Standby (air travel)

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On most modern airlines, flying standby occurs when a passenger travels on a flight without a ticket for that specific flight.

[edit] Requirements

Usually, airlines require that a passenger possess a ticket for the same flight at a different time, or on a different day. For instance, a passenger going standby on a flight from Seattle to Las Vegas generally must have a ticket to that same destination, although they might have the 4pm flight instead of the 6pm.

[edit] Why fly standby?

There are two circumstances in which passengers typically fly standby.

First, a missed flight may require a passenger to fly standby on the next flight to the same destination, since they now lack a ticket. Airlines are usually very helpful when this happens.

Second, a passenger may arrive at the airport early (whether accidently or on purpose) and notice that an earlier flight exists. They will then attempt to travel standby on the earlier flight, and failing that, proceed to take their booked flight.

Employees of the airline and/or other airlines (such as those in an alliance with the airline) and some of their family and friends may also travel standby, often at lower than normal fares. They usually have lower priority than regular passengers and will only be allocated a seat after all passengers paying a full fare are allocated seats. It can even happen that an employee travelling standby takes their seat on the aircraft, but is then asked to vacate it to make way for a regular passenger.

[edit] Mechanics

Travelers get themselves into the standby list by speaking to a ticket agent or a gate agent. Almost always, this must occur in person at the airport, and not over the phone. When the flight is boarding, any unclaimed or available seats will be given to those passengers on the standby list, who must wait at the gate to be called. Any passengers on the list who are not given seats are rolled into the standby list for the next flight.

Flying standby is easiest with only carry-on luggage, but checked luggage can be used as well, although pains must be taken to ensure that it arrives at the destination ahead of or at the same time as the passenger.