Not only does it vary by airline, as pointed out by Frontcheck, but also depending on airport terminal.
Ideally if you can give both pieces of info, it will help someone help you!
Generally however you will check-in landside, and either be given your boarding card and told to come back at X time before departure, or it will be kept at the desk until you return at X time before departure.
Not sure about other airlines, but BA at T5, 99% of the time you wait landside, return to the desk to be onloaded and go through security once you have a seat. Occasionally you are given a sby boarding card and special permission to go through airside to wait (using computer system, so dont try unless they tell you!). This is usually if they expect you WILL get a seat but that it will be late onload.
It is NOT usual for BA sby pax to be able to approach and ask the captain for jump seats. It doesnt usually go down well. You could try asking at check-in. Sometimes it will be offered, via the dispatcher, usually if pax is known to be commuting crew.
IF you were offered a jump seat landside or airside, you would usually have a standby boarding card.
Last edited by BAAlltheway; 23rd Jul 2010 at 22:17.
Reason: Typo's