LoCo overbooking
I generally book tickets months in advance. Quite often, due to a change in circumstances, I realise that I am not going to be on the booked flight.
At the moment there is no incentive to tell the airline (low cost) as there is no refund.
If the airline were to make a gesture, such as a small credit against a future flight, I would let them know I was not going to be on that flight and let them rebook it.
At the moment there is no incentive to tell the airline (low cost) as there is no refund.
If the airline were to make a gesture, such as a small credit against a future flight, I would let them know I was not going to be on that flight and let them rebook it.
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I don't see how standbys can be dealt with anywhere other than the gate.
I used to be a check in agent. On the occasion we had standby passengers due to oversales, even after accepting people once check in closed (by removing seat assignments for people who didn't check in), we would still send the odd few to the gate even if the flight was then full. You get a lot of people who don't turn up airside, even after checking in at the airport. Quite often you would get down to -10 minutes before STD and if passengers didn't show up after numerous calls, they get offloaded and the person on standby would get on instead. If we didn't allow at least a few standbys to go right to the gate then most oversold flights would still leave with empty seats. Offering the customers incentives several hours before the flight wouldn't really work, airlines would be paying out more DNB than necessary as it would more often than not backfire. That would merely cause them to oversell flights more.
The system they use now is not 100% accurate, but it's as best as you'll get unless you can absolutely guarantee every single person who is checked in gets on the plane on time.
I used to be a check in agent. On the occasion we had standby passengers due to oversales, even after accepting people once check in closed (by removing seat assignments for people who didn't check in), we would still send the odd few to the gate even if the flight was then full. You get a lot of people who don't turn up airside, even after checking in at the airport. Quite often you would get down to -10 minutes before STD and if passengers didn't show up after numerous calls, they get offloaded and the person on standby would get on instead. If we didn't allow at least a few standbys to go right to the gate then most oversold flights would still leave with empty seats. Offering the customers incentives several hours before the flight wouldn't really work, airlines would be paying out more DNB than necessary as it would more often than not backfire. That would merely cause them to oversell flights more.
The system they use now is not 100% accurate, but it's as best as you'll get unless you can absolutely guarantee every single person who is checked in gets on the plane on time.
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".
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.
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always astonishes me how often people go through security and then don't board... I was on an LHR - ATL Delta flight last year and the lady in front of me (business Class even!) was onboard and becoming increasingly agitated as hubby, who she'd last seen in duty free, hadn't showed.
Eventually the Capt came back and suggested she either travel or deplane.... he said they'd located her luggage as soon as she raised the issue just in case
She got off - I'd love to know the full story...................
Eventually the Capt came back and suggested she either travel or deplane.... he said they'd located her luggage as soon as she raised the issue just in case
She got off - I'd love to know the full story...................
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I generally book tickets months in advance. Quite often, due to a change in circumstances, I realise that I am not going to be on the booked flight.
At the moment there is no incentive to tell the airline (low cost) as there is no refund.
If the airline were to make a gesture, such as a small credit against a future flight, I would let them know I was not going to be on that flight and let them rebook it.
At the moment there is no incentive to tell the airline (low cost) as there is no refund.
If the airline were to make a gesture, such as a small credit against a future flight, I would let them know I was not going to be on that flight and let them rebook it.
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edi-local. Do locos do staff standbys? Don't see how they could be handled, except at the gate.
Just curious. I haven't flown standby for years, lowest available fare can often be better that ID90 etc.
Just curious. I haven't flown standby for years, lowest available fare can often be better that ID90 etc.
ExXB Thanks for info regarding reclaiming tax. The airlines keep this very quiet.
How to claim back the tax on your ticket if you miss your flight | This is Money
It is definitely worth doing on Easyjet who do not charge, but with other airlines
who charge an admin fee (e.g.Ryanair £17, Flybe £25) probably not worth the hassle.
How to claim back the tax on your ticket if you miss your flight | This is Money
It is definitely worth doing on Easyjet who do not charge, but with other airlines
who charge an admin fee (e.g.Ryanair £17, Flybe £25) probably not worth the hassle.
ExXB Thanks for info regarding reclaiming tax. The airlines keep this very quiet.
How to claim back the tax on your ticket if you miss your flight | This is Money
It is definitely worth doing on Easyjet who do not charge, but with other airlines
who charge an admin fee (e.g.Ryanair £17, Flybe £25) probably not worth the hassle.
How to claim back the tax on your ticket if you miss your flight | This is Money
It is definitely worth doing on Easyjet who do not charge, but with other airlines
who charge an admin fee (e.g.Ryanair £17, Flybe £25) probably not worth the hassle.
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A reasonable fee is permitted, under EU regulation. Now define reasonable.
When you get your laws back, you can decide for yourselves. Oh wait, FR will have to cut all their flights except to Ireland.
When you get your laws back, you can decide for yourselves. Oh wait, FR will have to cut all their flights except to Ireland.
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The (legacy) airline I work for has interline agreements with various Lo-Co's, on which I can avail ID90 fares. I find within the UK and often within Europe that ID90s are almost pointless and can often find Lo-Co fares for less or not much more than an Standby. One good thing is that ID90 fares still always include a full baggage allowance.
I was referring to overbooked flights from any airline, Lo-Co or not. The only way to ensure every seat is taken is to have people waiting at the last possible place they can either be denied or allowed on.
Yep, U2 does have staff standby’s. They also have a very good confirmed staff seat system but that very much depends on whether the booking system has released staff seats. Their standby system however is very different to other carriers.
1. Only max of two staff standbys per flight at the booking stage
2. If the flight you booked on standby is released onto confirmed staff travel then your flight is confirmed at that stage.
3. Often you get confirmed at check in
1. Only max of two staff standbys per flight at the booking stage
2. If the flight you booked on standby is released onto confirmed staff travel then your flight is confirmed at that stage.
3. Often you get confirmed at check in
