From FlyerGuide Wiki
Contents |
[edit] Standby
[edit] Voluntary standby with checked luggage
If you have checked luggage, voluntary standby is not permitted [1]
[edit] Fare rules
[edit] "Domestic" and Canada/Caribbean
If you are holding (a) flight(s) ticketed on a "domestic" (U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and the Caribbean) fare, you can typically standby (for free) for a different flight on the same day, but, effective for tickets purchased on/after Feb 22, 2010, only if you have purchased an unrestricted economy (Y/B/H) or any business or first class fare (including so-called "instant upgrade" fares), are oneworld elite, a member of AAirpass, or an active U.S. military personnel.[2]
Alternatively, for a fee, you can confirm a flight change on the same day -- see Confirmed Flight Change
REMINDER: If you intend to standby for (a) later flight(s) than the one/those you hold a reservation for, make sure to call AA to cancel. If you don't show up for a flight, AA will automatically cancel ALL remaining segments in your reservation and most tickets will lose their entire value (from typical rule category 16: "IF TICKETED FLIGHT RESERVATION IS NOT CANCELLED PRIOR TO TICKETED DEPARTURE TIME/ REBOOKING IS NOT PERMITTED AND THE TICKET HAS NO VALUE.")
The complete information of what is allowed is part of the rules of the fare that you purchased. Because AA.com does not allow you to display rules pertaining to tickets you have already purchased, below is the text from a typical rule for fares purchased on 22FEB10 as an example.
05.ADVANCE RESERVATIONS/TICKETING
[...]
1. STANDBY -
A. AADVANTAGE EXECUTIVE PLATINUM/ PLATINUM/ GOLD
PASSENGERS AND THEIR ONEWORLD EQUIVALENTS AND
AA CONCIERGE KEY AND AAIRPASS MEMBERS TICKETED
WITH ANY FARE MAY STANDBY WITHOUT CHARGE AS
NOTED BELOW.
B. PASSENGERS NOT QUALIFYING BY TIER STATUS AS
DESCRIBED ABOVE WHO PURCHASED TICKETS FOR
FIRST OR BUSINESS CLASS OR COACH FARES BOOKED
IN Y/B/H/D/I/A/P INVENTORIES MAY STANDBY
WITHOUT CHARGE AS NOTED BELOW. WHEN TICKETED
WITH ANY OTHER COACH FARES THESE PASSENGERS
MAY USE CONFIRMED FLIGHT CHANGE.
///---///---///---///---///---///---///---///---//
STANDBY CONDITIONS FOR ELIGIBLE PASSENGERS -
1. PASSENGERS MUST BE HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVA-
TIONS AND TICKETS FOR FLIGHTS OPERATED BY
AMERICAN AIRLINES/ AMERICAN EAGLE OR AMERICAN
CONNECTION
2. STANDBY IS PERMITTED FOR EARLIER/LATER SAME DAY
AA NONSTOP AND/OR CONNECTING FLIGHTS BETWEEN
THE SAME ORIGIN AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS
PROVIDED THE ROUTING IS APPLICABLE FOR THE
FARE CHARGED.
3. WHEN TICKETED TO/FROM HOU/NYC/WAS -
CHECK FLIGHT APPLICATION FOR ANY AIRPORT
RESTRICTION.
///---///---///---///---///---///---///---///---//
Although the rule says same day, FTers report success in standing by for red-eye flights departing late at night, a few hours (or minutes) before the beginning of the day for which one is ticketed. Although it's not guaranteed that the agent will be lenient, it's worth trying, with the understanding that if it doesn't happen, well, the rule is pretty clear.
[edit] Change of airport
Previous rules contained the following detail on standing by from different airports. Although current rules are contradictory with paragraph 2 allowing for same airport standby only and paragraph 3 applicable to different airports, anecdotally the flexibility from the old rules is still in effect but not contractually guaranteed.
C. UNLESS RESTRICTED BY THE FARE CHARGED-WHEN
TICKETED FROM/TO CHI/HOU/NYC/WAS/DFW - THE
PSGR MAY CHECK-IN AND STANDBY FROM/TO ONE OF
THE AIRPORTS LISTED BELOW.
CITY - AIRPORT
CHI - MDW/ORD
HOU - HOU/IAH
NYC - EWR/JFK/LGA
WAS - DCA/IAD
DFW - DFW/DAL
Please note that the rule specifically says to "CHECK FLIGHT APPLICATION FOR ANY AIRPORT RESTRICTION". An airport-specific restriction, if present, will appear in the FLIGHT APPLICATION category; please refer to the rules for the fare you purchased to determine what applies to your ticket.
[edit] "International" except Canada/Caribbean
For flights ticketed with a non-"domestic" (U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and the Caribbean) fare, typically you cannot standby. Although there have been some reports of people being able to fly standby, these are incredibly rare and are errors.
The typical fare will contain the following provision; as usual, please refer to the rules for the fare you purchased to determine what applies to your ticket.
05.ADVANCE RESERVATIONS/TICKETING STANDBY NOT PERMITTED.
[edit] Standby Priority
Standby priority is the method by which AA determines which passengers on the standby list (PALL list) will receive seats on a particular flight.
Standby priority is determined by the following factors in order of precedence:
- Priority Code - Distressed travelers (those who have experienced involuntary travel delays or disruptions) are grouped above discretionary standbys:
- Revenue Involuntary (RI)
- Revenue Voluntary (RV,DRX)
- Elite Status - Within each group above, passengers are ordered based on AAdvantage status:
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum
- AAdvantage Platinum
- AAdvantage Gold
- AAdvantage
- Non-AAdvantage members
- Check-in Time - Within each status group above, passengers are ordered based on check-in time. Those passengers who checked-in earliest will have top priority for standby confirmation.
This information has been confirmed by an AA gate agent as of July 2008, with priority code taking precedence over status, and with check-in time (not time of addition to the list) still impacting standby priority, despite the fact that it no longer impacts upgrade priority.
Note that elite status is not conferred to companions for the purposes of determining Standby Priority (in contrast to Upgrade Priority).
[edit] Standby and "co-terminals"
A frequent forum question. City pairs considered the same point (f.k.a. "co-terminals") are used exclusively for purposes of fare construction and have nothing to do with standby rules. See change of airport above.
