Stand By Passenger in Airlines: In the airlines parlance standby passenger scenario happens when a pax flies on a particular flight without having an advance reservation on that flight. There are two conditions that can yield a standby passenger and make him/her fly.

The first scenario may be that a pax travels as a standby on the next available flight following the same route and taking the passenger to the same destination, of course not booked for the new flight. Second scenario is more as per passenger’s wish when he/she reports to the airport much before the stipulated time may be knowingly or unknowingly and agrees to take a flight prior to his/her reserved flight. In such a case on this early flight passenger will be considered a travel standby on the current flight. This passenger is also called as “Go Show” passenger in the travel parlance.

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Upgrades can also give birth to standby. Frequent fliers, elite members, CIPs, VIPs get a free upgrade if there is space available in higher classes. Such pax are often handed their new upgraded boarding passes at the boarding gates itself. ID tickets or employee tickets and their companions often fly as standby.

These passengers are allowed to board once the commercial fare paying passengers are cleared. Often last minute ticket issues by agents also fly as standby passengers. The passenger reaches the airport and agent talks to the local staff at the airport that helps the passenger to take a standby travel.

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Those who cannot make it into this flight automatically get transferred to the standby list of another flight or the next flight. There is a priority also in the standby travel. Passengers paying full fare are preferred over non-full fare or discounted fare. Those having elite frequent flier membership enjoy priority over those who have lower status in FF membership.

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Stand By Passenger in Airlines