Waiting is the worst part for an airline commuter. It could be that all seats are taken. Perhaps excess cargo created a weight restriction. Maybe the agent doesn't like the way we look. Nor should they.
Uncertainty is the price employees pay for flying at a fraction of the standard ticket rate.
But when commuting crew members are standing at the departure gate, waiting to hear their name called from the standby list, logic sometimes goes out the window and panic comes right in. But like most commuters, there's a method to her madness. I'd end up flying lousy trips that will keep me away from home more than if I commute to Miami. So, four or five times each month, she waits at the departure gate in Fresno. She waits to hear her name called for the one-hour American Eagle flight to Los Angeles.