I can hop an earlier flight than booked, so I was thinking of flying stand-by. But, then it hit me…my checked luggage will need to find its own way home, right? I assume it’ll fly in on the flight I originally booked. So, if I catch an earlier flight, then I’ll have to drag my butt back to the airport to get my checked luggage at regular time. Is that correct?
Also, will they even allow your luggage to fly without you? I heard something about how they’ll pull your luggage if you don’t check in on the same flight for security purposes.
So, how’s this “flying standby” business all work? [Reason # 155 to fly naked! ]
AFAIK, you’re not supposed to be able to separate yourself from your bag, but the airline is free to separate your bag from you if convenience dictates it. I’ve had bags fly on earlier flights (I checked in way early, and it went on the first flight out and I went on the second) and later flights (the bag missed the connection), but I didn’t choose those options, and I flew the first flight thinking my bag was with me (I knew it couldn’t have made the connection in the second example, but I didn’t know that until it happened).
I’m not sure the part about not being able to separate yourself from your bag is even that strictly enforced.
I used to fly free standby all the time and I used to only bring a carry-on bag(s). Well, for the convenience of not having to wait around for my luggage, just in case. But I think your luggage should be put on the plane you are boarding… though may not be always the case (advise from my airline head honcho friends).
The one time I flew standby, my bags were marked with bright orange hang tags as “standby”. This was presumably so they could be efficiently tossed into an accessible part of the cargo hold and quickly spotted and removed by baggage handlers if they didn’t find room for me on the plane.
This had the pleasant side effect of making my bags come out first when we landed.
If your bags are already in the carousel system, they will get scanned and sent to your destination on their original intended flight.
If you check in your bags when you check in yourself or have to pickup and re-check your bags during a layover, even though your ticket is on one flight but you get a standby seat, your bags will be retagged for the new flight. They may pull your bags from the system manually and retag/redirect them manually rather than using the luggage tag - this is where the STANDBY labels get added. Usually this means that there is room on that plane for your luggage too (the weight allotted for that seat), but if it’s too last minute the plane may already be at it’s takeoff weight and your bags will go on the next or original flight.
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