Chances of flying in an airplane are based on the availability of a seat, and above all there is a flight scheduled for the day by every means. The chance or an occurrence of a standby flight depends on probabilities, and a few of these include:
a) Cancelation of the original flight
b) Dearth of seats resulting out of overbooking
c) The decision to change the flight time on a particular day because you want to either fly early or late than your scheduled time
d) The flight is missed due to any reason or circumstance
e) When the First class is completely sold out and those elite fliers are on a Standby until the First Class seat becomes available due to Seat Cancelation, or Misconnect, or No-show, or Change in the Equipment
Just in case you are pondering rigorously as to what are the chances of getting on a standby flight, the answers could be sorted out of sheer probability mathematics. Now this mathematics has to be manipulated on the priority basis.
Basics on Airline Fee and Protocols for Availing Standby Flights
There were the good old times when flying in a standby used to come across a cheap option, but not anymore. Today, the passengers have to pay a certain amount as Standby Fee over and above the cost of the ticket. The Free Standby option is available to first class, business class and members of elite programs have advantage to book Standby for free.
In all other cases, the standby ticket costs will vary from one flight to another. In general, the fee may vary between $25 and $100, with most airlines charging $75 for causing the same-day changes.
Standby Flights available with the Airlines
| Name of the Airlines | Standby Flight Option |
|---|---|
| Allegiant Air | No Standby Flights except the offer for changing the flight comes with TripFlex at the time of booking |
| Alaska Airlines | Free same-day standby, if tickets are pre-purchased |
| American Airlines | $75 for Same Day Standby flights. No fee charged for military personnel, first-class, business class, and AAdvantage Elite members. |
| Delta Airlines | $75 for Same Day Standby flights. Same-day changes are definite and come as complimentary for Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members. Basic Economy passengers are not charged any Standby Fee |
| Frontier Airlines | Standby flight available only for elite-level members of Frontier Miles |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Standby flights for free to Neighbor Island flights to Pualani Platinum and Pualani Gold members |
| United Airlines | $75 for Same Day Standby flights. The flights are exclusively free for the Premium Members. |
| JetBlue | $75 standby fee for sold-out flights between the same cities on the same calendar day. |
| Spirit Airlines | $75 standby fee on earlier flights. |
| Southwest Airlines | Free standby seats offered to the Business, Wanna Get Away, and Senior Citizens |
Astute Suggestions for Flying Standby
Standby flights will help you to travel flexibly but you have to be prepped up. Here are a few quick points to look into before realizing to fly standby:
a) – Read through the Terms and Conditions related to Standby Policy and Fee Structure;
b) – Download the Airline App on to your mobile as this will help you to program the same day flight changes;
c) – The even chances of securing the Standby flights will increase substantially when the passengers sign up for the elite membership;
d) – Do not carry luggage as there may not be sufficient space in the baggage hold of the plane in the next plane that is booked for the standby flight;
e) – Travel in the off-peak times for the reason that there are not enough standby seats available during the popular festive occasions or popular holidays;
f) – Carry some form of entertainment with you as you may have to wait for your standby flight;
g) – While you may have good chances to secure standby flight sooner than later, therefore, it is recommended to arrive early at the airport terminal;
h) – Make sure that you explain to the airport staff at the departure point that your name appears in the standby list. Try to be polite as this will help you in securing a seat for yourself.
Verdict
The verdict of flying in a standby flight or not is based on several factors, and cost is one of the most important factors for obvious reasons. When you are flying in a standby, you end up paying more out of your pocket, and above all, such a flying option is not always guaranteed to the passengers. Besides everything else, in case of new passengers, they want to avoid the standby flights because there is a high possibility of having just a minuscule experience in engaging with the airlines or even navigating the airport options thereof.