Weird Standby Question - Wondering if anyone has experience
May 18, 2009, 3:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN or SLC (mostly)
Programs: SW A-List Preferred, DL Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 220
Weird Standby Question - Wondering if anyone has experience
So I'm scheduled to fly LAS-SFO-LAX-IAD-PHL - leaving Fri late afternoon and including the LAX-IAD red-eye. Yes, it's DEQM!
Turns out due to some unexpected trips during the DEQM period I am going to clear 1P with some room to spare and don't need all the EQMs, but I would like to spend the day in LA with a friend. The fare is a non-refundable LAS-PHL T fare.
I'm wondering if you all think I might have any trouble just standing by for an AM LAS-LAX and then hopping the red-eye as planned that night?
TIA
Turns out due to some unexpected trips during the DEQM period I am going to clear 1P with some room to spare and don't need all the EQMs, but I would like to spend the day in LA with a friend. The fare is a non-refundable LAS-PHL T fare. I'm wondering if you all think I might have any trouble just standing by for an AM LAS-LAX and then hopping the red-eye as planned that night?
TIA
May 18, 2009, 3:59 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1P, HH DMD, SPG PLT, Hertz 5*
Posts: 640
Standbys clear segment-by-segment, and only clear if you're there to claim the seat, so from that perspective you should be fine. The real question is if you can find an agent who will let you standby for LAS-LAX when you're LAS flight is through SFO. That might be a challenge...
May 18, 2009, 4:09 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 693
IME, that will be easy as long as there are seats. They often offer me to do that when I have trips booked the "long" way. It benefits both parties as their variable cost goes down (minimal, what, maybe $15 for the weight of a passenger? + drink service) and they free up a seat. It has been more difficult to add in a connection than to remove a connection.
May 18, 2009, 4:11 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Slightly to the left of center
Posts: 3,475
Some agents will say, "you got a discounted rate for the (extra) connection, thus you need to buy up for the 'nonstop' to LAX". Other agents will say, "what the heck, why are they making you fly all the way up to SFO?" and gladly put you on standby straight to LAX. Unfortunately, its often a case-by-case-by agent- scenario.
Perhaps you could do standby first flight out LAS-SFO-LAX and still keep most of the day in L.A?
Perhaps you could do standby first flight out LAS-SFO-LAX and still keep most of the day in L.A?
May 18, 2009, 4:26 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN or SLC (mostly)
Programs: SW A-List Preferred, DL Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 220
May 18, 2009, 5:30 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K, DL Gold, Marriott Amb
Posts: 360
Standbys clear segment-by-segment, and only clear if you're there to claim the seat, so from that perspective you should be fine. The real question is if you can find an agent who will let you standby for LAS-LAX when you're LAS flight is through SFO. That might be a challenge...
Code:
-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...
OP, you should have no problem standing by for the morning LAS-LAX.
The catch is that you cannot do a same-day confirmed change ($75, free for 1Ks) for this ... that policy explicitly prohibits routing changes.