Flying standby used to be simply showing up at the airport a couple of hours before the flight, trying to find the cheapest available flight, or waiting to get on the standby list of a specific flight. In recent years, however, standby flying has morphed into an extra service that ticket-holders can invoke, given that certain conditions apply. This article explores what standby flying means in the modern world of commercial aviation.
Once upon a time, trying to get a standby ticket could mean hours of waiting at the customer service desk. However, it could still be an attractive option if you are not in a hurry and on a tight budget. These days, due to heightened security and the fact that flights are more likely to be overbooked than undersold (albeit less so in the last few years amid the pandemic) that is next to impossible.
Want answers to more key questions in aviation? . Nonetheless, if you have a ticket and certain unforeseeable situations arise, standby could still be useful in a frustrating situation. Today, those who fly on standby have usually been bumped from their previous flight or are trying to get on an earlier flight than they were reserved for.
In rare instances, passengers may attempt to travel to a different airport in their destination city and attempt to use standby to achieve this. This can also apply to airline employees, their family members, or close acquaintances who fly for a heavily discounted price on so-called 'buddy passes.' This instance most .
