a change fee to travel the next day. If there are no flights that you can confirm on that day, you will need to do regular standby and hope for the best. I do not know what UA would actually do if you were standing by for flights today and didn't get on any of them.
Even if a flight looks open later in the day, a mid-day cancellation or a major misconnect inbound can cause that flight to be full or overbooked by the time your 4-hour window opens.
Charles
The big advantage of the flat-tire rule is that if you show up within two hours of original departure time, you can stand by at no cost even if you need to wait until the next day to get out. With the confirmed standby system, it only works the same day so if you cannot get a flight out that day, you may have to pay a change fee to travel the next day. If there are no flights that you can confirm on that day, you will need to do regular standby and hope for the best. I do not know what UA would actually do if you were standing by for flights today and didn't get on any of them.
Even if a flight looks open later in the day, a mid-day cancellation or a major misconnect inbound can cause that flight to be full or overbooked by the time your 4-hour window opens.
Charles