| Traveling "stand-by presents continuous
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| | for you.
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| opportunities for creativity and
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| | Upon missing three flights out of
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| fortitude. This is an "extreme" waiting
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| | Atlanta, Georgia, and one out of
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| game not for the faint of heart or the
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| | Cincinnati, Ohio, in a row, and being
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| easily discouraged. It can be fun and
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| | required to stay overnight while awaiting
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| financially fulfilling if both understood
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| | new options, we came up with our own
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| to start with and then endured well.
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| | plans.
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| Now, don't misunderstand, here. We have
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| | On this particular occasion, we wanted to
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| traveled stand-by a number of times over
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| | end up in Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt
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| the past couple of years. The airlines
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| | Lake seemed to be booked solid.
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| personnel on board the planes, at the
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| | We decided to take the morning flight to
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| gates, and on the phones have always been
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| | Los Angeles, California, (from
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| friendly and helpful. They have been as
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| | Cincinnati) and then a connecting flight
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| accommodating as they possibly can.
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| | into Salt Lake from there.
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| There is a hard reality, here. Traveling
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| | We inquired, in the morning, as to the
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| "stand-by" puts you at the bottom of the
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| | status of Cincinnati to Salt Lake. It
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| seating priority list. That's just the
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| | was still booked solid. We asked if
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| way it is. There is no point in getting
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| | anything came open if they would please
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| upset, or angry, or swearing at the gate
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| | let us know. We told them we were
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| agents (as we have seen, from time to
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| | currently booked from Cincinnati to L.A.
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| time). If you fly "stand-by", you are
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| | to Salt Lake.
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| taking the risk. No one else. It's your
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| | To our surprise, we were informed that
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| choice, completely, so assume the
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| | two seats had become available and we
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| responsibility.
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| | were able to fly directly to Salt Lake.
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| Sometimes, you will make the flight.
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| | A couple of things to keep in mind. Be
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| Sometimes, you will barely get on by the
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| | flexible. Be prepared. Be willing to
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| skin of your teeth.
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| | consider options. But most importantly,
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| Sometimes, you won't make the flight. Or
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| | KEEP YOUR HEAD and be considerate and
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| the next....or the next....or the
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| | friendly. It is not the agent's fault
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| next....or the next....which is what
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| | that flights are cancelled or full.
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| happened to us on our most recent
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| | You will get more satisfactory results
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| experience. Large numbers on seating
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| | with honest kindness than you will get
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| availability do not mean you will be
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| | from thoughtless rudeness.
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| seated. We have watched 33 seats
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| | When traveling "stand-by", remember
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| evaporate in mere minutes!
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| | patience and kindness. You may have
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| At some point, sometimes you need to take
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| | glitches along the way. You may have to
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| matters into your own hands. You need to
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| | re-think your itinerary. But going in
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| devise your own alternative itineraries
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| | with your eyes wide open to reality will
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| and inquire about travel options on your
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| | make the experience more tolerable.
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| own. Reservation agents are friendly and
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| | Maybe, even more satisfying.
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| willing to check into suggested options
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