Back in 1980 BA transatlantic standby tickets were sold (confirmed seating) from the start of the day, trying to emulate Laker. You could buy them at any BA office, and I recall doing so at Manchester Airport and then getting a connecting flight down to Heathrow for a trip to Los Angeles.
To illustrate the poor commercial issues standby caused, I was working at the time for a major US company, based in Detroit, with a UK head office near Heathrow. The (American) managing director sent out a missive about the substantial travel we did to Detroit, saying that we (including him) should go standby rather than book, as in his experience the plane was never full. This caused an element of dissatisfaction with the need to go early, queue, etc.
Our Newcastle branch manager came down on a domestic flight to Heathrow T1 one day, and while walking out and passing the BA ticket counter happened to notice the MD's chauffeur, who we all knew well, standing in the queue. He said to hang on a few minutes and he would give the Newcastle man a lift back to the office. Discussing why he was standing in the queue, he said "Oh, Mr x the MD is going to Detroit this afternoon, so I've come across early to get his standby ticket".
Last edited by WHBM; 4th Dec 2017 at 23:43.