A wording issue tied to Southwest’s year-old Basic fare is causing passengers to believe they’ve been placed on standby—even though they still have confirmed seats on the flight.
In aviation, the term “standby” traditionally means a passenger does not yet have a confirmed seat, which is why the wording has raised concern among travelers.
Southwest is in week two of its rollout of planned updates, and for the most part, it hasn’t been going well. People are complaining about having to get special clearance before sitting in the exit row, overhead space hogs, sudden aircraft changes with no warning of the resulting reassigned seats, preboarders (still!) and the new formation of gate lice.
A new problem
There’s apparently a new problem happening with Southwest flights but it’s not so much a planned change or update by the airline as much as an apparent glitch. People who are purchasing Basic fares are frequently getting notification that they’ve been moved to the standby list.
What does a Southwest Basic fare include
Southwest’s Basic fare is its bare-bones option, similar to United’s Basic Economy, JetBlue’s Blue Basic, etc. As they explain it, it’s “Our lowest fare bundle that’ll get you there for less, with some restrictions.”
Purchasing a seat on Southwest with a Basic fare gives you:
- Standard seat assigned at check-in
- Extra Legroom and Preferred seat for purchase (if available)
- Last to board
But on the other side of the coin (well, sorta), you also get:
- 2x Rapid Rewards® points per dollar
- No cancel fee
- Flight credit expiration: 6 months
- Flight changes allowed with fare upgrade
- Free inflight entertainment
- Checked bag fees may apply
Compared to Southwest’s other fares, Basic is, unsurprisingly, very basic.
Southwest also clarifies that:
- For Basic fares, seats will be assigned at check-in, except for A-List and A-List Preferred Members and Rapid Rewards® Credit Cardmembers, who may choose a seat prior to check-in.
- Standard seats also have standard legroom but are in the back of the cabin.
- All seats included in the fare bundle are subject to availability.
Which all makes sense in terms of a “basic” fare – you’re getting the “leftover” seats that no one else, who had the ability to choose their seats, chose.
The problem: Several passengers who have purchased Basic fares are frequently getting a notification, upon check-in, that they’ve been moved to the standby list.
What “standby” usually means in aviation
From Booking.com:
Standby flights are flights where there’s an unsold seat or a seat that someone does not show up for that standby passengers can occupy at the last minute. This option is sometimes used by passengers who want to catch an earlier flight than their booked one. Or for those who missed their original flight and couldn’t get a confirmed seat on a new flight that was early enough. Flying standby is also popular among airline employees and their families, as they can travel at significantly reduced rates if seats are available.
From Kayak.com:
A standby flight is essentially a request for a seat on a flight other than the one you booked. It works if there’s an empty spot on your desired flight when it’s time to board.
There are two main types of standby flights:
- Voluntary standby is when you opt to switch to an earlier or later flight for convenience.
- Involuntary standby happens when circumstances push you off your original plans, like a missed connection or an oversold flight.
In both cases, you’re not guaranteed a seat, but you might be able to snag one if space opens up.
From Southwest.com:
Southwest doesn’t give the definition of being “standby” but they do explain how a passenger could go onto the same-day standby list:
And here’s the kicker – if you purchase a Basic fare, you’re not even eligible for standby status!
Why this is happening on Southwest
As it turns out, it’s a glitch. Or, more accurately, as one gate agent allegedly told a recently Southwest passenger (as per a post on Reddit), “poor wording.”
The way it’s now played out at Southwest, if there aren’t basic seats yet available by the time a Basic fare passenger checks in, they’re being labeled as “standby.” However (and this is the important part), they’re standby for a seat assignment, not standby to be cleared for the flight.
Hopefully they will fix that wording soon. “See gate agent.” “We have not assigned you a seat yet.” Or just about any other word that hasn’t been used in aviation, for a specific situation that is not the one being described, for decades.
Why this messaging is a problem
Between recent policy changes—such as checked bag fees, assigned seating, and updated fare rules—Southwest has already frustrated many longtime customers. Now they’re telling passengers, who have done nothing to warrant being on the standby list of the traditional definition, that they’re on the standby list – potentially causing anxiety, fear, anger and even more annoyance. That’s not a good look for an airline that may be on the outs with those thousands of passengers to begin with.
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