Flying Stand-By

IME not in Europe anymore. A couple of years ago we had a flight to Jersey (Channel Islands) cancelled because of fog and because we were at the airport with our luggage and in the traveling mood, decided to try for a flight to Venice instead. The BA ticket staff admitted that although the next flight was half empty they would still have to charge us full fare. Nowadays budget airlines supply the demand for low fares. BTW in the 1980s we flew stand-by to the States on more than one occasion.

Like "courier last-minute fares", stand-by fares are mostly gone.

About the only "stand-by" still out there is the "non rev" or "buddy" fares provided to airline employees and their friends and/or families. And as packed as flights are now my airline friends say it's VERY VERY hard to get flights to good places.

Stand-by works if the planes are 1/3 to 1/2 empty like they were in "good old days". These days planes, both international and domestic, run overbooked and the airline is usually scrambling for people who will voluntarily give up their seats prior to boarding. Maybe it's the flights I choose, but I haven't seen many empty seats in years. If there are no empty seats, your stand-by ticket is worthless. I would only give up my seat voluntarily if I had a confirmed seat on another flight (plus other remuneration), never if offered stand-by.

Thank you for the updated information. I appreciate all of your responses! I was wondering what happened to 'stand-by'.
Now I know.

I just flew back from Orlando to London (via Dulles), flew on a Monday and the flight from Dulles to London was about 75-80% full. Maybe going off season will have more standby seats.

I just flew back from Orlando to London (via Dulles), flew on a Monday and the flight from Dulles to London was about 75-80% full. Maybe going off season will have more standby seats.

Generally, the only time you can fly stand by is for an earlier flight on the same day of travel. For instance, I had a return flight from Cincinati booked for late on Wednesday and found that I needed to be back in NYC Wednesday AM. I could have paid $1,500, ( yes, $1,500!!!) to fly back on Tuesday night or I could go stand by for $50 on the first flight out on Wednesday. There was no stand by option until the day of my flight and even then it cost me. So, when you are feeling angry about those $1,000 European flights, remember Delta's $1,500 CVG to NYC-LGA flight! Pam

I used to fly standby alot in the 90's. My favourite flight, Toronto to LA sitting in the cockpit, on a folding jump seat. Those days are gone.

the "stand by" seats are now for friends and family of the flight crew