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I am an A-list member, which has free stand-by benefits. I have completed the first leg of an itinerary with someone on a my companion pass. If I go stand-by on my return trip under the rules specified for A-list members (within two hours), will the person on my companion pass fly free as well?
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Free same-day standby is not available at Southwest® kiosks. Please see a Customer Service Agent at the airport for this benefit. Free same-day standby 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 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 multiple-Passenger reservation, free 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 and A-List Preferred Member. A-List and A-List Preferred Members can still make confirmed same-day changes for another flight to their destination, if seats are available, and will only pay the difference in fare.
I'm under the understanding. If you fly regardless if you pay or go on points if there is a available seat the Companion goes fee.
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From the discussion at Flyertalk, it appears that this is very much up to the discretion/abilities of the gate agent. Some flyers have had luck getting their companion on with them, other have been denied.
It's unclear if a written policy covers the situation, although the A-List standby on appears to dissalow companion travel when the A-Lister is traveling standby.
Are A-List and A-List Preferred Members eligible for same-day standby?
Free same-day standby is not available at Southwest® kiosks. Please see a Customer Service Agent at the airport for this benefit. Free same-day standby 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 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 multiple-Passenger reservation, free 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 and A-List Preferred Member. A-List and A-List Preferred Members can still make confirmed same-day changes for another flight to their destination, if seats are available, and will only pay the difference in fare.
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As someone affected by this, I see it both ways.
- Information as provided by @chgoflyer says that companions don't get same day standby.
- As @franktravel points out, the situation - if seats are available - would be equivalent to canceling your companion's ticket and then rebooking companion with the new ticket.
I haven't used this benefit yet - if you do it will the original flyer be re-ticketed right away? Or does the standby only clear during boarding, that would be a hiccup for rebooking a companion according to the process.
If there were seats available I don't see why they would not want to accomodate the flyer and their companion.
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Standby isn't the same as rebooking. 😉
Experiences vary, likely because the situations vary as well. If there are many open seats, an agent may be willing to rebook both onto the new flight.
If there aren't many open seats, the A-Lister is put on standby, and it remains unclear what priority is given to -- for example -- the last two remaining seats. Should another A-Lister be given the last seat, over an unpaid companion?
If a seat is available, the companion gets it. But that may be only after all the standbys are cleared.