I am hoping to get on a flight 30 minutes before the hotel stby period ends on the last day. Has anyone had experience getting released early? If so who would I ask about that? Scheduling said it's up to GOC since they don't track the flights I would be covering.

I've tried a few times and all of them have been unsuccessful. The Newark hotel standby would end about 6 A.M., and without a usable jet on the ground, they still never released us early. But I guess it depends on how nice you come across and how much on top of things GOC is at the time. Good Luck. But are you trying to "game" the system? Better watch out for AA as he hates that.

I asked about 4 years ago and she said it was the first time she had ever heard of such a thing and ah.....no.

I had it in Indy last year. Same situation..asked to be released FIFTEEN minutes early to board a flight. Nein, nichts, nada, zilch, pound sand. Guy acted like I was asking to date his wife.

I got released about an hour early in Dec from hotel standby.

I had called the scheduler asking for a 4-hour early release and he said the same thing as above - "that's up to GOC, not me"

he went on to say they usually don't even think about letting you go until inside an hour to go - told me to call back at the 1-hour to go point.

I called him back at 1-hour left, he called GOC, and they released me.

Well then there is hope. I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the info.

FD

What's with all the pessimism and vitriol? Sounds like you need a lecture from a grandfatherly figure on how to act on message boards.


Oh, sorry, forgot the

It's not pessimism, it was the reality of asking to get off early. The other method that's been used by some, who shall remain nameless, is to just go. They probably won't call, and if they do, you can blame it on an old guy anyway.

This is what I have done:
Made sure the company had my cell phone #
Packed and left hotel to get on a flight home
Hotel standby expires prior to getting on the flight.
Should you get a call prior to boarding, simply leave the pax terminal and take a cab to Fedex Ops. (no checked baggage)

Early? At your age you should feel lucky to get off at all.