In LA Just Long Enough to Piss
Dec. 28th, 2025 06:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerFlying for Fun & Profit #2
LAX Airport. Sun, 28 Dec 2026, 6pm.
On this mileage run I'm flying today I planned to be on the ground at LAX for 3-4 hours. It turns out I'm making a much quicker turnaround than that. As I disembarked from my flight I "Checked the TV monitors through the terminal for flight and gate information" (as the recorded announcements always say) on my return flight to SJC.... I saw an earlier flight available. In fact it was boarding practically right then. In fact it was boarding at the gate I just arrived at. The aircraft I flew on to LAW was turning around and going back to SJC!
I considered whether to wait it out 4 hours for my next flight or try flying standby on the earlier one. No agents were at the gate to tell me if seats were even available, so I went off to find a restroom and came back. Sure enough seats, were available. I put my name on the standby list and within 2 minutes had a new boarding pass.
Basically I've just danced the Hokey Pokey. I flew to LA, took a leak, and I turned myself around. That's what it's all about! 🎵
Now I'm back on the same aircraft ready to head home. I'm in the same seat, even. The flight attendant I chatted with on the way down here was... surprisingly not that surprised to see me again! I guess she's seen enough mileage runners she didn't even have to ask. This flight will be about 10 minutes late but it'll still get me home hours earlier than what I planned. Standby FTW!
Update: A happy ending to this mileage run as I land back home in time for dinner out with my spouse.
LAX Airport. Sun, 28 Dec 2026, 6pm.
On this mileage run I'm flying today I planned to be on the ground at LAX for 3-4 hours. It turns out I'm making a much quicker turnaround than that. As I disembarked from my flight I "Checked the TV monitors through the terminal for flight and gate information" (as the recorded announcements always say) on my return flight to SJC.... I saw an earlier flight available. In fact it was boarding practically right then. In fact it was boarding at the gate I just arrived at. The aircraft I flew on to LAW was turning around and going back to SJC!
I considered whether to wait it out 4 hours for my next flight or try flying standby on the earlier one. No agents were at the gate to tell me if seats were even available, so I went off to find a restroom and came back. Sure enough seats, were available. I put my name on the standby list and within 2 minutes had a new boarding pass.
Basically I've just danced the Hokey Pokey. I flew to LA, took a leak, and I turned myself around. That's what it's all about! 🎵
Now I'm back on the same aircraft ready to head home. I'm in the same seat, even. The flight attendant I chatted with on the way down here was... surprisingly not that surprised to see me again! I guess she's seen enough mileage runners she didn't even have to ask. This flight will be about 10 minutes late but it'll still get me home hours earlier than what I planned. Standby FTW!
Update: A happy ending to this mileage run as I land back home in time for dinner out with my spouse.
