Flying Standby

Posted by ashley (baton rouge, la, US) on 05/07/08 10:40 AM

I'd like for us to fly standby on a flight leaving earlier from the Philadelphia airport (same day as our original flight, just two hours earlier). We're leaving on US Airways, and our original flight would dump us at Heathrow, where we would take TAP into Lisbon.

Since TAP and US Air are both Star Alliance members, it would seem logical that standby would be an option, but there's really nothing logical about air travel these days. I couldn't get anyone to confirm this over the phone ... the US Air representative told me to confirm it through Orbitz, where I booked the flight, and the Orbitz folks told me I had to contact the airline. Can anyone help me?

Posted by JER

Seattle, USA

05/07/08 11:07 AM

990 posts

Why not just show up at the airport early and hope for the best? If you don't make it onto the early plane, you're still good to go on your originally scheduled plane. By the way, this presumes you don't have checked luggage. WIth checked luggage, standby guarantees you will not meet your luggage on your arrival.

Posted by ashley OP

baton rouge, la, US

05/07/08 11:13 AM

269 posts

Thanks ... we'll be there no matter what since we're flying into Philly to connect. The problem is our original flight leaves at 11 p.m. -- the one we'd like to go standby on leaves at 8. We arrive at 4 (carryon only) so you could see how much more convenient it would be!

Thanks for the help! I appreciate it. Seems like traveling gets more complicated every year.

Posted by JER

Seattle, USA

05/07/08 01:40 PM

990 posts

Actually, it may not be so bad to take the later flight out of Philadelphia if you aren't so good at sleeping on planes. If you leave at 8, that's only 7 pm Baton Rouge body time, so you won't be ready to sleep easily till well into your flight. Then when you arrive it will be morning, and possibly hours before you can check into your hotel. On the other hand, if you take the later flight, your body will be more ready for sleep earlier in your flight, so you may get more rest onboard, and you'll arrive later in the day in Lisbon, so you may not have to kill as much time till check-in. (Oh, and if you do have a lot of time to kill in the Philadelphia airport, the sit-down Italian restaurant there isn't bad...)

Good luck, and either way, enjoy Portugal!

Posted by Flight Attendant

Niagara Wine Country, Canada

05/07/08 02:28 PM

808 posts

Ashley

I think the reason the US Airways Rep referred you to Orbitz (where you booked) b/c you paid them their commission and they are working directly for you. Sounds like they were passing the buck.

If you are flying standby, try not to check anything. Or if you do, try to ask the Incharge to confirm that your bags have in fact made it on board. Smart passengers always ask.

It only takes a radio communication to confirm that your bags did make it into the belly. Just keep in mind that under some circumstances, the belly may already be sealed and not possible to confirm. I know I always try to make the effort.

But the best advise is to be a carry-on only traveller, esp if you plan to fly standby. I've got to thank Rick and his team at ETBD for educating us and showing us how...