How does the standby priority work?
 

Took an earlier LAX-SFO flight yesterday, plenty of empty seats (48) with 18 people on the standby list. As soon as I get added to the list, I was 1st, and I thought that was because of my 1k status, vs every one else on the list may have been no status. I get my boarding pass about 30 minutes later, and GA tells me only middle seats left, but check back in about 20 minutes and he will see what he can do, and prints my boarding pass. As I am walking away I notice that I am in boarding area 3, and no MP# is entered, so I go back to him, have him enter it, and then the aisle/windows seats open up for me in E+. Everything worked out for me, but I was wondering how I would get bumped up to 1st on the standby list if no MP# was in the system for me. Anyone have a clue?

What was your fare basis?

Just means that there were a lot of employees flying on that flight. NRSA people start at BP8A. As a paying passenger you will never be below that boarding priority even as a stand by.

He also could have had an expensive fare which would have played into it. I'm also not ruling out that the MP number was in the system though somehow got lost when the GA cleared you and printed the BP.

I think whether or not you have bags checked may have something to do with it.

Today I went on standby for LAX-SAN with 6 people already on the list waiting for 1 available seat. After I went up to the gate to request the standby, he asked if I had bags, and I said "No." He gave me the standby documents, I looked up on the screen and now noticed I was Number 1 on the list and the other 6 people were behind me, which was very surprising.

I was on a L fare, which is pretty much the lowest, and I have no status on UA until DEQM is over, so I don't think those played into me being #1 on the list.

In this case I am more likely to suspect that the other passengers were nonrevs. Having bags checked is a formality in the standby process that for most GAs would immediately disqualify you from standing by at all (there is some disagreement on whether or not this is actually a necessary condition)

If you have no status and are on a L fare I can guarantee you they were non-revs. Just refer to the handy BP chart in the wiki and you will see it.

I believe the GA may have discretion concerning standby with respect to checked bags. I have seen situations where having bags checked worked against someone requesting to standby. I know UA will willingly separate people from bags when it meets UA's needs, but it seems some GAs are more reluctant to do it upon the pax request for standby. My guess is that a GA pushing the "fly with your bags rule" would likely not put someone with ck'd bags on the standby list. That said, I don't think anyone knows for sure what happened here other than the GA involved....

At smaller stations they are more willing to do it, as getting the bags on the right flight is less of a problem, but at big stations, the amount of work required to get bags moved from flight to flight is... well... a lot greater...

I always thought that this had to with the voluntary nature of a standby.

If the airline changes your flight they have no requirement to shift your bags to your new flight since the change wasn't something you requested.

If you move yourself (or don't show) the airline removes the bags since you were voluntarily separated from them and that would be cause for suspicion.

I've always found the way UA's standby list works a complete and total mystery. Sometimes when I think there is no hope for an upgrade or going standby it comes through. Other times when I think its gonna be no problem I get no love. I know for sure just being 1K isnt everything!

What I do want to know is how important the time when you get added to list makes a difference.

I have done standby with checked bags hundred of times. Never had a problem. They just tag the bags on the standby flights. Unless they know the standby flight is already full, then they won't even let you standby for that flight.