Aer Lingus Standby, eh?

StickyMcGinty

Anyone have a clue how to actually get on a cheap flight, by standby, to the U.S.A.??

i cant find any info anywhere,

and by standby i mean just showing up and waiting for a free seat (or for a small fee)!

anybody any experience at this?

btw i'm a student, as you prob have guessed

DrummerBoy

Ring the airline desk at the airport that you'd like to fly with and ask them about it.
But as far as I'm aware the whole stand-by thing is only open to staff of the airline. Could be wrong though.

KdjaCL

www.lastminute.com
and ring aer lingus now, check the timetables for next few hours and ring up about each flight, have to be a few seats on one of them.

kdjac

StickyMcGinty

Originally posted by KdjaC
www.lastminute.com

good site, BUT there aint any irish airports, so no luck.

am i screwed for a trip back to the green green grass of dublin?

Kobie

I knew a girl who always travelled by standby with Aer Lingus until she spent 2 days of her holidays sitting in Dublin airport.

Sometimes it's just better to pay.

(have you every considered working on a ship )

Monty - the one and only

moved

Eurorunner

good site, BUT there aint any irish airports, so no luck.

Hmm...lastminute.com seem to have changed their tactics.. i was able to input dublin on their site in january as a departure location for a longhaul trip ..and got the best fare around at the time with them.

Why dont they want our business?
Expedia are the same...

subway_ie

Wouldn't you have majjor problems with immigration when you try to get into the US with only a one way "stand-by" ticket, and no proof that you intend on returning to Ireland instead of living/working/being a terrorist in the US?

Originally posted by subway_ie
Wouldn't you have majjor problems with immigration when you try to get into the US with only a one way "stand-by" ticket, and no proof that you intend on returning to Ireland instead of living/working/being a terrorist in the US?

Correct you would.
Indeed you mightn't be let on the flight at all unless you had relatives over there or proof of some specific reason for the late travel

But at least U.S immigration is in Dublin Airport, so it's a case of not leaving Dublin at all.

subway_ie

Originally posted by Earthman
But at least U.S immigration is in Dublin Airport, so it's a case of not leaving Dublin at all.

When I went to the US last (about 5 years ago), all we had to do in Shannon was fill out a form and were just waved through immigration in Shannon, but when we arrived in the US, they started asking questions about the holiday (a family of 5, 3 young children, for 2 weeks in florida - it was pretty obvious it was just a holiday, nothing long-term) and when we intended returning, etc. So I wouldn't be too confident about getting in even if you do get passed immigration here. Unless they've changed the proceedure?

Bluehair

Standy is indeed only for staff. Never available to anyone else.

StickyMcGinty

ah its alright, i saw IN AMERICA.

all i gotta do is pay some 6 year old girl to say i'm not workin!

so has anyone ACTUALLY gone on standby and come back without any worries?

KdjaCL

US immigration isnt in Dublin anymore its in US, kinda weird making you go all the way and then kicking you home.

Vinny immigration wont know your on a standby flight , but if its one way they will ask Qs.

Just tell them you got it cheaper this way and once you have a legit address to stay you be fine.
I went recently and on ebookers paid 500 for 2 way (4 flights tho),immigrationwas a grumpy chick who said "have a nice stay " and that was it.


kdjac

StickyMcGinty

cheers, meself and a mate are visiting another mate whos working on a J1 for the sumer, thats why i wanna go on the cheap!!

shabbyroad

US immigration isnt in Dublin anymore its in US, kinda weird making you go all the way and then kicking you home.

Wot ? Are you sure ? That's a bit of a bummer. I go a few times a year. When did they close immigration at Dublin airport ?

Bluehair

U.S. Imm is still residing happily in Dublin(and Shannon) but not all trans-atlantic airlines are using them at the moment.

Aer Lingus definately still do but either Delta or Continental dropped the service a while back (not sure which). It's up to the airline to do it here or there.

I've often travelled standby (as staff) for a variety of airlines during my career. It's not as cheap as you might imagine (some employers being better than others) but if you plan far ahead and leave yourself enough 'outs' (reroutes home) it can often work out ok. Having said that I've many many times seen friends and colleagues screwed at various destinations including facing paying a couple of grand for a last minute full-fare seat since it's the 'last one' and they have to be back for whatever. Bad planning imho but I've seen it happen so many times :rolleyes:

More often than not myself and the girlfriend just buy the seats normally these days it's cheap enough without the hassle/worry of wondering if you're gonna make it.

(btw Ins will know you're on a standby flight and will raise it as an issue since they need to see your ticket not your boarding pass. Not having a confirmed return is def a problem but again since only airline staff travel standby an appropriate id usually satisfies them. Mind you I did have hassle coming from Toronto back through the US one time since the guy couldn't get his head around someone coming all that way for only two nights and then going back, a quick call to confirm my employment and id and he was nice enough about it).

KdjaCL

Sorry i went tru heathrow and only hit Immigants when i was in US.
But i did get all the way over before any sort of immigration thingy.
kdjac

Bluehair

Originally posted by KdjaC
Sorry i went tru heathrow and only hit Immigants when i was in US.
But i did get all the way over before any sort of immigration thingy.
kdjac

Ah that explains it. US INS is only available to non-stop flights from Ireland to the US. The facility doesn't exist anywhere else in Europe so going via another city means you'll clear immigration stateside.

The_Bullman

I actually prefer immegration in the states. The staff seem to be friendlier from my experience

Ro

I think your better off going through INS here, if your going to be rejected there's no point in it costing you a day of your life!

I've been through INS here and in a few parts of the US and it's just luck of the draw whether you get somebody thats friendly.

Victor

Originally posted by KdjaC
Vinny immigration wont know your on a standby flight , but if its one way they will ask Qs.

"Security" will. Pass cash last minute practically guarantees rubber glove treatment.

rubber glove treatment

Dub13

I am not sure if stand by still works for non staff (to the US) as all flights have to hand over a list of whos on the plane to US Customs/Homelands at least 2 hours before the flight leaves.

Just pay for the ticket.

Victor

Originally posted by Dub13
all flights have to hand over a list of whos on the plane to US Customs/Homelands at least 2 hours before the flight leaves.

I think this is two hours before the flights arrives.

donspeekinglesh

Originally posted by VinnyL

so has anyone ACTUALLY gone on standby and come back without any worries?

My girlfriend and I travelled to JFK back in Jan on stand-by (she's Aer Lingus staff), and we had no problems. INS said nothing to us about it. Just asked when we were planning on coming back, and where we were staying.

daveirl

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