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Standby and companions

Mikedfw
Explorer C

I am A-List Preferred. If I decide to standby on an earlier flight than the flight I'm booked on and I have a companion, can she also standby with me?

9 REPLIES 9

Re: Standby and companions

Dashgupta
Adventurer A

Hi MikeDFW,

of course she can. In old days SW restickered

you. SW will do anything except give $ back.

of she flies w you that opens up another $ seat on the next plane. SW runs like a sophisticated Rickshaw business in my native Country. Except we refund your rubies if you cancel.

Good Luck 

Dash Gupta👳🏿‍♂️👳🏿‍♂️👳🏿‍♂️👳🏿‍♂️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Feel the LuvSW

Re: Standby and companions

SWFlyer007
Aviator C

"Rickshaw business," I love it!

Re: Standby and companions

SWFlyer007
Aviator C

Does anyone have the link to this policy that a companion can move with you to a standby?  I've in the past wanted to do this but was never sure if it was possible.

Re: Standby and companions

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

Official reply: Only the A-Lister received the free standby benefits.

 

On or before December 31, 2020, A-List and A-List Preferred Members will have free same-day standby benefits. Beginning January 1, 2021, A-List and A-List Preferred Members will have same-day standby benefits free of airline charges, but will be required to pay any additional government taxes and fees associated with changes in their itinerary. On the day of travel, please see a Customer Service Agent at the airport for this benefit and for information regarding any additional government taxes and fees. This benefit is not available at Southwest® kiosks. This benefit will be provided for A-List and A-List Preferred Members traveling prior to the original scheduled departure, between the same city pairs, on the original date of travel, where a seat is available. On flights that do not meet these qualifications, A-List and A-List Preferred Members will receive priority standby and will be required to pay the difference in fare and any additional government taxes and fees if a seat becomes available. A-List Preferred Members will be prioritized ahead of A-List Members. If an A-List or A-List Preferred Member is traveling on a multi-passenger reservation, same-day standby and priority standby will not be provided for non-A-List or non-A-List Preferred Members in the same reservation. For A-List and A-List Preferred Members who have also qualified for a Companion Pass, A-List and A-List Preferred benefits are not available to the Companion unless the Companion is also an A-List or A-List Preferred Member. 

 

 

In practice, this depends very much on the gate agent and load factor of the particular flight.

Re: Standby and companions

dfwskier
Aviator A

I guess he question I  have is " Non A Listers have to pay the fare difference when travelling standby, but there is no fare difference for a companion since the fare will always be $zero. 

So if an A-Lister is travelling with a companion and wants to go standby, what difference does it make?

Re: Standby and companions

chgoflyer
Aviator A

@dfwskier wrote:

I guess he question I  have is " Non A Listers have to pay the fare difference when travelling standby, but there is no fare difference for a companion since the fare will always be $zero. 

So if an A-Lister is travelling with a companion and wants to go standby, what difference does it make?


 

Correct. And the companion must always travel with the CP holder. However, officially Southwest states that the benefit is only for A-Listers. Which is why, in actual practice, the discretion of the gate agent is ultimately the final arbiter. Generally, I've seen that, if there is room, the companion will also usually be accommodated.

Re: Standby and companions

Matt4202
Adventurer A

Can I ask why it'd be at the discretion of the gate agent at all?

 

I've added my Companion to my flight literally 70 minutes before the actual flight time just through the app. So once the Gate agent changes the primary person's flight it'd show in the app and you can add Companion yourself. Just make sure its at least an hour before since they cutoff the flights to new reservations online.

Re: Standby and companions

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

@Matt4202 wrote:

Can I ask why it'd be at the discretion of the gate agent at all?

 

I've added my Companion to my flight literally 70 minutes before the actual flight time just through the app. So once the Gate agent changes the primary person's flight it'd show in the app and you can add Companion yourself. Just make sure its at least an hour before since they cutoff the flights to new reservations online.


Because sometimes these standby requests are granted 10 minutes prior to departure. At that point only the gate agent can make the decision and you the individual flyer can't modify your companion's flight. You are correct about changing the companion's flight yourself if standby is granted early enough. 

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Standby and companions

gsking
Aviator C

I lost the bubble on this.  So if my Companion is A-list, should there be any issues with going standby?  Sounds like it should be okay.