catwood

I'm thinking of taking an earlier flight on Friday from PHL-BOS, and i'm just curious recently the experiences of members on paying the $25 standby fee. It's always been one i've objected too, but I do know it's valid. I'm just curious whether people have been getting charged the fee everytime, or if there is some flexibility on the part of agents.

Chris

NeoOfTheCRS

Depends on the agent. I paid once and I got if for free once. I rarely fly standby though. But you should expect to pay it. OR just buy it as a UA ticket on US metal. No stand-by fee there, just carry your fare rules with you.

shell nyc

I don't want to say this too loudly in case some management lurkers are here...but I've never paid the fee. I've either outright changed or gone standby on at least one leg of every US itinerary I've flown in the last couple of months without paying an additional dime.

Most pertinent to your case, back on a Wednesday in July I booked the 7:30pm PHL-BOS flight, but ended up at the airport a little after 4pm. At the club I was offered my choice of running for the 4:30 or taking the 5pm. He handed my 1D boarding pass without any mention of additional fees (and this was on a GoFare.)

jhpark

hit and miss for me, and I'm a lowly silver. It seems that gate agents are a bit easier on the fees (less time?), but once in a while the ticket agents also just let me go.

I hate the $25 standby fee.

woody1173

on a sunday afternoon in july, i was charged the fee to go earlier on LGA-PIT. i didn't ask for a "CP courtesy" - i just paid it.

gardener

I stood by once and paid the fee. Asked about a second time and was told I had to pay the fee. Took the later flight because I was confirmed in F and didn't want to pay $25 and possibly be downgraded to boot.

tribe01

An earlier flight to PHF was delayed but the timing worked out for me. I asked to stand by and the agent told me it would be 25 dollars. His supervisor was standing behind the agent and told him to waive it. I'm not sure if it had anything to do with the flight being delayed or the supervisor being nice.

longing4piedmont

I frequently change flights and I get charged everytime. I can only remember twice not being charged. But then I don't mind as I am on a roach fare that saved several hundred dollars over full coach, so $25.00 is a bargin.

I know, they shouldn't charge it, but I also knew the rules when I booked the tickets. So I just pay and go on my way.

jetsetter

As with any other matter with any airline peoples experiences will vary. I just wish the management understood that by not charging the fee agents actually help the company get more business if the customer is happy. Where as in contrast, sure you can get $25, but then the customer will feel nickeled and dimed and will comp to Delta, United, or American, or fail to book future discretionary trips. And even many business trips are discretionary, they could alternatively be done with videoconferencing, phone, email, etc.

shell nyc

They know it. When I mentioned how annoying the fees were, and that they were leading me to ticket my US metal flights on UA, Andrew Nocella, VP of Network Revenue Management, told me "...I need every dime I can get right now. " He also said that they would like to get rid of the fees for preferreds, but for now it's smart of us to just keep ticketing through UA if we think we'll need to change the flight.

catwood

Andrew Nocella is very responsive, he's written me back within 30 minutes from his blackberry as a result of meeting him at roachfest. I've been impressed.

Chris

TopTier

I just can't believe it either. I get charged almost every time. But keep in mind that I never give them a break now either. When US is delayed do to MTC or a mechanical. I make them do backflips for me now. I was always much more flexible to the agents when they did not nickle and dime me. Nown when delayed, or for any blatent US screw up, I make them put me now on AA or DL, instead of US metal when they screw up at the airport or gate. That hurts them where it counts in the piggy bank. What goes around comes around in life. Taxi vouchers, meal vouchers, and telephone calls and ground transportation and luggage delivery. ALL of the things I was entitiled to and never asked for until they started nickle and diming me. THANKS Ben BEDAZZLED for those fees, the perks work out great!!!!

jimcfsus

So, here's an interesting question. By the time US would factor in costs for ticketing, cost of making the reservation that is, and such, and given that the fares charged are the same, does US make out better in the deal if we purchase a ticket on UA and fly US metal or purchase the ticket on US for US metal?