Stand By Flights

[Ijustwant2go]

Hi Everyone

My 1st post, and any help would be fantastic. We as a family are Emigrating and are looking for flights and if we can go any time and any day would a stand by flight be cheaper?

Never done stand by before only ever seen it on tv so not even sure how it works so I am sure someone on here would be able to advise me.

found this site just browsing and read a few posts so I will leave it up to you people out there to point me in the right direction.

Would love to have a empty plane to ourselfs wake me up I am dreaming lol.

Looking forward to reading you replies. So post again soon.

Ijustwant2go

[FormerFlyer]

Re: Stand By Flights

You wanna emigrate on a standby

Anyways, IIRC you can't purchase standby tix any more unless you're an airline employee. Doubtless someone will now toodle along and tell us both otherwise!

cheers
FF

[Ijustwant2go]

Re: Stand By Flights

Thank for your reply,

Please don't be confused, I thought stand by tickets where cheaper, and looking for the cheapest way to start our new life,

If it did not matter when or what time we fly out may be cheaper way to do it as it will be a one way ticket,

I had this thought that we could just go to airport and get on any flight with lots off seats not sold

[agent x]

Re: Stand By Flights

no, Former Flyer is right. Only Airline employees can purchase sby tickets (I know cos i am one!). As far as turning up on the day that would be a big mistake! Airline seats are more expensive the closer to the day of departure you get!! (believe me, im a ticket agent at my airline). My advice to you would be to book well in advance and find yourself a good deal or go into a high street Travel Agent and try to get yourself a good ITX fare. Where are you emigrating to??

Agent x

[FormerFlyer]

Re: Stand By Flights

Thanks for that recommendation Agent X - I'm a friendly High St travel agent

cheers
FF

[Globaliser]

Re: Stand By Flights

Originally Posted by Ijustwant2go

Please don't be confused, I thought stand by tickets where cheaper, and looking for the cheapest way to start our new life,

If it did not matter when or what time we fly out may be cheaper way to do it as it will be a one way ticket,

I had this thought that we could just go to airport and get on any flight with lots off seats not sold

Some airlines used to do cheap standbys as a matter of routine, but I don't think that this has been done for many years now. The airlines learned that the people who turn up on the day of the flight and say "Please sell me a ticket for travel now" are usually the people who are prepared to pay the most money for their tickets, because they really need to travel now - often to an urgent business meeting or for some urgent personal reason. So typically the only tickets available on the day itself are the most (or more) expensive types.

If you post where and when you're thinking of going, I'm sure there'll be lots more specific advice about how to do it.

[Ijustwant2go]

Re: Stand By Flights

Once again thanks for you replies so helpful, looks like I have done the wrong thing then

We are going to New Zealand as soon as we complete on our house sale,which should be end of this month,so I am really scared now that there will be no flights but expensive one's .

So next plan ????????????????????????

As the saying goes you learn by your mistakes

Sorry to sound stupid here but what is ITX Fare.

Again thank-you Globaliser,FormerFlyer,and Agent x your points taken onboard just hope I have not left it to late to get a good price flight for 3 adults. Glad to have found such a friendly forum keep up the good work.

[FormerFlyer]

Re: Stand By Flights

An ITX fare is one which is lower than the next cheapest fare, because it is sold on the premise that some ground arrangements will be booked as well eg:car hire, hotel booking. I think it stands for Inclusive Tour Excursion fare, or something like that.

It's somewhere in the Ts&Cs that you must purchase ground arrangements, however I have no idea how an airline would know if you hadn't done that

cheers
FF

[Ijustwant2go]

Re: Stand By Flights

Do you advise Travel agent for flights or should I use Airline network or some other online company??????? I think that I have lots of work to do don't you

Ijustwant2go

[FormerFlyer]

Re: Stand By Flights

As a professional travel agent myself, I can only recommend using a travel agent - seeing how you're so busy already when not let someone else do all the work for you?

cheers
FF

[firstchoice7e7]

Re: Stand By Flights

Well austravel are doing one way flights £99 dep 5th jan to perth! you would then need to get to new zealand though!

[agent x]

Re: Stand By Flights

Another tip from me - you are gonna have a fair bit of luggage if you are emigrating so try and get something on Air New Zealand themselves. The NZ001 leaves Heathrow around lunchtime and goes via Los Angeles so you get the American piece system baggage allowance. 2 bags per passenger at 32kgs each. Basically any scheduled airline that goes via the USA is your best bet. Others via Asia etc usually only allow one bag per passenger up to 23kgs approx. Dont want you getting slapped with xbag charges on your way out!

No problem FormerFlyer!! At last theres someone in the same field as me!!

(airline ticket) Agent x

[jai6638]

Re: Stand By Flights

Originally Posted by agent x

Others via Asia etc usually only allow one bag per passenger up to 23kgs approx.

I thought that passengers travelling through Asia were allowed two bags per person totalling not more than 20 kgs

[Globaliser]

Re: Stand By Flights

Originally Posted by Ijustwant2go

Do you advise Travel agent for flights or should I use Airline network or some other online company???????

I would suggest research with a number of sources. A physical TA, if you can get in touch with an Oz/NZ specialist, will be in the best position to give you "interactive" advice: You can ask questions, and get answers. A specialist may also have access to one-way fares which include extra baggage allowance etc. - some airlines used to do emigration fares that specifically included this as a feature, for obvious reasons. Specialist TAs sometimes have access to contracted/consolidator/"net" fares which are not always available to high street TAs or to all online channels.

Online sources will allow you to do some research in advance, though. Apart from the baggage allowance of flying via the US that's already been mentioned, it looks like Air New Zealand have some specific one-way fares that are very competitive. (Source - Travelocity fare listing.) It also looks like you may be able to get a cheaper one-way fare from 1 February onwards, as a cheaper season appears to start on that date. A calendar search (source - ITA Software demo page) suggests that an Air New Zealand fare of £594 (fare basis V3OW) is available if you can wait until 7 February, or £541 (fare basis W3OW) if you can wait until 14 February. Caveats: ITA only displays published fares, ITA availability is not always the same as UK market availability, taxes aren't always calculated correctly by the demo page, and I have only checked availability for one seat.

Originally Posted by jai6638

I thought that passengers travelling through Asia were allowed two bags per person totalling not more than 20 kgs

Other than North America routes, I don't think it matters how many bags you take, so long as they are in total within your weight allowance. 20 kg is standard, but some airlines like BA (23 kg) do a bit more.

[agent x]

Re: Stand By Flights

Originally Posted by jai6638

I thought that passengers travelling through Asia were allowed two bags per person totalling not more than 20 kgs

Jai yes that is the case...for you anyway cos you are starting your journey in the USA so the piece system applies into Asia, I see from your profile that you are in the USA. As to the weight of each piece thats up to the carrier itself. The piece system doesnt apply to your loco carriers like Southwest though I think. For us poor lot in Europe and the UK it depends which way we fly as to if piece or weight system applies. As far as the general rules of the weight system go then yes you are totally correct but it doesn't matter how many items of baggage you have (within reason!) as long as the combined weight is no more than 20kgs,

Agent x

[Ijustwant2go]

Re: Stand By Flights

Thank-you I will do my best to find the best price and let you all know how I get on and when we go, Your advise and help has been so helpful.

Great People please keep up you helpfulness it truly is so valuable and people like me would be lost with out your help.

THANK YOU
Ijustwant2go